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Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)
I'm looking for advice on setting up an 802.11g network providing
coverage over a fairly large outdoor area (approximately 1000 feet
across). Opinions on hardware and network arrangement would be
appreciated.
I say "outdoor" even though the clients are inside many tiny
buildings. The buildings are roughly 10-15 feet apart, all with
either very thin wood walls or canvas walls (tents). No bricks,
cinder blocks, metal or tile roofs, or anything I'd expect to hinder a
wireless signal. The area is flat.
The general project is to provide wireless internet access to
approximately 30-60 clients at a time.
Here are some of the choices I'm considering, with rough prices from
online stores:
1a. A single higher end outdoor access point like the Cisco Aironet
1310 - $900.
1b. A single higher end outdoor access point like the Cisco Aironet
1310, with an external antenna (AIR-ANT2506) - $900 plus another $300
for antenna and cable.
2a. 4-6 cheaper access points like th $100 D-Link DWL-2100AP - $400 to
$600.
2b. 4-6 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP, plus antennas
(ANT25-0800 or -1500) - $400 to $600 plus another $600 to $900 for the
antennas ($1000 to $1500 total).
3a. 2-4 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP plus 2-4 range
extenders (DWL-G800AP) - $200 to $400 plus $150 to $300 ($350 to $700
total).
3b. 2-4 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP plus 2-4 range
extenders (DWL-G800AP) plus antennas for all - $200 to $400 plus $150
to $300 plus $600 to $1200 ($950 to $1900 total).
I'm sort of leaning toward 3a, for the sake of cost, wiring
convenience, and no single point of failure (as with 1a/b).
The less wiring I have to do, the better. Range extenders (repeaters)
don't need ethernet cables going to them ... so 3 access points, each
with an associated range extender looks easy. And, it's easier to
extend the network a bit at a time if I buy many cheap bits rather
than few expensive bits.
External antennas for cheap APs cost more than the APs themselves, so
I'd love to avoid using them. Opting to not use an antenna means the
APs will have to be indoors or weatherproofed somehow and put outside.
It gets hot here (90+ degrees daily) so I'm wary about exposing a
cheap AP to the desert sun. One thing the Cisco has going for it is
an operating temp of up to 131 degrees.
Would I be asking for trouble by getting one cheap access point and a
bunch of repeaters? Seems to me that it would be overly stressed by
40+ clients.
How many 802.11g access points can I use before they start interfering
with each other?
Will range extenders tied to different access points step on each
other?
Which is likely to perform better?
- one access point, indoors, with 1-3 repeaters associated with it in
surrounding areas (indoors)
- one access point, indoors, with a 3 meter cable going to an antenna
(outdoors)
Part 2 - network cards for PCs. What's the real world difference
between a $110 Cisco 802.11g PC card and a $50 LinkSys and a $35
noname card?
If I'm going to get all the cards and access points at the same time,
is there anything to be gained from sticking with one brand?
Should I shell out money for better access points, and cheaper cards?
Thanks in advance.
I'm looking for advice on setting up an 802.11g network providing
coverage over a fairly large outdoor area (approximately 1000 feet
across). Opinions on hardware and network arrangement would be
appreciated.
I say "outdoor" even though the clients are inside many tiny
buildings. The buildings are roughly 10-15 feet apart, all with
either very thin wood walls or canvas walls (tents). No bricks,
cinder blocks, metal or tile roofs, or anything I'd expect to hinder a
wireless signal. The area is flat.
The general project is to provide wireless internet access to
approximately 30-60 clients at a time.
Here are some of the choices I'm considering, with rough prices from
online stores:
1a. A single higher end outdoor access point like the Cisco Aironet
1310 - $900.
1b. A single higher end outdoor access point like the Cisco Aironet
1310, with an external antenna (AIR-ANT2506) - $900 plus another $300
for antenna and cable.
2a. 4-6 cheaper access points like th $100 D-Link DWL-2100AP - $400 to
$600.
2b. 4-6 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP, plus antennas
(ANT25-0800 or -1500) - $400 to $600 plus another $600 to $900 for the
antennas ($1000 to $1500 total).
3a. 2-4 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP plus 2-4 range
extenders (DWL-G800AP) - $200 to $400 plus $150 to $300 ($350 to $700
total).
3b. 2-4 cheaper access points like D-Link DWL-2100AP plus 2-4 range
extenders (DWL-G800AP) plus antennas for all - $200 to $400 plus $150
to $300 plus $600 to $1200 ($950 to $1900 total).
I'm sort of leaning toward 3a, for the sake of cost, wiring
convenience, and no single point of failure (as with 1a/b).
The less wiring I have to do, the better. Range extenders (repeaters)
don't need ethernet cables going to them ... so 3 access points, each
with an associated range extender looks easy. And, it's easier to
extend the network a bit at a time if I buy many cheap bits rather
than few expensive bits.
External antennas for cheap APs cost more than the APs themselves, so
I'd love to avoid using them. Opting to not use an antenna means the
APs will have to be indoors or weatherproofed somehow and put outside.
It gets hot here (90+ degrees daily) so I'm wary about exposing a
cheap AP to the desert sun. One thing the Cisco has going for it is
an operating temp of up to 131 degrees.
Would I be asking for trouble by getting one cheap access point and a
bunch of repeaters? Seems to me that it would be overly stressed by
40+ clients.
How many 802.11g access points can I use before they start interfering
with each other?
Will range extenders tied to different access points step on each
other?
Which is likely to perform better?
- one access point, indoors, with 1-3 repeaters associated with it in
surrounding areas (indoors)
- one access point, indoors, with a 3 meter cable going to an antenna
(outdoors)
Part 2 - network cards for PCs. What's the real world difference
between a $110 Cisco 802.11g PC card and a $50 LinkSys and a $35
noname card?
If I'm going to get all the cards and access points at the same time,
is there anything to be gained from sticking with one brand?
Should I shell out money for better access points, and cheaper cards?
Thanks in advance.