Router/AP for event photography, long range with high troughput, and perhaps 3G?

[vyruz]

Hi,
I'm a SNB reader for years but only just registered on the forums to ask my question.
I've used search but couldn't really find a similar question being asked before, so here goes:

I'm a photographer and mostly do event photography.
On these events I'll be out in the field snapping images of whatever's going on, and my assistant will be sitting somewhere at her laptop selling printed images to customers.
Up to now I did this by just bringing in the CF-cards out of my camera every now and then, but this posed multiple problems.
So I decided to buy a Nikon WT-4 wireless transmitter which is a small WLAN device which I can attach to my belt and then connect via USB to my camera (see this link for details).
This device will then each time I've snapped a picture connect a pre-defined FTP server and upload the image.
This FTP server will be running on the laptop.

Now off course the question arises which router or access point to buy.
Ideally I would need one which has the furthest possible range, and also a decent throughput.
Wireless-N is not required though as the WT-4 is only a B/G itself...

Most of the time I'll be working on a field outdoors and the laptop will be sitting inside with a view on the field, so I was thinking an accespoint with a built in directional antenna would be best, perhaps with the possibility to connect an external antenna (which would allow me to switch to a omnidirectional antenna in case it's necessary).

As a last 'wish', it would ideally have 3G WAN functionality (either via direct SIM-card of via USB dongle) to have internet conectivity on site, but this is really just a nice-to-have feature instead of a must.

Looking throug the SNB charts, I've looked at routers and compared the '2.4Ghz Uplink Throughput' numbers for the various locations.
Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a clear winner, top throughputs for various locations vary between the Cisco E3500 and the Belkin F9K1103AS, but also none of these have a directional antenna or external antenna connection.

I've also been looking at the Engenius ENH202 AP, but I can't really find any reviews about these...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[stevech]

I use Cradlepoint routers for WiFi/LAN and cellular 3G/4G.
The CTR500 is small. CBR400 too.

 

[Mark Uhde]

I have a CradlePoint CTR35 and I use it with an AT&T USBConnect Shockwave, love it, great combo. I'm on a grandfathered Alltel plan (which are actually throttled somewhat because I get unlimited for $36/month) and I get 2-7mbps download and 1-2 up (more important to you) here in rural Montana. Very happy with the combo! The CTR35 also does Wi-Fi as WAN and normal router mode too. Very small, but huge power brick

 

[vyruz]

Hmm just found out about the new 'radar charts' which I used to compare the top performing routers for locations D and F (see radar chart)

This brings me to the Belkin F9K1103 as the best performing router in the furthest locations, at least for the 2.4Ghz uplink tests.
Only downside is that this router doesn't have an external antenna connector...

Any ideas on this?

 

[Mark Uhde]

Sorry, I didn't really understand your need for long range so strongly, I figured the field would be fairly small and you could toss the CradlePoint in a window. If you really need range, it's not a router (so you'd have to manually set IP addresses, or use your computer as a router since the camera might NEED DHCP), but I'd get the ENH202. Things have crazy insane range...

 

[vyruz]

In most cases I'll be maximum 100 meters away from the AP with just some windows and/or woodwork in between.
But the worst case scenario might be 500 meters distance with the router sitting inside a concrete building.
I've been looking at the Engenius devices, the ENH202 or ENH500 more specifically, they seem robust devices but unfortunately I can't find any good reviews about those (hint hint SNB!!!)

 

[Mark Uhde]

In most cases I'll be maximum 100 meters away from the AP with just some windows and/or woodwork in between.
But the worst case scenario might be 500 meters distance with the router sitting inside a concrete building.
I've been looking at the Engenius devices, the ENH202 or ENH500 more specifically, they seem robust devices but unfortunately I can't find any good reviews about those (hint hint SNB!!!)

They work great, you want the ENH202. The ENH500 is 5GHz band. Your camera card almost certainly doesn't support that and the range is terrible compared to the 2.4 band. If you're going to do 500 meters through a building wall you NEED something like the ENH202.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
A lot of variables. Do you want portability? Sapido Tech Routers has a unit which can be battery operated.
If you have true power, then your right, a engenuis unit might be what your looking for. A lot of the engenuis units have a built in directional (about a 70 degree pattern) antennae. The unit of course coule be mounted on a tripod pole and turned towards where you are working.
Internet access? in the field, at different events. You would need portability here. Since you are using a laptop you could even go with any usb cell device, or a mifi type device in this instance. Yes, the sapido routers support some of the usb 3g/4g smartphone cell devices. If you are in some of the 4G covered areas, you would be cruising.

4G / 3G cell device=sapido router=local wifi from unit/and engenuis unit for 3000ft away

NOTE; the Engenuis EOC2611P might be a older unit thats been out a while, but, it is one of the units which has the ability to use its internal antennae, or attach a external antannae and flip a switch on the unit to use the external. Its a B/G type unit. So, if you needed a omni directional antennae, you could just attach it, flip the switch, and it works. Plus, the price is right for the unit over at Jeff Keenan's place Engenius EOC2611P

for reference, I have a 2611P with a omni, and 3 other 2611P connecting to it. The furthest one is 3768ft and is working great.

Later Mike

 

[vyruz]

Battery operated is not a requirement, The AP will be sitting next the laptop and printer anyway so mains power will be present.

thanks for the tip about 5Ghz having limited reach, didn't know that...

So that narrows it down to the ENH200, ENH202 or the EOC2611P.
I've been looking at Engenius' datasheets:
- ENH200 Datasheet
- ENH202 Datasheet
- EOC2611P Datasheet

Most features seem to be likewise on all three models, no real differences that matter to me.
But when looking at the antenna radiation pattern figures, it seems that the EOC2611P is a lot more 'directional' than the ENH200/202.
The 200 and 202 patterns are more or less similar but seem to be radiating the signal a lot more to the back of the device, where as with the EOC2611P there's almost nothing at the 180 degree mark...

Does this mean the EOC2611 will reach further in the right direction? Or are the 200/202 equally powerfull in their main direction, but just also throw a bit more signal to the back (which would be a pro, really).

With the EOC2611 I would an omni antenna to switch to in case I'm all around the AP, but with the 200/202 this would not be necessary

Am I making correct conclusions here?
Any other pointers that could help decide between these 3?

Thanks!

 

[Mark Uhde]

I'd get the ENH200. MIMO won't be supported by your camera most likely, and the ENH200 is fairly cheap now. All have 10dBi gain antennas. The EOC2611P clearly is using an antenna radiation chart done to a different scale from the others, it's weird they'd do that.

500 meters is a stretch at the best of times, do know that. I wouldn't honestly expect it to work when I really thought about it, when I answered you I put "feet" in my brain. 500 meters will require the AP be several meters off the ground in order to get a clear path, and that it be outside.

 

[vyruz]

Thanks for all the help.
I ended up ordering an ENH200 since the ENH202 didn't have any extra's that I needed and it still was a reasonable price difference (40 euro's).

Oh and I'm currently testing an Option GlobeSurfer 3 which I have on loan from a colleague, if it works well I'll connect one of these to the ENH200 in order to have 3G internet connectivity on site

 

[sfx2000]

I agree with Stevech and Mark - Cradlepoint is a good solution for what you need...

 

[Mark Uhde]

Thanks for all the help.
I ended up ordering an ENH200 since the ENH202 didn't have any extra's that I needed and it still was a reasonable price difference (40 euro's).

Oh and I'm currently testing an Option GlobeSurfer 3 which I have on loan from a colleague, if it works well I'll connect one of these to the ENH200 in order to have 3G internet connectivity on site

I think the Cradlepoint is the best 3G router out there. Get a 3G data card and use a Cradlepoint with the ENH200 as a second AP. I'd get the CTR35 for your needs. Give the ENH200 a static IP outside the CradlePoint's DHCP range, set them both to different channels (or both on auto, normally I don't believe in auto channel but for random locations it makes sense, my CTR35 is on auto channel), but give them the same SSID and security settings. This will give you some fall back too when you're close in range but dealing with random unknown interference. Rig the whole setup to a tripod and have fun

 

[stevech]

On one my professional-use jobs... I have a Cradlepoint CTR500 (small travel router) with Verizon 3G USB modem. It has run 24/7 for many months. One time I can recall the pair needed a power-cycle because the Cradlepoint could not get the modem to reconnect to Verizon's network.

In another job, we use the more costly Sierra Wireless routers with integral modem to do machine to machine (M2M) unattended operation- where is is too hard to physically get to the devices so the price premium for the most costly approach, with built-in modem (better software management is possible versus using USB) - is justified.

Both Cradlepoint and Sierra Wireless' cellular routers/bridges are widely used in M2M apps. like ATMs, vending, and in some situations like libraries where cellular was the most prudent choice.