Solar powered 3km point to point network advice

riverz · #1 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 04:10 AM

I'm living in the sticks with no phone or internet connection. I'd like to share a jetstream connection with a house 3km's away with line of site. Once I've bridged that gap I want to set up a regular 802.11 network to link two pc 's to each other and the internet. Just to complicate matters I'm running on solar power and so need the setup to be as energy efficient as possible.

Does anyone know the best way of doing that? What equipment would I need?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dellae · #2 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 07:05 AM

I suggest a linksys wrt54g running as a repeater with sveasoft firmware.
Max power requirement = 288watts/24hrs.
Reports are average 180 watts/24hrs.
And it is a 12volt device.

riverz · #3 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 07:40 AM

I've just read my original message and realised it's not very clear. I need a nework that

a) Connects a 3km gap to a Jetstream connection and

Acts as a reqular wireless network in the home.

Your suggestion looks great for

but how would I deal with the 3km bridge?

whetu · #4 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 07:52 AM

You can shift the power requirement balance to one side if required... get something that puts out a lot of power at the jetstream end (where there's going to be mains power I assume?) and then you can get away with a low power bridge and a high gain antenna..

For what you want you're really looking at two seperate devices - say a bridge for the 3km link and an AP/gateway to cover the home network...

riverz · #5 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 10:39 AM

I like tha idea! Any hardware suggestions on the bridge side of things?

Trvln Nalzmn · #6 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 11:44 AM

I have run the WAP54G's (Linksys) for days flat out at 20-25mb/s with out any problems. I've heard that the the WRT54G is the one to go for though. I don't know if it will bridge with the default firmware. I agree with whetu and suggest you go for a dedicated AP and then another 2 for the site to site link. A couple of 19db dish antenna would do the job well. With 19db antenna and a link that short you can just run coax up to your roof from the AP's.

whetu · #7 (**permalink**) 08-17-2004, 01:49 PM

Personally I'm keen on linksys gear right now, so some wet11's or wet54's should do fine for bridging... whereabouts in the country are you?

riverz · #8 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 04:19 AM

Decided to go with your advice and for two WRT54GS with Borg 19db parabolic antennas - then I hit a snag. A large tree means that I have to mount the dish 25 (yes that's 25) meters away from the ap. Can I get away with low loss cable over that distance? Or should I use a signal booster?

riverz · #9 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 05:13 AM

Just realised I've got electricity near the antenna, so I'll run Jetstream to an ADSL router, run 25m of cat 5 to the AP and a few meters of coax to the antenna.

Skink · #10 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 06:14 AM

two aps? not a good idea, or you might want to get an AP with client mode (dunno if the GS has it) you only need one AP aswell and a card (which considering the distance a DWL-900AP+ (in client mode) will work great for).

I have used my node's 900AP+ in client mode when im working on my wifi card or its not working(the card). had no trouble with downtime with this AP, its perfectly stable. and cheaper than a GS

richms · #11 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 07:52 AM

Quote:

two aps? not a good idea, or you might want to get an AP with client mode (dunno if the GS has it) you only need one AP aswell and a card (which considering the distance a DWL-900AP+ (in client mode) will work great for).

The WRT54GS has client mode with the 3rd party firmwares, It works, It works to a dlink dwl-2000ap, when a dlink wouldnt

Quote:

I have used my node's 900AP+ in client mode when im working on my wifi card or its not working(the card). had no trouble with downtime with this AP, its perfectly stable. and cheaper than a GS

The linksyses are more versitile. He could use WDS between them and have the same AP act as an AP at the other end. Coverage wouldnt be good as its using the 19dB antenna, but it may be good enough if the location of the remote portable pcs is within the front of the dish.

May also be able to just put a client at the jetstream end connecting to an ap at the remote site

Skink · #12 (**permalink**) 08-23-2004, 08:21 AM

when would client mode not work?

ive had mine in client to a Senao, a ZyXel G-1000, USR-9106, and a DWL-2000AP+, no trouble, even connected at full speed to the ZyXel, for some reason

Otaraia · #13 (**permalink**) 09-07-2004, 10:39 PM

A Pair of ZyXEL B-3000 running in Bridge/AP mode would also work. They also support POE if necessary for the hosts end and can take directional antennae's.

I got mine from www.xtreme.net.nz and they worked well. :idea: