Home made antena's

I have been reading about some of the home made antena's with great interest.

I live on the top of a hill and I presently have great internet access from a wireless ISP. We can't get ADSL as are rural. The rest of my street can't even get the same wireless access that I can because they are too far down the hill and can't get line of vision. What sort of antena would I need to cover these neighbours houses from my place. There are around 10 houses and the street is only a few hundred metres long I guess. With the directional antena's how wide a beam do they cover? I know they are all going to be different but for example a antena which is good for 5k's how wide a area would it cover?

I am new to this so please bare with me. I have a wireless access point in my house already and connect to it with my laptop through a PCMIA wireless card. The USB wireless dongles will connect to the same system right?

Thanks for any help.

Regards Wal

are you a the high end of the street or part way along ? . ( spent a lot of years in Lower Hutt. :_) ( Moera)

I am at the high end of the street. Thats how I can now access the wireless ISP.

I am not in NZ. I am in Oz but are a kiwi and like my fellow kiwi's in that web link

I enjoy mucking around with things like that. The enjoyment is not so much saving the money but rather in the fact that you "CAN" do it and seeing it actually work.

Regards Wal

Ah ok . well I guess some sort of gain omni with a wide angle rear reflector , unless you use a very wide beam dish covering all the street will be problimatic , I suggest you set up a broadcast point on your home and walk the street with a lappy and some sort of link scanner as a starting point and then make decisions. (Brisbane southside)

all so Brismesh , each state has its own part so do a google for mesh and your city .

Get the narrowest sector antenna that will cover the houses. Examples of sector antennas:

You might want to discuss this with your wireless ISP. You may find yourself with no service if they are like most ISPs. But if you cooperate with them, they probably would help you get the other people online.

Thanks very much guys. Theres some good links there.

I am Brisbane northside. I have been into Brismesh's web site and it looks very interesting. I may look into joining up there some time.

See ya's Regards Wal