wireless internet at the barn?

[jmc]

With a strong signal next to the barn but none inside, I'd be afraid that the stronger signal from the antenna would be reflected as well. Maybe a RECEIVING antenna outside the barn, wiring the signal thru the steel wall, then converting to wireless again for portability inside? Does this stuff exist?

John

 

[slapshot]

They do have antennas that would connect via a cable. You could then use an access point in the barn in repeater mode.
Lots of pieces to buy and the antenna's can get pricey.
An early post mentioned just running Cat5 at .05-.06 a foot Cat5 maybe your best bet, and you could still attach an access point to that if you want the mobility of wireless.

-dave

 

[bebster]

It sounds to me like a Cat5e wired solution makes the most sense, but that if the distance becomes a factor a fallback would be to add a small "tool shed" halfway between to install a repeater and power. Can always use another shed for stuff, so maybe this isn't a bad solution.

I can run a wire the full length from house to barn, and a backup wire that runs through the shed as well. That way I have 2 runs and if the single long one runs into problems, I can add the repeater and power to the tool shed. The biggest effort will be trenching that distance and installing a conduit in the trench to run the wiring. So I may as well do it right the first time and include 2 wires plus a 110V line. Thanks to all here for the suggestions.

 

[chatcher]

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I would recommend not putting Cat5 and AC power in the same conduit. The noise from the AC could affect your network signal, especially if you are pushing the limits on distance. The same trench is OK, but I would try to maintain some distance between the two types of cables.

You could run fiber and power in the same conduit, and have no issues with distance. Multimode fiber and converters are pretty cheap, the only issue would be installing the terminations on the ends, which requires a few tools and a little skill. If you could find a pre-assembled fiber cable the right length you'd have it made. Military surplus might be an option - they use portable fiber cables to set up networks in the boonies.