Tom's Guide > Forum > Wireless Networking > Range & connectivity > Question about long distance wi-fi (300' +)

Question about long distance wi-fi (300' +)

Forum Wireless Networking : Range & connectivity - Question about long distance wi-fi (300' +)

TomsGuide.com: Over 800,000 questions and answers to address all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
rkaylor73   10-20-2008 at 08:20:51 PM

First post...long time lerker... I have been assigned a project to connect two buildings with a wi-fi bridge. Having never dealt with extending a wifi connection I thought I would look to the experts here at Tom's forums. I have been all over the net looking for sites to explain what hardware is needed and what configurations I will need, but my search has yielded no results. The buildings are situated across a parking lot from one another and are within clear site of each other. The signal would need to run about 300 feet give or take. Aesthetics are a bit of a concern as my employers don't want some giant falicy of an antenna sticking out the front of the buildings. So my question is two fold:

1. What hardware would be used for such and application?
2. How would I configure the hardware for the best range and security.

I am not a total networking noob, but have not dealt with wifi on such a scale.

Thanks in advance for any sort of input you can give me.

~rk

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
JustAGuy51   11-10-2008 at 09:22:06 AM
- 0 +

Security part:
That wireless bridge connection must carry all types of network traffic: unicast, broadcast, multicast (routing updates, etc.). This leaves you with IPSec based VPN; I don't think SSL based VPN can do it since it requires awareness from application.

Here is the pic:
Rtr1 <--> IPSec GW 1 <--> AP1 <-------------> AP2 <--> IPSec GW 2 <--> Rtr2

Between router 1 and router 2, you will establish a GRE tunnel. Then set up two IPSec endpoints. Each router then send GRE traffic to corresponding VPN gateways at which GRE traffic will be encrypted by IPSec. Reason why you need to use GRE is because IPSec can only encrypt unicast traffic and GRE is unicast but can carry all 3 types.

Range/Bridge part:
You need an access point AP with external antenna. Put both AP's into bridge mode. You also need a different type of antenna, called directional (instead of omni-directional) antenna. You most likely need high-powered ones (higher dBi); I'm guessing at least over 20 dBi. For around 300' range, no need to worry since Cisco says one of its antenna, Cisco ANT3338, can carry up over 20 miles!!!

My suggestions for security part should be pretty close to reality; I have done similar setup. For the range part, you'll likely need to research more since it is only my rudimentary knowledge. Let me know how it goes!

Reply to JustAGuy51
Grant1872x   11-12-2008 at 12:37:54 AM
- 0 +

I second justaguy51 but why do they need wi-fi? It's (generally) slow and cumbersome... a nice long meaty cable would not work? If you can get a cable that length. It would be more reliable, but I guess one is just as much of a task as the other is...?

Reply to Grant1872x
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Guide > Forum > Wireless Networking > Range & connectivity > Question about long distance wi-fi (300' +)
Go to:

There are 8 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.323 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Google ads