[olug] Max range on WAPs

[Benjamin Watson]

802.11g has the worst range of all of the 2GHz technologies due to the
uber modulation used to cram 54Mbps into the 2.4GHz spectrum.

802.11a is 5GHz but pretty much requires line of sight due to high
frequency absorption.

I've witnessed 802.11b go well over a mile using "rubber duckies" with
line of sight.  I think some guys at DefCon set a Guiness record
getting 802.11b to go nearly 30 miles at the Salt Flats in Utah using
Pringles cantennas and other makeshift antennas assembled with
hardware store components.

802.11n achieves high speed by using multiple channels when there is
no outside channel interference (e.g. using channels 1 and 6) vs.
using a single channel like 802.11a/b/g.  802.11n also can leverage
dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) for a speed boost.  If the 5GHz stuff
doesn't make it through, it falls back to 2.4GHz.

2.4GHz (802.11a/b/n) does not require line of sight as it can go
through walls, trees, etc.  That being said, line of sight will make
things better (better signal strength).

If distance is your goal, find something that is _capable_ of
operating in "B only".  You sacrifice speed, but connectivity is king
in this instance.  I'd recommend trying an N router next.  Most of the
N routers have several modes of operation, like the "B only" option
mentioned above.

Your big problem is going to be the physical location of your AP.  If
it is inside house A, it had to go through at least 2 walls to get
inside house B.  If you could put it outside (with weatherproofing of
some sort) or get the antenna outside, then the signal need only pass
through 1 wall for each house.

Ben

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 1:05 PM, Trent Melcher <trentm at q.com> wrote:
> Let me check with my neighbor on what equipment he has and get back with
> you.  His house from mine (line-of-site) is at about 1000 ft and I can see
> his AP from my laptop inside my house,  signal strength is about 35% which
> isn't too bad for that distance.  Granted there are no trees between us and
> both our houses are on hills so it may just be luck that I can connect to
> the internet from his AP at that distance.
>
> Trent
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: olug-bounces at olug.org [mailto:olug-bounces at olug.org] On Behalf Of
> Obi-Wan
> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:09 PM
> To: olug at olug.org
> Subject: [olug] Max range on WAPs
>
> My mom just got a new laptop with 802.11n networking.  Their current
> 802.11g WAP works fine around their house & yard, but it won't work
> in my grandma's house about 150 yards away.  Both houses are on the
> same farm, so there's no legal problems with sharing Internet access.
> Mom is grandma's caretaker and spends lots of time there.
>
> Do any of you have any recommendations for a new WAP or antenna or
> something that will help the laptop stay online in the other building?
>
> Alas, I can't remember off hand which brand/model of WAP they currently
> have in place.
>
> --
> Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth                             obiwan at jedi.com
>   The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the
>     Giver of all good things, so if I stand, let me stand on the
>       promise that You will pull me through.  -- Rich Mullins
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