WiFi/Internet to the Workshop - Success

[cstolten]

Cat 5e and 6 should be good for 328' minimum.

If you have the ability to run ethernet cable, you should consider using Ubiquiti Unifi. I set it up in my home, and then ran a cable under ground to my barn, and installed a wireless access point (WAP). With Unifi you can have a WAP in your house, then walk into your steel sided barn and your device will automatically be picked up by the stronger WAP in the barn. You can have multiple access points on the same wireless network. Works great.

You will need the following:

USG (Unifi router)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LV8YZLK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

POE Switch
Cheapest option is this 8 port that has 4 ports available for POE. It really depends on how many hardwired devices you have. You need a POE port for the cloud key and for each wireless access point. I run the 16 port 150 watt, which allows for POE on all ports.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU3WUX1/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Cloud Key. This is a small POE powered computer that runs the Unifi controller software. I recommend the GenIIPlus that has a 1 tb laptop hard drive and is capable of running the Unifi Protect software for security cameras.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HLLC1TC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Wireless access points. I use the Unifi AP-AC Lite version here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PR20GY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here is a good video that goes over step by step how to set it up:

 

[Denwood]

I have used (and recommend) the Ubiquiti products..but having a roaming WIFI solution as you described only requires two access points using the same SID and password..that's it. You don't need a POE switch, Cloud key etc. for a simple setup like this. My house is using an EX7000 and the garage now a cheap TP link access point (connected via Cat5). Our wireless devices roam between these with no issues.

Your wifi device will just drop the weaker connection and grab the stronger one on its own.

After commissioning a number of site to site business networks using the Ubiquiti Nanobeam AC (Gen2 and 19s) I can strongly recommend a pair of these for a garage as both also have a secondary network port (not POE) for a cheap access point. We're seeing a reliable 378 Mbps over about 600 feet (line of sight) connections. For $200 for a pair, they are very easy to set up and aim for remote buildings like a garage. If you simply set one up as a station and the other as an Access point you have a transparent wireless bridge up and running in a few minutes after mounting them. They come with POE injectors too for that price.

One site runs four of them (two bridges) where one serves as a fail-over link using simple LAG set up on switches at both sites. These have been extremely reliable now over 3 years. Performance tuning at two sites (one is about 600 feet away, the other 300ft) has yielded about 380 Mbps, or about 40MBps. That's about 40% of a wired 1Gbit connection..so not too bad. It is very hard to beat the price/performance ratio of these devices.