Need Help, moving to the country

[Tofu]

Hello all, I need to learn some things about wireless internet, etc. I have no expirence with WiFi or any other wireless system except for cell phones, and that is just as a purchaser/end user. So essentially I'm an idiot when it comes to any of it really.

My situation is I'm moving to some family farm land where the only utility is electric and it's about 5 miles from my current location which has all utilities. Other utilities have been planned for except for interner connection, which I believe would be unreasonable to expect long term service via cell phone connection.

An acquaintance suggested I look up some WiFi antenna info so I can still use my current phone line/56k connection where I currently live and relay that 5 miles to the ranch land area. The land is completely flat between the two sites, no trees or other obsticles and about 20 ft above sea level.

I have been looking around and doing some searches on the net about WiFi for beginers or for dummies, etc, but find things getting very technical and specific and geared for the hobbiest or someone who is already somewhat familiar. Any laymans terms sites out there?

Any help or suggestions about systems, hardware, wiring etc.. would be very appreciated. Thanks

[AlxRogan]

Be forewarned, if you are planning on setting up a wireless link over a few hundred feet, you will have to invest some time and effort over that of an end-user.

That being said, I would suggest starting with this information from the NetStumbler forums, http://forum.defcon.org/showpost.php...45&postcount=8. I would also do lots of searching through there, as they have some really good information on setting up non-standard wireless connections.

Maybe if you're lucky, perhaps Thorn or even the "Notorious Canadian Hacker" RenderMan could offer some advice as well.

Also, you may want to see if there are any local ISPs in the area that might provide a solution that could suit you. I know that there are wireless ISPs springing up in some rural areas to do just that.

Good luck.

[hackajar]

moving to the country

I can mall you a lot of peaches if it helps

[prtsoft]

do you have cell phone access? I recently read about using your cell phone with an internet plan hooked up to your computer with a special USB cable.

[Feonix762]

do you have cell phone access? I recently read about using your cell phone with an internet plan hooked up to your computer with a special USB cable.

I was tricked into buying one of those cables, the lady told me it was what I needed to transfer pictures from my phone to my computer. Got home and found out it's for connecting a laptop to your cell phone so you can use the internet, which wouldn't be so bad except they charge like $60 a month for it.

[LosT]

Sounds like you need to talk to the boys of DC12 from the WiFi shootout ;)

LosT

[renderman]

Maybe if you're lucky, perhaps Thorn or even the "Notorious Canadian Hacker" RenderMan could offer some advice as well.

Smart ass :)




A 5 Mile shot is definatly viable, but I'd make it a last resort. Line-Of-Site is a huge factor. If you can't see where your trying to send signal, the extra expense and pain is'nt worth it, especially since your not even using broadband.

If you can see it, it's possible, but not recommended unless you want to learn alot and have time and a tolerance for frustration.

I'd look into Wireless ISP's. They seem to be everywhere lately. Let them do the work.

[prtsoft]

I was tricked into buying one of those cables, the lady told me it was what I needed to transfer pictures from my phone to my computer. Got home and found out it's for connecting a laptop to your cell phone so you can use the internet, which wouldn't be so bad except they charge like $60 a month for it.

yeah, some cell plans are cheaper, I'd only use it if I was a place where i needed access and there was no other plans availible.

[Thorn]

It can be done, but it will take some work. If there is a WISP in the area, it will be a lot easier and less costly to purchase the service from them.

For what you are trying to do, there aren't any "dummies" level guides. It IS very technical.

For a 5 mile link, due to the Fresnel Zone and the Earth curvature, you will need a minimum tower height of 46' tall at both ends; 57' would be better. This is assuming absolutely NO obstructions (trees, buildings, brush, cars, power lines, etc.) If any of those obstructions exist, then the tower height has to be added to the height of the obstruction. In addition you will need to compute the transmit power and the receive power (the link budget) at both ends. This will certainly involve high-gain antennae and possibly RF amplifiers. There are legal limits to using both, and you must conform to them or face possible Federal action.

The minumum equipment will include: Towers, concrete, radios, enclosures, RF cables, RF connecters, antennae, and Cat5 cables. You will also need specialized tools for both cable types. It all adds up. For example a good crimp tool for RF cables will run $100. Even a cheap one will be $50.

Figure on a starting budget of approximately $1000 if you're starting from scratch. The sky is the limit from there. Don't forget to budget the monthly cost of the connection at the far end.

Maybe if you're lucky, perhaps Thorn or even the "Notorious Canadian Hacker" RenderMan could offer some advice as well.

Render is "notorious"? Well, that does it. He can't buy me any more beers! (Wait a minute. What did I just say?)

[Hextic]

This is almost exactly the kind of thing optical wireless could be useful for.

[bgaff]

It can be done, but it will take some work. If there is a WISP in the area, it will be a lot easier and less costly to purchase the service from them.

For what you are trying to do, there aren't any "dummies" level guides. It IS very technical.

For a 5 mile link, due to the Fresnel Zone and the Earth curvature, you will need a minimum tower height of 46' tall at both ends; 57' would be better. This is assuming absolutely NO obstructions (trees, buildings, brush, cars, power lines, etc.) If any of those obstructions exist, then the tower height has to be added to the height of the obstruction. In addition you will need to compute the transmit power and the receive power (the link budget) at both ends. This will certainly involve high-gain antennae and possibly RF amplifiers. There are legal limits to using both, and you must conform to them or face possible Federal action.

The minumum equipment will include: Towers, concrete, radios, enclosures, RF cables, RF connecters, antennae, and Cat5 cables. You will also need specialized tools for both cable types. It all adds up. For example a good crimp tool for RF cables will run $100. Even a cheap one will be $50.

Figure on a starting budget of approximately $1000 if you're starting from scratch. The sky is the limit from there. Don't forget to budget the monthly cost of the connection at the far end.

Render is "notorious"? Well, that does it. He can't buy me any more beers! (Wait a minute. What did I just say?)

ACTually.... if i recall correctly it can be done with $60 (two wireless cards) and a lot of old fasioned scavenging. If you got the time, and someone with somewhat technical skills.

EDIT: Yea yea i know, OLD POST

[Thorn]

ACTually.... if i recall correctly it can be done with $60 (two wireless cards) and a lot of old fasioned scavenging. If you got the time, and someone with somewhat technical skills.

EDIT: Yea yea i know, OLD POST

Sure it could be, but if you're going to scavenge all the towers, concrete, radios, enclosures, RF cables, etc., etc., etc., then you could probably scavenge two wireless cards, too. ;)

The point is really that it will takes a lot equipment and a good amount of technical know-how. Whether it's all scavenged or all bought, someone setting up thins kind of link will pay for it in time, money or both. It is not for the faint-of-heart, or those who think of radio as "turn it on and hear the pretty music."

[oz0ne]

900 Mhz Wireless

If money is no object, and line of sight is a problem, then look into 900 Mhz wireless systems. They are much more tollerant of trees etc...