WIFI Personal Hot Spot. What are the Limitations?

Industrial Toys · Dec 21, 2017

My Internet comes in from the ISP on an 80 foot tower.

Is there anyway one could get 100 acre WIFI coverage to an I-Phone, using that tower? I don't have a data plan on my phone. So I am pretty much limited to my small house for phone internet access via a D-Link Router.

I have a little shack by our pond, maybe 2500 feet from the tower. There are some fence lines (vegetation) in way of line of sight. Is there any way of getting an eithernet port at the shack? Using an inverter for power, it would be cool to have netflix up there via apple tv for instance.

It would also be very useful to employ wireless video as well. Although I must say, I have spent six hours on the phone today trying to get an Engenius IP camera to work. Not yet.

Thanks

sseelhoff · Dec 21, 2017

Industrial Toys said:
My Internet comes in from the ISP on an 80 foot tower.

Is there anyway one could get 100 acre WIFI coverage to an I-Phone, using that tower? I don't have a data plan on my phone.

I have a little shack by our pond, maybe 2500 feet from the tower. There are some fence lines (vegetation) in way of line of sight. Is there any way of getting an eithernet port at the shack? Using an inverter for power, it would be cool to have netflix up there via apple tv for instance.

Thanks

Confused. If you have a hotspot and an ipad,, why do you need an Ethernet port?

Industrial Toys · Dec 21, 2017

Sorry. I have to compose my material a little at a time, otherwise my browser crashes.

Thanks. Not sure on the terminology. Not exactly sure what a HOT SPOT is? I wouldn't consider a low power wireless router a "Hot Spot" or is it just any Internet access point?

I wanted a eithernet port, so I could put up a permanent Yagi if necessary at the shack and whatever connects to that, for a robust connection, and then get up there, power it up and have Internet, rather then fussing and farting with the orientation of some wireless device, like one used to do with bunny ears on a TV set.

RNeumann · Dec 21, 2017

Ditto on the confusion. But I’ll take a stab at it. A 100’ tower will work for a microwave/WiFi setup. I’m guessing it would take about $50,000 in antennae, hardware and installation.
If you have cell coverage that will be the cheapest option by far. Even if it means more money a month and buying an iPad that has cellular. With an iPad/iPhone they can be used to provide WiFi to the Apple TV- it’s called a hot spot.
Bottom line- is cellular an option?

Industrial Toys · Dec 21, 2017

I pay so much for wired phone lines, long distance, cell phone and Internet, that paying for a cell data plan is something I have avoided.

sseelhoff · Dec 21, 2017

Industrial Toys said:
Sorry. I have to compose my material a little at a time, otherwise my browser crashes.

Thanks. Not sure on the terminology. Not exactly sure what a HOT SPOT is? I wouldn't consider a low power wireless router a "Hot Spot" or is it just any Internet access point?

I wanted a eithernet port, so I could put up a permanent Yagi if necessary at the shack and whatever connects to that, for a robust connection, and then get up there, power it up and have Internet, rather then fussing and farting with the orientation of some wireless device, like one used to do with bunny ears on a TV set.

Hot spot converts cell signal into wireless access point. If you have cell service, a hot spot will provide Wi-Fi connection at the shack. Any device should work. Devices vary, but you should be able to connect 5-10 devices at one time. We have them for our office computers for working out of the office. They work well.

Industrial Toys · Dec 21, 2017

Cell Signal from the phone?

I mean, I can go to a coffee shop with my cell phone (without data plan) and get Internet (Browser) access through their HOT SPOT.

sseelhoff · Dec 21, 2017

Industrial Toys said:
Cell Signal from the phone?

I mean, I can go to a coffee shop with my cell phone (without data plan) and get Internet (Browser) access through their HOT SPOT.

Coffee shop has Wi-Fi. A hotspot provides Wi-Fi where public Wi-Fi isn't available. (Or any Wi-Fi isn't available.). Some phone have the ability to act as hotspots. Depends on the phone and cell carrier/plan.

plowhog · Dec 21, 2017

There is a lot more information needed, such as topography, trees, etc. Broadcasting a wifi signal in a flat desert is different than mountainous treed terrain.

I suggest investing a mesh network system. They key word in that is mesh, so all the internet broadcast signals use the same SSID. So you don't have to log in again as you move around.

A residential grade mesh network system is Velop from Linksys. I use one of these in a large residence to provide internet anywhere in the residence. Mine has 3 nodes but you can purchase and add more if needed. It works well, and should work better outdoors. Not sure about 100 acres though.

I have no wired internet to my barn, but have it at the house. So to overcome that I installed a Ubiquiti Nanostation M5 at the house (transmitter) and another one at the barn (receiver.) In the barn I then connected it to an off the shelf internet switch so I could wire up cameras and multiple devices.

btw, there are 3 rules about doing wireless video. They are: 1) don't do it, 2) don't do it, and 3) don't do it.

I break those rules and do get some wireless video. But all the assorted problems of erratic performance are present. But it's better than nothing.

One more thing: I use a Verizon Jetpack for mobile hotspot. When it works, it works really well. And it works most of the time. It's made by Novatel, and marketed by Verizon. It is part of my Verizon cell plan, just like an additional phone. But it allows up to 10 internet devices to connect to it.