Longhaul WIFI

[EarPlug]

What you are looking for is "Point to Point Wireless Ethernet". If the cable company will actually provide you your internet connection AND allow you to mount an antenna on the tower. then this is what you need. There are 2 types of systems using different frequencies. One requires an FCC radio license and the other does not.

These types of systems are frequently used around campus type environments to create a network connection where cables are hard to run. This site has some good research info Point to Point Wireless Products & Services by Meridian Microwave | PTP

 

[OZisKTB]

Thanks for all the recommendations. What I'm trying to find is how do you plan this and survey to ensure it's likely to work before spending lots on towers and radios. I've looked at all sorts of antennas, radios, modems. I've searched companies to find help, most will do this for a Fortune 500, little market for a residence. I tried using ELANCE, only got one relevant hit. I even reached out to the local Hams, lots of casual suggestions.

Again, thanks all. Happy for more suggestions, have taken action on a number of your suggestions.

 

[kco]

Used Tranzeo radios should work for you. The manuals are on the Tranzeo site. If your dogleg corner is within 300' of your house you can run that with an ethernet cable. The radios should definitely work for the 5 mile line of site section. If not, some models of the radios have connectors for an external antenna. But you should not need that. The internal antennas should work over the five miles.

The systems EarPlug mentions look more robust but are more expensive. As he mentions, you would have to arrange to mount the radio on their tower. You also need power for the radio at their site plus they would have to set up your service with a cable modem at the site.

The Tranzeo 2.4 and 5 Ghz radios don't require a license. That's good and bad. They are public frequencies so more prone to interference and hacking.

Another downside is you will be responsible for operating the radio link. My system was unreliable. But I think it was mainly due to a complicated, not well thought-out setup. I had to run the last two repeater sites and my radio. The repeater sites were at two neighbours' (who did not have service since they could get DSL from the telephone company) who let me put the radios at their homes. Power outages would confuse the radios. I could sometimes get them going remotely but other times had to go to their places to reboot them. If I had to physically work on the radios I needed a ladder at one house. At the other I had to climb 50' up a fir tree with my old power lineman spurs (with short pole gaffs, not tree gaffs).

That's another option to your dog leg. You might consider mounting the radio up a tree if it has good line of site to the tower and you can access it.

Although it is more expensive, I was very happy when cellular internet became available and I could dismantle the radio system. With the radios I had a sense of dread each morning when first accessing the internet. If it was down I had to get it going again. I had the same feeling in lightning or heavy snow storms. Power outages confused the radios when they rebooted at the same time. It also did not help that the radios were not all the same models.

But running two radios point to point would likely by more reliable.

If you were to get a pair of cheap radios, you could configure and test them on your property before installing them at their final locations.

I think there are other radios similar to Tranzeo. Motorola also may have them. Another option is to look at WiMax radios.

 

[aczlan]

I would look at the Ubituity's offerings. They specialize in such things and have decent equipment at affordable prices. I have a pair of their Nanostation Loco M2 boxes (cost me $50 each) running for a 0.1 mile link and they have been rock solid with 50-90mbps speeds.
I have a friend who is running the same devices over 2 mile link with excellent results.
You might take a look at Ubiquiti Networks - NanoStation and see what they run pricewise.

Aaron Z

 

[MikeFarm]

Hi

I'd also suggest looking at Ubituity products. I have 4 units, two Nanostations and two Rocket M5s. In my case they are used to transmit images from cameras in the paddocks back to my farm house PC and from there via sat dish to my website. I can then see the alpacas from my work place during the day. Ubituity stations can transmit several kms and they are not expensive.

Mike

 

[OZisKTB]

Just got a quote on T1 service, $400/mo, 5 year contract for 1.5mbs service.

$25,000.00 for slower than G3 data rates

Those WIFI cans look more and more attractive.

 

[aczlan]

Just got a quote on T1 service, $400/mo, 5 year contract for 1.5mbs service.
�� $25,000.00 for slower than G3 data rates��
Those WIFI cans look more and more attractive.��

You are paying the extra for the guarantee that the T1 will be up 99.999% of the time and that you will always have that 1.5mbps available for your exclusive use.

Aaron Z

 

[EdwardB]

Ubiquiti is the way to go. I've got a 15 mile line of sight link that literally never goes down. Good stuff.

 

[mark02tj]

Ubiquiti is the way to go. I've got a 15 mile line of sight link that literally never goes down. Good stuff.

Agree with the Ubiquiti recommendation. I just bought one of their outdoor wireless boosters to get WiFi out to my garage and also allow me to install some wireless surveillance cameras around my place. My brother has one of their systems that he's using Wireless Point to Point over about 300 yards, across his lake.