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Anybody know about wireless bridges?
NeoBlackdog
Member Posts: 17,033 ✭✭✭✭
We're thinking of upgrading our internet connection to Elon's Starlink. It's fairly expensive at $120/month but we're planning on sharing the connection with my SIL's house, 450 feet away, which would bring the price down to about what we're paying now. There are a couple tree limbs in the way, not many, but a few.
This is the system we're looking at.
This operates at 900 MHz and so is supposed to penetrate objects better at the expense of range.
Has anyone set up anything like this before or do you have any input on how to do it reliably?
Comments
I set up a Starlink with a friend last year. The whole process took less than an hour. Worked flawlessly right out of the box. There's an app you download to guide you thru the setup process and the Starlink does most of the work for you. Highly recommended.
The wireless bridge is another thing, though. 450ft seems to be well within the range of the system you're looking at, but any kind of interference (trees, atmospheric, etc) is gonna degrade the signal really quick. That means your SIL may experience slow connections and pixelated/frozen video feeds. And, you're plugging the bridge into a hardwired device once the signal is received at your SIL's. This means she needs a wi-fi router to take the incoming signal and route it to all the devices in her house. That's another $75 dollars or so for a good one (assuming she doesn't already have one).
If you give it all a shot, I'd love to know how it works out.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
She's already got a router, so that part's covered, and right now her download speeds are at 3.83. Just about anything is going to be an improvement!
Thanks for the input!
I thought Mr Perfect did this with his in-laws last year.........
If you are at 450', and don't have a PERFECTLY CLEAR line of sight, you'll get crap speeds. Anything over 300' is a crapshoot when it comes to wireless, 900 Mhz or not.
Take the time to run a cable underground, in pvc. She'll be glad you did.
I have two different systems at the ranches, and one at my house. I have experience in this stuff, unfortunately, lol.
Merc
Well, Merc, I don't like your input, but I do appreciate it. Who wants to dig 450' of conduit into the ground in rocky soil?
Probably easier to drop the two trees!
Neo,
Well, trust me, my ground is JUST as rocky, if not more. :)
My wifi runs are only about 3" to 4" deep!
Just enough to be covered up. No need to go any deeper. Plus, my bedrock is at about 12" down!
Merc
So, this is not about dentistry?
if you don't have to go real deep, get a side plow for the tractor, it will roll the dirt over on one side of the "ditch" which will be 3-4 inches deep. drop the wire/conduit in and then fold the sod/dirt back over. I did this to run several drain lines from my downspouts to a creek about 50 yards away. I did have to weight the plow and make a couple passes to get it down to 10-12 inches for the drain.
Sure enough I did. This is the one I ordered and I love it:
It was easy peasy and I would dare say that something like a few tree limbs in the way won't affect it much. I see that it's a bit pricier than the unit you're looking at though. My unit uses POE and it's pretty convenient. Mounted outside, I don't have to worry about the power cord coming loose because the ethernet connection just isn't going to do that-- there is only one cable to route to the transmitter and receiver (one to each device)... the ethernet cable.
I mounted the poles to the house and the units to the poles, ran the cord in through the garage wall on each house and presto. The setup with wireless on each end was pretty easy too.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
How far apart are your two houses, Randy?
They are about 75 feet apart.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
That 450ft distance is a tricky problem. If you want to go with ethernet cable, you'll be lucky to push past the 300ft mark without the signal degrading. A single run of cat-5 cable is rated to 100meters and to go further, you'll likely need a repeater or a switch placed at the 250ft mark. That means you need electricity which means even more work and more expense.
@NeoBlackdog : Perhaps Starlink has an option for two satellites and one account that you and your SIL could split the difference on?
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
Another alternative would be fiber optic line which can easily handle the distance. But note that there is at least one review on the units I got where the reviewer says they use them at 500 feet apart and it works well.
There are probably more powerful ones out there than these too.
One other thing you will discover is that you can just connect your wireless device (e.g. phone) to the transmitter and use that for internet connectivity. Kind of a nice bonus.
At my distances, I could have probably just gone with a range extender, but this was the option I chose because I didn't want to be fiddling with two different solutions if the range extender didn't work out.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Yep. The wireless transmitter seems to be the best option to start with. If it works, problem solved in the simplest manner. if not, there are a bunch of solutions to try.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
Sure appreciate the input, fellas. I've been reading up on this and it sounds like the 900Mhz signal will penetrate trees better than the 5.8Ghz. It won't transmit as far, but the unit we're looking at is rated to a couple of kilometers where we're only trying to go 450 feet (137 meters).
What's that, He Dog? Speak up, boy! We can't hear ya!
So we are not talking non-suspension bridges here?
You CAN go a bit further than the 100 meters with CAT 5. I have this one working quite well at 120 meters.......
Merc