need 320 feet of range

[kyle0k]

Hi everyone,
So me and my business partner are moving into the same apartment complex and my building is 320 feet away from his. We wll have the 45mbps dsl and wanted to know if its possible to only get one internet and it to reach the others apartment.

The main router will go in the office which is on a loft, and only one wall away from outside. I have read many threads here but seems like everyones got a little bit of different situation and I cant find the exact solution for me.

I want to still be able to get reasonably high speeds. Is this possible? It doesnt really matter how much the solution is, considering it would be saving $80 a month.

 

[DaveMcLain]

Check out my pictures that are in this thread. Maybe you'll get a few ideas to try because 320 ft is easily possible with very good speed.

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=3052

 

[kyle0k]

Hmm looks like oyu have a huge antenna there, not really practical to have something the size of a satalite antenna in an apartment. Are there other options? Signal boosters, bigger antenna's (that attach to the unscrewable ones in a router).

 

[stevech]

Hmm looks like oyu have a huge antenna there, not really practical to have something the size of a satalite antenna in an apartment. Are there other options? Signal boosters, bigger antenna's (that attach to the unscrewable ones in a router).

320 Ft. works with stock antennas, or with low cost/small upgrades. Certainly not a dish or big momma.

 

[kyle0k]

320 Ft. works with stock antennas, or with low cost/small upgrades. Certainly not a dish or big momma.

Can you give a specific combo with the specific upgrade that will work. I don't specialize in routers at all so I have no idea where to start....

I currently have a lynksys (I can look up the model number later) and a D-link DIR-628 . Im pretty sure one of them or both has two screwable antennas, so maybe those can be upgraded.. but to what..

 

[DaveMcLain]

You wouldn't have to get THAT carried away. Check out L-Com's website and see what sort of antenna they have that will work in your application. Two MUCH smaller antennas, one on each end would work well. In my example I have that big dish on one end yet the other end is just a stock Netgear WGR-614 running DD-WRT set up as a client bridge. I had the space for a big dish on one end but not the other.

 

[kyle0k]

My other router that I have is linksys WRT54GL . And looks like both of my routers have the removable antennas.

So I found the replacement antennas here, which one would work for the better of the two routers, so that at that 320 feet I still have a strong signal?

 

[kyle0k]

I just measured from my current house and my router, I was able to catch a fair internet conenctiong about 120 feet away right now. So is it really possible to tripple that distance with the replacement of the attachable antennas???

 

[stevech]

describe what's in the path between where the two antennas would be? As little obstruction as possible.

 

[kyle0k]

Well there would be basically just the concrete walla that is the outside of t he condo and my concrete wall to inside(where I assume I can use a repeater so it reaches the rest of my house)

 

[DaveMcLain]

I think that high gain omni antennas like the ones on that page would probably help slightly because you'll be able to use them on both ends of the link. But they will not be as effective as an antenna that's much more directional and aimed at one another at each end of the link. Something like a panel antenna on each end would probably work a lot better and not be overly large.

 

[kyle0k]

So then something like this? so would I just hook it straight into my router isntead of the plastic antenna. Or is there some configuring or adapters I need?

 

[DaveMcLain]

Something like that would definitely work but you'll need to get a pigtail cable to go from N female to whatever connector is used on the router of choice. Usually this is not expensive it just takes some thinking to make sure you get the correct piece.

 

[stevech]

So then something like this? so would I just hook it straight into my router isntead of the plastic antenna. Or is there some configuring or adapters I need?

No, don't use a parabolic dish unless it's really elevated, the path is miles long, and you have outdoor bridge/routers collocated with the antenna.

With good facts about the RF path, we can help you choose the right antennas or outdoor bridges with built-in antennas.

 

[kyle0k]

HERE is a picture of our situation. I circled myne and his condo's, with his being on the left. The blue line in the yellow circles is where the balcany and windows are. The rectangle looking things in front of all the houses are not obstructions so but, because they are just metal overhangs for parking. . I also overlayed the map key to see the distance, and looks like its 250 ft. So once again, the only variable would be you guys dont know the thickness of the outside wall of the condo it would be going through, but if needbe I can put the router or repeater behind a window or something. So other then that the only other obsturctions would be poles that hold up the overhands, but thats just randomly scattered and not alot.

So now that you guys know all of the exact information what are exact routers and antenna combinations for me to be able to have a strong signal in both places. Thanks!

 

[stevech]

I think that high gain omni antennas like the ones on that page would probably help slightly because you'll be able to use them on both ends of the link. But they will not be as effective as an antenna that's much more directional and aimed at one another at each end of the link. Something like a panel antenna on each end would probably work a lot better and not be overly large.

Gain is gain, in dBi, be it a vertically directional omni antenna (doughnut pattern) or a horizontally directional antenna, (pie slice shaped). If the far end devices are spatially clustered, a horizontally directional antenna is preferred, as it receives (and generates) less interference from devices at irrelevant angles.

 

[stevech]

Best: Two of these, elevated above rooftops to get line of sight:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...3168071&cm_re=engenius-_-33-168-071-_-Product They are plug and play. Ethernet cat5 cable from outside to inside, up to 100m length. Cheap cable.

These
http://www.l-com.com/familylist.aspx?id=2272
are antennas. You'll need the WiFi device very near the antenna (weather issue), and use costly low loss coax.

 

[kyle0k]

So Im a little confused on what the bridge does if we have the antenna? Sorry, not to knowledgable in this field of computers.

So I can place the bridge on the balcony(not sure if I have roof access, will know in less then week though). Then I put the antenna anywhere near the router, or it too has to go outside. And then on the other balcony the exact same thing, to catch the signals?

 

[stevech]

So Im a little confused on what the bridge does if we have the antenna? Sorry, not to knowledgable in this field of computers.

So I can place the bridge on the balcony(not sure if I have roof access, will know in less then week though). Then I put the antenna anywhere near the router, or it too has to go outside. And then on the other balcony the exact same thing, to catch the signals?

In context here, an outdoor WiFi bridge simply changes Ethernet CAT5 to WiFi to send it to a mating device to do the reverse. These kind of products have the RF/radio and antenna all in one box, and are designed for use out in the weather. If instead, you try to use an antenna on a consumer router, you have a long coax cable issue that defeats the antenna's benefit.

Can you achieve line of sight from point A to B? If not, don't waste your money.
If you cannot get above the rooftops that may be in the A to B path, it likely won't work. Some chance it will. Eyeball it and tell us.

 

[futonpimp]

Just move in together. =P