the last three miles

No wireless. No cable. Cable stops about 4 miles away. I doubt I'll see it or DSL within the next 10 or 15 years.

Things I've learned thus far:

You can run an ARS search to determine the exact position of nearby cellular tower. You first use Google earth or GPS to determine the residence's position by running a "Search by Tower Location" search

Then plop a placemarker into Google Earth, and then use the ruler to determine the distance of the residence from the tower. I'm actually on 2.5 miles from the tower. The tower is also owned by Crown, is

66.4 meters tall with a base actually at 15.8 meters above sea- level.

To determine if line of sight is feasible and the potential antenna tower height at the residence, you float weather balloon and look for it from the tower. This would require access to the tower. Does Crown grant access for just anyone to climb the tower or would I have to work with them or an approved third party. Anyone familiar with this part? Later I would need to mount the antenna and run conduit. So, the same question exists. Do they let only specific third parties do this or do they handle this part and what is this going to cost me.

Antenna manufactures are American Tower Company (http://

TACO Communications and make cross braced towers that can reach up 190 ft / 58 meter tall towers, if supported by guy wires. Not sure how tall they can go un- guy wire supported. The nice thing about these towers is they can be erected without renting equipment like so Monopoles are cleaner lined and can be found here specifically manufactured by Radian Rohn. Ranging in light, medium, and heavy gauge. These aren't cheap, come in sections, and in some cases don't even need cement to be mounted. The mount like the proper way you'd plant a fence post: dig a hole, plop in, fill around with rock and then dirt.

Meridian Microwave offer a link heavy tech desk at

as well as offer a wide range of licensed and unlicensed antennas, priced from $2k into the twenty-k range. Their unlicensed antennas can deliver 32 MBps up 30-miles and Gig-E up to 4-miles. I'm guessing antenna-wise at the cellular tower, I'm going to need antenna with as small a foot print as possible to minimize the complications of mounting a large parabolic onto the tower. I suspect here large and bulky won't fly especially the higher up I need to go.

-Wil

"Peter Pan" | >>> Check with the local high school.. Many of them already have | >>> internet for the students, and they have to get it from somewhere, | >>

| >> Might be a T1 connection. | >

| > Most are under e-rate programs and are typically limited in what | > outside connections they can allow. | | Note two things, the OP didn't say where he was at, and second, you use the | word "most".... cxactly my point, the local high school in Rathdrum Idaho | was getting service from skynet of spokane (microwave link to a repeater on | a nearby mountain), I was able to glom onto that....

The rules of the e-rate grants say NO some either don't know or don't care but they are risking having the grant pulled.

Any comments to the below?

-Michael

They make cross braced towers that can reach up 190 ft / 58 meter tall

as well as

can deliver 32 MBps

I see. You've got more than just a consumer Hughesnet setup going. Good gear and control makes the difference, no doubt.

Thanks for the links, maybe I'll find improvments I can implement unilaterally using DD-WRT and/or my pc....

Steve

Only that you are working really hard to avoid the obvious solution for remote business locations which is business-class satellite uplink.