Long Distance Wifi Network

I found this forum through a Google search for setting up a long-range wifi network. I would appreciate any help that could be provided.

I am looking to set up a wireless network between two houses in the mountains. One house has Verizon DSL through a Westel VersaLink 327W DSL modem/router/WAP. The house where I would like to access the wifi network is a guest house that is approximately 500 ft straight line and about 30 feet down the mountain from the main house. There is a line of trees between the houses, but I can see one house from the other. I would like to connect several computers by wifi in the guest house. I have a Linksys WRT54G router that could be used at the receiving end if this would help.

I have been searching the web for examples similar to what I am trying. Would two of these antennas ('JEFA Tech 12dBi 2.4GHz Mini Directional Antenna'

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work for what I am trying to do? Would I need adapters for the routers on each end? If so, what kind of adapter? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Reply to
jsquared71
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Since you already have a Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router, use it as your access point and use a Linksys WAP54G Access Point in bridge mode for the receiving end. I've used that set up for way over 1,000 feet before.

Reply to
DTC

There are various ways to do this.

What version of the linksys do you have? You might be able to install replacement firmware on it and use it as a wireless ethernet bridge in the distant house.

Or maybe better this way:

Put your chosen antenna on the Westel AP (if it takes external antenna) and then buy a wireless ethernet bridge for the other end and put an antenna on it.

Recommended bridge: Buffalo WLITX4G54HP

These antennas will need to be mounted to get line of sight between them. The ones you mentioned seem about right for the distance, (I have the same antenna) but to be more certain and understand the setup, you go do some link calculations:

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Be sure to use low loss cable (LMR400 is best for over 10') or else put the bridge in a weatherproof box with the antenna. At your chosen site:
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Finally, if you don't need wireless at the remote cabin, fine, connect directly to the bridge. If you do, then run an ethernet cable from the bridge to your linksys and place it inside for good coverage of the cabin.

Assuming that your existing router/modem takes external antennas, then you need one new device (bridge), two antennas, two cables. Lightning protectors and grounding too. Possible weatherproof box instead of one antenna cable.

Most longer cables will be N female to N- male to fit your antenna. At the router end, it's best to use a short pigtail to adapt it to your router which will be either RP-TNC or RP-SMA. You can buy the long cable with the correct connector, but LMR400 is thick cable and can break off your connector on the router. Thus the thinner pigtail as an adapter.

Steve

Steve

Reply to
seaweedsteve

I am assuming that there is already power from the main house to the guest house (can be a sepate circuit, but hopefully only one electric meter for both locations).... If not, then forget it, this won't work for you... I had a wap/router in the house (hooked to a cable modem instead of dsl), and when I wanted both wired and wireless in the guest house (800 ft away, but already had electric cable underground from the house for power, but thru trees that had a lot of foliage in the spring/summer- not good for wireless), i got a pair (two in a box) of the netgear ethernet powerline bridges (ethernet powerline bridge $99 at best buy

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and put a second wap/router in the guest area (linksys wrt54g $48 at walmart, plugged into the router part, dhcp server turned off, etc)... That way had both wired and wireless in both the main house and the guest house.

Notice you left off where you were at... remember when you configure wireless you have to account for what the foliage will be like year round, rather than just what it is today

Reply to
Peter Pan

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