[NoCatNet] Help with Distance

[Max Slimmer]

We have a network with a number of links in the 5Mi range, 10 can be done
but there are some problems. If you have reasonable line of sight you should
be ok.  You might be better off with a sector vs omni at the church, they
tend to be more cost effective.  The wrtg should work, you can find some
ap's with 200 and in some cases 400miliwatt radios, this would give you some
more advantage if you need to blast through some trees. 

We have a few of the sites with fairly long 30+ feet coax but, lately have
been putting the radio box in a weather proof box and just using a pigtail
to the antenna and poe to the box.  If you do use coax we found anything
less than LMR400 give a lot of loss.  Good termination and uv and water
resistant sealing of ends of cable.

max 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nocatnet-bounces at nocat.net 
> [mailto:nocatnet-bounces at nocat.net] On Behalf Of John Pearce
> Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2007 3:51 PM
> To: nocatnet at nocat.net
> Subject: [NoCatNet] Help with Distance
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> I am trying to help a Priest in a small Yaqui Indian 
> community create a wireless network he wishes to use for a 
> school he is starting.  It is a small town, the homes are all 
> single story and construction varies from block to wood frame 
> with cardboard walls. He would like to have 4 or 5 students 
> have internet access in their homes.  The cable connection 
> would be at the church and all of the homes would be within 
> 500 feet or so.  Some 2 streets away with homes in between.  
> Trees exist.
> 
> I purchased a book, Jeff Duntemann's "Wifi Guide".  It is 
> good book but mostly talks about extending ranges for large 
> ranch style homes and does not go into enough detail for the 
> project I am working on.
> 
> Money is limited so I can not afford to do a great deal of 
> experimentation.
> However from reading the book some is required in almost every case.
> 
> I am hoping that I can use a Linksys WRT54G wireless router, 
> put a 18 or 20dbi Omni antenna on a poll at the church and 
> have Cantennas or some type of directional antenna on the 
> desktops at the kids homes, and maybe have to put those on 
> the roof.  However so far it appears that all of the homes 
> have a window facing the church and if we get the antenna up 
> high enough they may have line of sight with the church 
> antenna without having to loose signal to coax at the house 
> level.  We will already loose some to coax at the church.
> I feel that putting the router up on the pole with the 
> antenna and using power over ethernet would not be acceptable 
> in the hot climate of the central Arizona deserts.  We have 
> months of 110 degree F temperatures here.
> 
> Can anyone tell me if this is a sound approach or know of a 
> book which deals with requirements for projects such as I am 
> attempting?
> 
> Thank you so much for any assistance anyone can be.
> 
> John Pearce
> Phx, AZ
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