Building faster internet? - Going around the ISP?

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spencerroskill12345

Nov 5, 2018
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I live on an island about a 1/4 mile off the shore. It is connected by a land bridge but is *somewhat* disconnected in terms of power and fibre / optic lines. There are lines and they are used but they are old. ISPs tell us that it could take years and years to bring connections out to us, even though it is available less than a mile away for the residents on the mainland. The fastest internet connection we get is 10mbps download on a good day, and as a PC gamer and a person with 5 family members constantly streaming Netflix and Hulu, I'm tired of it. I need a faster connection. No ISP has any improved options or implications of future expansion to my area.

That's when I got thinking: what if I could make my own? I have't had a project in a while. Last time I did something myself was my second PC build 2 years ago which was pretty lackluster.

So my question to the forums is what could I do to BUILD myself a better internet connection? Could I use a tower (like the ones avail @ texastowers.com) and could I set up a 10GB network adapter with fibre splitting into my ethernet? Would a tower be capable of this?

Has anyone done this and published how they did it and what results they got? I found that deadmau5 built his own tower and got ridiculous internet speeds he doesn't need, but I also found the guy in Australia using his own 4G tower. Is there something in between that has been published that can help me make something b/t 200mbps and 10gb?

I know something similar could be accomplished using MULTI WAN but if that requires multiple ISP, it may not be worth it. Expensive out here.
 
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spencerroskill12345

Nov 5, 2018
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I was thinking a gigabit radio or satellite that would connect to the main tower that the ISP uses to create ground connections? Or some other method of using a roof tower with a dish. Or?? I'm not really sure how it works. That's why I'm asking.

Within 10 minutes I was able to find a Ubiquite dish (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1049767-REG/ubiquiti_networks_af_24_airfiber_24ghz.html?ap=y&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8f_eBRDcARIsAEKwRGdxgGAEUtqJvKn3ui8Q0tX_5GwvHQ1BoEQAvvpTRT8CN_7i_rfDnSoaAjcCEALw_wcB&smp=y) that has a 13 km range that might do me good if this is do-able.

Could something like this work?

 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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May 29, 2013
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My first question, is this ONLY for personal use or would it be for others to use? If it is for others to use also, then you are a utility and have all sorts of regulations. Why none of the ISPs have chosen to do a microwave link? Unknown. I am guessing that the costs, vs, the number of potential subscribers doesn't make economic sense.
 
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jimmysmitty

jimmysmitty

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Oct 5, 2007
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Having worked with and continue to work with Ubiquity setups they are good but might not be quite what you want. Their top end model is capable of 1.3Gbps max. That means when its within a certain range. Most likely you will top out well under 1Gbps.

Beyond that you have loss over the air, air interference, other wireless and radio frequencies to compete with etc. These devices are pretty good at handling that but still has limitations.

They also require direct unimpeded line of sight. Even a short gap of that will cause drops. We have them setup for construction sites and one area had whats called Mi-Jacks going in between. Not massive, thin of huge cranes with openings in the middle, and the signal would drop. We fixed it by putting the receivers up higher.

Its still an option but don't expect a ton of speed out of them.
 
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bill001g

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Aug 9, 2012
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Your plan will work in general. It really is not different than how cell towers work most times. They generally do not run fiber to all the tower they link them together via microwave radio...wifi is just a unlicensed version of microwave.

Your largest issue is the same as the cell phone companies. How are you going to get towers on both ends. Lets say you own the land on both ends and can get good internet on the mainland end. Then it is just a matter of having clear line of sight and not having some government regulation restricting your ability to put in a tower.

I know someone I help put in small flat panel antenna on the side of his house to get better cell coverage in the house and the home owners association came after him for it.
 
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