Weatherproof Enclosure?

gglave · 2007-01-20T00:17:56+00:00

Hi there,I'm looking for a source for a waterproof enclosure so I can place aLinksys router outside, i.e. something like this: tried Hyperlink Technologies ( ) - Thepic above is from their site. They seem to have a good range ofproducts, but they're a wholesaler, so they sent me to their dealer,Sharper Concepts, ( ). Sharper Concepts won'tanswer my pre-sale questions, so I need to find something else.In a nutshell, I'm looking for a waterproof enclosure in order toenclose a Linksys WRT54G wireless access point along with a Linksyspower-over-ethernet adapter ( )The enclosure will be in the Pacific Northwest or North America(Vancouver Island) so lots of rain. Temperature range could go down aslow as -10C in Winter and up to +25C in the summer.Any suggestions? I know I could build something, but I'd prefer to buysomething as I'm short on time.Thanks in advance.Cheers,Geoff GlaveVancouver, Canada

J

Jeff Liebermann 19 years ago

snipped-for-privacy@panix.com (Al Dykes) hath wroth:

Naw, I goofed. I was running two threads involving spectrum analyzer issues and managed to get them muddled. If you're curious, see:

for the actual question under "Quiz Time".

It will wander around about 6dB without much effort and 10dB if you start to move things around. Ever notice those nifty looking Netstumbler signal strength and SNR graphs? Ever notice that they're NOT flat top lines, but are rather ragged on the top? Those are the variations I'm mumbling about. For example, look at Netstumbler screen at:

Notice the variations over 8 minutes (total) run. If I ignore the total dropouts, my guess from the two parts of the graph are 12dB variation on the left and about 10dB on the right.

Try it. Place a laptop somewhere that it's not going to move, and probe an access point (preferably your own) that also isn't going to move. Start it running and then go away for a while (to avoid having your body affect the readings). As long as you don't cheat and use an ultra strong saturating signal, you'll see variations similar to the above URL. The numbers are real and you'll also see them with a spectrum analyzer, on an antenna range, and in any highly reflective environment. You might not see it in an RF anechoic chamber, but I currently don't have access to one of those to try it.

Hmmmm.... I just fired up Netstumbler and checked the neighbors access point (mine is too close and too strong). I'm seeing over 10dB variations over about 3 minutes if I ignore the dropouts.

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J

Jeff Liebermann 19 years ago

Rick Blaine hath wroth:

Speaking of heaters, I used to be in the land mobile VHF/UHF repeater service business.

The repeaters inside the buildings were no problem because the other equipment in the building kept things warm. However, the outdoor pole mounted boxes were a problem. In particular, the large duplexer cavities required some form of heating or water would condense inside and detune the cavities.

So, I went to the local pet supply dealer and bought some doggy blanket heaters. These are miniature electric blankets but sized for a dawg. Wrap the cavity with the blanket and it stays nice and warm. I also tried a 40 watt light bulb and a mercury thermostat plus relay. That also worked but tended to heat the metal box more than cavities and was therefore rather inefficient. The doggy blanket heaters put the heat where it was needed.

A bird bath heater might be cheaper, but I needed something that would evenly heat a surface and the dawg blanket heater was ideal.

I doubt anyone needs as much power as a doggy blanket heater offers for keeping a comparatively small WRT54G router warm. Probably a few power resistors and a bimetallic thermostat will be sufficient to prevent condensation. Whatever you do, do NOT mount the board horizontally where the water can collect and puddle on the board. Mount it vertically where it can drip off. Also, give the water a place to go (details on request).

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