Wireless networking

[old.Jas]

Anyone around here had any experience of setting up a point-to-point wireless network?

I'm looking to connect two buildings (1km, give or take 100m, apart) using 802.11b. I've seen this done to a range of 26km - but that was with line of sight - something we don't have between these buildings.

Any ideas? I'm currently looking into one of these bad boys -

 

[S-Gray]

I was looking into buying a Wireless Network a few months back, them ones from PC World, only thing that knocked me off was the price, about £120 per Unit

 

[Tui]

1 km is well within wireless range, but if line of sight is a problem then you should at least get a site survey done first. There might be environmental considerations as to whether you will be able to mount antenna on the side or top of a building. You also might want to consider kit that will support 802.11a. I'll assume you've sorted out the security side of things

 

[old.Jas]

I'm not au-fait with wireless tech. security - so I think I'll be getting the guy that does the survey to sort that.

 

[Embattle]

Thing is that the wireless will work through buildings but it depends on the walls and materials in that building. Things like metal in the walls of the building may mean it doesn't get through at all.

 

[Tui]

You'll probably need to get whoever does your networking support involved as well Jas. Your wireless security depends on how private you want the link to be. Anybody in the path could receive and monitor the data, even the usual 128 bit encryption, because it is a fixed key, can be broken in a relatively short time given enough traffic. You'll get the best solution using kit that supports EAP and then you'll need something else to do the authentication/key generation - usually a RADIUS server.

 

[Disco PhoolCat]

Originally posted by Super_Gray
I was looking into buying a Wireless Network a few months back, them ones from PC World, only thing that knocked me off was the price, about £120 per Unit

N-O-O-O-O-0-0-0-0-0-o-o-o-o-o!!!!!

No, really, DON'T buy it from PCWorld - what a rip-off!

They had a Netgear card - PCMCIA version - in the bargain bin with 30% off, & it was STILL cheaper on the web! I'm pretty sure it's still there...

/me wants wireless REEEAL bad...

I'm hurtin', my man, I'm hurtin!

Wish we had wireless back when we installed the network at my old gaff, we had to join two buildings & had to run fibre under the road! More secure that way, I suppose...

 

[Embattle]

Getting this http://www.smc-europe.com/english/products/wirel.html# Wireless Broadband Router SMC7004AWBR

 

[PR.]

I got that it works fantastically

I got my laptop on it going around the house and it works well. Also got a 2nd desktop machine downstairs using it and it also works well

It works pretty well as a Print Server as well

 

[Yaka]

isnt there doubts bout the security of these things? i mean i read some where with the signal traveling thru the air someone could easily pick it up . aye i like to keeps me sheepy stuff hidded

 

[Embattle]

Most use WEP.

 

[PR.]

I got a 128bit security key keeping my protected

The only problem I found was that one of my Wireless PC Cards had to have Config.exe run on startup othrwise the WEP key did not get added to the driver setup

I ran it as a scheduled task to run on startup as an administrator so that it worked under Limited users...

 

[Yaka]

yer may wana check this out Jas

Doubled Speed for Wireless kit

 

[old.Jas]

Yeah - I saw that. Just shows you how fast this technology is developing

 

[Embattle]

Depends what you want to do with it.

 

[Skyler]

I'd like a small wireless network between my pc and laptop - if I had one

I completely forgot about the whole security side of it tho...

Of course an in house wireless thing I wouldnt care about security wise but I was also pondering interhouse wireless

 

[GDW]

I use a wireless network at home using the Intel thingys. Yes they are expensive but PC world is the only place selling them at the time.

They work very well and will easily stream divx movies

 

[Embattle]

Originally posted by Grandadwrinkle
I use a wireless network at home using the Intel thingys. Yes they are expensive but PC world is the only place selling them at the time.

They work very well and will easily stream divx movies

I was using they as they're perfect for web browsing and small transfers. Which ones you got, 11Mbps or 1.6Mbps?

Although I'm changing my system to wireless router barricade.

 

[.Moriarty.]

Lo everyone

Right, few things..

You more than likely will not be able to create a link spanning 1km when you have line of sight. The only way you will know for certain is to get some equipment and test it yourself. I think its unlikely though..

The only equipment you should consider purchasing is stuff that complies with the 802.11b standard. 'Orinoco' cards, made by lucent, are basically the industry standard, and as such work well under any OS you care to throw at it.

Wireless security.. WEP is usually fine for any normal home network, but if your paranoid you could enable WEP and then have a VPN on top of that, etc etc.

I wouldnt bother with 802.11a kit, it dosent have good range at all, compared to 802.11b kit. Look out for 802.11g stuff, that will come out later this year. It has 54mbit bandwidth, the same range as 802.11b, and is backwards compatible with 802.11b (which, incedently, 802.11a is not).

You can get most stuff pretty cheap off the net - check out sites like www.fab-corp.com for fairly cheap gear - more when you consider $ -> £ conversion rate. They are also reliable.

Skyler- inter-house & neighbourhood networks are perfectly feasable, check out www.consume.net for a group of people that are doing just that.

If i missed anything, be sure to gimme a shout