LAN Access in Garage

[Ezzie]

OK, I've got an application question for any computer geeks we have on here. I need to extend my home LAN to the shop which is not normally a big deal - but the shop is about 600' away LOS. I don't have any conduit running between the house & shop so I am thinking about something like a pair of outside mounted directional antennas or a directional wireless bridge.

My exisiting ISP is a wireless broadband point-to-multipoint system (using the Waverider 900mHz system). From the wireless modem I go to a standard Linksys 4-port wired router from which I have drops to the various PC's around the house.

Is there an ethernet port to wireless bridge I can use at each end of a point-to-point extension that I can do this with (802.11g which I think is the typical 2.4gHz)?

 

[Jeckel30]

Build two of these and point them at eachother. I did it with a friend who lived 2 streets away in a neighborhood and it worked great.

http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

 

[wilbilt]

Most wireless access points have the capability to run in bridge mode. You can set two up to only talk to each other and then plug into the wired LAN at each end.

 

[aerobb]

600' is a long shot. Yagi's may get you close if both are in bridge mode. 100 meters is the max for 10/100/1000 wired.

Fibre

 

[Ezzie]

Build two of these and point them at eachother. I did it with a friend who lived 2 streets away in a neighborhood and it worked great.

http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

Great article - but I currently don't have any radios to drive just a yagi antenna (no wireless router). What would be the most simple is something I can attach to one of the LAN ports on my wired Linksys router, aim it at the shop and then have something at the other end I can plug my PC directly into.

Has anyone ever used something like this?

http://www.wlanantennas.com/datasheets/oc400g.pdf

Would this be overkill for what I am trying to do?? There isn't any spec. on distances I can see. Kind of pricey at $215 ea. though.

 

[rsanter]

how about a range extender?

bob

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I don't think you'll be successful using standard 802.11a/b/g or even 802.11n to bridge between access points 600 feet apart.

There is an alternative you could consider, but these things are not cost effective (the kit runs a something like $2200):

http://www.proxim.com/products/quickbridge/index.html

Maybe you could contact your ISP & get them to set you up...

 

[Jaguar Fan]

Great article - but I currently don't have any radios to drive just a yagi antenna (no wireless router). What would be the most simple is something I can attach to one of the LAN ports on my wired Linksys router, aim it at the shop and then have something at the other end I can plug my PC directly into.

Has anyone ever used something like this?

http://www.wlanantennas.com/datasheets/oc400g.pdf

Would this be overkill for what I am trying to do?? There isn't any spec. on distances I can see. Kind of pricey at $215 ea. though.

I have a very similar setup, but I use Proxim wireless access points.


I have a cable modem, which plugs into a standard 4 port router (just like you). Then, I attach one access point to one of the ports on the router. This access point (AP#1) is "industrial grade" (it has features that for the most part are useful in a corporate environment and for the most part are of no value in the home market), but this doesn't give the radio any extra power. Mine has 2 radios, actually, so it transmits on 802.11a (5 GHz) and 802.11g (2.4 GHz) at the same time.

AP #2 is a ways away, and receives it internet signal from AP#1 via "802.11a", rebroadcasting on "802.11g" to an 802.11g wireless bridge that is farther away still from AP #1.

Each of the 2 APs talk to a bunch of "clients" (laptop computers, wireless print servers, desktop computers with wireless cards). The 802.11g wireless bridge then plugs in to an 8 port hub, which then has a bunch of devices plugged in to it (printer server, computer, etc).

So, at the end of the food chain, a computer with a browser sends the signal to the hub, which then provides it to the 802.11g bridge, which sends a signal over 802.11g to AP#2, which "repeats" the signal over 802.11a to AP#1, which provides it to the router, which provides it to the cable modem, and out to the public internet.

The issue is 802.11 standards also include power transmission standards -- so it regulates just how much power each radio transmits at (which translates to distance). (actually, they operate in the non-licensed spectrum, and the fed gov't dictates the max power of the radio). The devices you reference are 802.11, so I suspect they complly with this.

So... once again, I doubt they can "bridge" 600 feet wirelessly... but the best bet is to call the company and ask to talk to a support engineer/presales engineer... tell him what you want to do and ask if he thinks there product can bridge that far.

 

[PoorOwner]

You can get directional antennas they are made extended range to do 1/4 miles no problems..

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I looked a little bit more on that vender's website...

I think this is what you need:

http://www.wlanantennas.com/product_info.php?cPath=44&products_id=62

You buy 2 of them. One plugs into your router. The other one is in your shop 600 feet away. In your shop, you also install an inexpensive hub.

The datasheet for this product says up to 5 miles, so it will work (I'm surprised!)

Note that if there is "stuff" in the way (trees, walls, etc) that will cut down on the distance you can get.

 

[Screwdriver]

Why not install regular broadband in the garage and use a VPN tunnel over the internet to connect your networks. Google for VPN (virtual private network), they usually explain stuff better than I can.

Now I have set myself up as a geek when really I am much more of a hands-on-in-the-shed kind of guy....

Screwdriver.

 

[wilbilt]

I have done 1,000-1,200 feet using Cisco WAPs and Yagis.

I had to trim a couple of trees, but after that, it was Golden.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I have done 1,000-1,200 feet using Cisco WAPs and Yagis.

I had to trim a couple of trees, but after that, it was Golden.

Wow!

 

[Ezzie]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I guess the bottom line is whether to bite the bullet and pay for a seperate ISP connection (DSL at approx. $40/mo.) in the shop or spend the $$ to buy the wireless bridges.

 

[logical]

have you walked out there with a good laptop and tried it with your existing wireless router?

I can "see" my neighbor's from inside my house in all but the worst of weather and he's 500 feet and several trees away from me....and he's not even trying to aim it at me.

 

[BrianAltenhofel]

I'd go with the a pair of Yagi antennas.

If speed for accessing things on the home network (such as streaming movies from a server on your network) is the top priority, then I would look at fiber, but that's probably way out of budget for you ($2000 - $2500). 10Mbps file transfers feel like being on dialup again compared to 1Gbps.

 

[MustangRick]

You can get a decent Yagi antenna for $50 from hyperlinktech.net. I would think that you would want the narrowest degree/ largest gain. I searched for wireless bridge and brought up a linksys and dlink wireless bridge that may do what you want on amazon for $50. Now you will need to figure out the cables and connectors to hook them together, spend the time to do the research or call hyperlink to make sure you get the right antenna so you don't need a $25 adapter. I have see these yagis go 1/4 mile or so with no issues (well until someone built a building between them.)

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

If you do use a wireless router over that distance make sure you activate all security aspects. If your router if free and clear ANYONE can connect to your router and do ANYTHING. Like access kiddie ****. Problem is the cops will trace that activity back to your account and you get BUSTED... Just something to think about...

 

[V-10 Killer]

I'm putting a LAN connection in my garage too. I ran a Cat-5 cable thru conduit with my phone line. Now I've just got to figure out how to wire the 8 wires to the back of the jack, there's no color reference in the package.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I'm putting a LAN connection in my garage too. I ran a Cat-5 cable thru conduit with my phone line. Now I've just got to figure out how to wire the 8 wires to the back of the jack, there's no color reference in the package.

This should help:

http://www.elrcastor.com/rj45.html

The website above shows "straight through" on the left side and "cross-over" on the right. You should follow the instructions on the left.

Good luck

 

[Bubbles]

we use this stuff at work

http://www.echotechwireless.com/category_s/43.htm

Works great in all weather the 5.8 gear