Doppleganger808
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Connecting 2 routers over a long distance?
Ok, here's the deal.MY friend and I want to share files wirelessly over about a mile distance. I bought 2 Netgear WGT624 routers. I figured they would be good for long distance because they have -105 db receive sensitivty and 100mW transmit power. Mind you, I don't really know about wireless, so bear with with me. I planned to make two Cantenna's and put them on our roofs, with the routers in the attic. Anyways, here's my question, can these two routers connect to each other? I have a Linksys BEFSR41 wired router and my Netgear Wireless is plugged into it, via the Lynksys's lan port. IF these wont work, what should I buy? Should I keep one router? Thanks.
P.S.- We dont need to share internet connections, just files on our PC's.
P.S.- We dont need to share internet connections, just files on our PC's.
I have to agree with Tele Tech. Also, if your antennas aren't highly focused then you are not going to get any kind of decent signal at a mile distance. If they are, then you are underestimating the difficulty of mounting, stabilizing, and calibrating two hightly directional antennas a mile apart! This kind of solution will be expensive, time consuming, and illegal if you ever get it to work. The FCC requires that you decrease your transmit power as you increase the gain of your antenna, so a long diatance relay has to be highly sensitive, highly directional, and have a clear line of sight to compensate.
Go the VPN over broadband or FTP server route and save yourselves a lot of hassle. There are also online file storage sites where you could purchase online file storage and share the username and password so you both have access.
Go the VPN over broadband or FTP server route and save yourselves a lot of hassle. There are also online file storage sites where you could purchase online file storage and share the username and password so you both have access.
ASKER
Ah... I have done VPN, FTP, and even a Direct Connect Private Hub, but our uploads suck so bad(20kb/sec) we were hoping we could get better speeds with wireless. I have a friend that has a .75 mile network and is using only the stock antennas. He said networking over 3-5 miles is easy, but he is an wireless/IT guy. Anyway, what should we do? Can these routers connect to each other?
ASKER
I was reading the FCC regulations and it said for point-to-point you only have to reduce the Transmitter Power by a 1/3 of a dB per dB of antenna gain over 6 dBi. In the example used it showed,"A 24 dBi antenna is 18 dB over a 6 dBi antenna. You would lower a 1 watt(30 dBm) transmitter 18/3 or 6 dB to 24dBm or 1/4 watt." It also said, "For 802.11b point-to-point the FCC encourages direction antennas to minimize interference to other users. The FCC in fact is more lenient with point-to point links." So, would I be in the limit with an 11-15 dBi gain antenna?
Well, if he has a solution that will go 3-5 miles..... I would investigate it.. but most likely is big money.. most home type wireless routers I have seen have trouble at 100 yards... but that may be just my luck........
Also with distance because of interference and signal level, the overall speeds may be even lower...
being the same house on a wireless I have had speeds drop will below that.. unless I got almost in the same room
What type of internet connection do you have? I think that persuing that connection and finding the bottleneck would be cheaper and easier... let alone the legality......
as far as these routers go....
I would need to do a little more research as I don't have 1 of each to work with right now... but here is what I would do....
Will the config of each router allow it to connect to another router? this info should be in your config documents
if no you are out of luck....
if yes...
Set the protocols up the same... set them up to connect to each other and test in the same house.. make it work where you can get to both of them for configuration and testing. Wouldn't even try long till I knew this was working...
Remember that these are FCC controled devices and adding or changing their broadcast ablitlies can open you up to prosecution, that includes change the style, length etc... of the attenna
Also with distance because of interference and signal level, the overall speeds may be even lower...
being the same house on a wireless I have had speeds drop will below that.. unless I got almost in the same room
What type of internet connection do you have? I think that persuing that connection and finding the bottleneck would be cheaper and easier... let alone the legality......
as far as these routers go....
I would need to do a little more research as I don't have 1 of each to work with right now... but here is what I would do....
Will the config of each router allow it to connect to another router? this info should be in your config documents
if no you are out of luck....
if yes...
Set the protocols up the same... set them up to connect to each other and test in the same house.. make it work where you can get to both of them for configuration and testing. Wouldn't even try long till I knew this was working...
Remember that these are FCC controled devices and adding or changing their broadcast ablitlies can open you up to prosecution, that includes change the style, length etc... of the attenna
ASKER
We have 1500/256(more like 1300/128) ADSL. So, no luck on getting around that bottleneck. We are going to put the antennas on the roof and aim them by shooting a 2 million candle power spot light at each other, from our roofs, and we wil l be above most obstuctions. I thought for point to point you could have up to like 1 watt of power? Our routers are only 100mw, with Pringle Cantennas would we be illegal? We live in a really small town, should we be worried about the FCC?
on the db issue of you antenna 12 db of gain would be 6 db over the 6 db so 1/3 of a db times 6 db of gain would be about 2dbm reduction of power...about 1/15 of a watt or about .066w (66mw) since your starting with .100 (100mw) does not leave much in researve....
Not sure about the lenient side of the FCC for point to point.... but might be worth more research.... now strictly speaking.....
My understanding of the FCC law and transmitters and how they are rated says yes you would be illegal.. I think if you check the documentation on the routers you will find something to the effect...."illegal to alter...."
this would fall in that catagory
should you be worried? legaly I would be amiss to say anything but yes.. there is no area in the states that they don't have jurisdiction over. if you caused any interference with any other radio reception.... communications, tv, radio, etc.... yes I know the frequency of these are different...... a complaint could bring in the sensor truck... seen it happen in small towns and the heyday of CB radio.......
if you were using a different form of broadcast medium you could even have up to 4 watts of unlicensed power.... but that is in a different bandwidth... different usage the guidelines for wireless are different.... and wireless network is not "directional" by it's design..a directional antenna would help but not eliminate other systems. anyone in the range of the antenna could feasibly pick it up.. and what if there is another wireless in the area....
this is not a straight beam..it goes out in a cone. if the range can go that far... it could hit a router or pc a block away that it was not intended for and cause problems for both of you...
As far as the bottle neck is concerned.. .... I would call the support desk and ask what your upload should me in kb/sec and if it is as different as I think it might be from what you have.... ask them to help research it.
Not sure about the lenient side of the FCC for point to point.... but might be worth more research.... now strictly speaking.....
My understanding of the FCC law and transmitters and how they are rated says yes you would be illegal.. I think if you check the documentation on the routers you will find something to the effect...."illegal to alter...."
this would fall in that catagory
should you be worried? legaly I would be amiss to say anything but yes.. there is no area in the states that they don't have jurisdiction over. if you caused any interference with any other radio reception.... communications, tv, radio, etc.... yes I know the frequency of these are different...... a complaint could bring in the sensor truck... seen it happen in small towns and the heyday of CB radio.......
if you were using a different form of broadcast medium you could even have up to 4 watts of unlicensed power.... but that is in a different bandwidth... different usage the guidelines for wireless are different.... and wireless network is not "directional" by it's design..a directional antenna would help but not eliminate other systems. anyone in the range of the antenna could feasibly pick it up.. and what if there is another wireless in the area....
this is not a straight beam..it goes out in a cone. if the range can go that far... it could hit a router or pc a block away that it was not intended for and cause problems for both of you...
As far as the bottle neck is concerned.. .... I would call the support desk and ask what your upload should me in kb/sec and if it is as different as I think it might be from what you have.... ask them to help research it.
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Ok, I brought another PC over here, and can't seem to get them to see each other, so I guess I am taking those beasts back and am gonna get some ethernet bridges. Thanks alot for the help, both you guys!
if they connect they are going to be very sensitive to interference.
I'm not sure that 100mW is enough to transmit that far..
Extending the range by making "Cantenna's" moves you outside the perscribed setup by the FCC for these units
You are also opening yourself to anyone else with a wireless laptop and a desire to see your network.... there are measures to prevent it.. but you are opening a door....
Recommendation. if you both have an internet connection... set up a VPN through that and share the files.. or if not needed real time.. Look at the Radmin Software as it has file sharing abilities on the fly.... last but not least... an ftp server on one of your computers.....