Need help setting up WiFi

[Gunpowder]

I wrote a technology grant for work and looks like I finally get high-speed internet. We are out in the boonies w/ copper to the hub down the road. It may not be the fastest but at least they finally connected the hubs with fiber so anyone within 5 miles of the hub can get DSL.

The big bonus is I live on the property and my house and phone are my employers so "I" get access to high speed as well.

Plan:
Bring a separate DSL line into office. Connect provided router and connect a wireless router to that to send wireless to the nature center room (other side of wall) for meetings and public use. Splice a hard line to the office desktop (same building), and connect a Cat-6 line that runs 350' to my residence. The Cat-6 line is long but we have had it tested with laptops and they will communicate :thumbs:

Question: At my residence the Cat-6 line runs into the basement in the south west corner and ends. I want wireless in the living room on the main floor on the north side of the house. I assume a wireless modem would not reach through the floor to the main floor and across the 50' long house. What equipment do I need?

Mike

 

[txraddoc]

I think it would work just fine. I have a cable modem/wireless router setup in an office room at home and it works outside through the wall on the other side of the house and I am definitely 50 feet from the router. I think you'll be alright with it in the basement. I would try to keep the router as close to the ceiling as possible.

 

[Gunpowder]

Seems I also recall there was a security issue in the office that required a second router to hook into the router provided by the phone company. All office traffic ran through the second router and then into the first. Any public wireless routers would run directly to the initial phone company router. This supposedly prohibits someone from hacking or getting into the business desktop sinc eit would be behind a second secure router. (if yo understand what I mean).

 

[JHolmes763]

To answer your exact question, you need a switch where the cable comes into your house and another 50' or so of cable run up into your living room for the wireless modem. Just a simple switch (not hub) will work. It'll act as a repeater, essentially.

350' might have worked with a quick test, but it's over the maximum allowed length for Ethernet segments. The real question is whether it's going to work once you start loading it with real traffic. You stand a greater chance of collisions with the long line. One side will listen to make sure the line is clear before transmitting and think the line is clear even though the other side could already be transmitting. So you get a collision, they both back off and try again. Any significant number of these and you may not be any better than dialup.

Is the run to your residence outside? Make sure you buy the appropriate cable for an outside environment.

If you wanted to do this right, either fiber or a long range Ethernet (LRE) device would be your best bet. LRE will allow you to go thousands of feet over copper cable, either telephone or cat5. I can't remember which and it may depend on models. LRE is basically a point-to-point DSL modem, so you can transmit over larger distances. I don't know if the comparison to DSL is 100% accurate, but that's the basic idea. Multi-mode fiber will cover 500m, I think, but it's harder to terminate on each end depending the equipment you have.

ETA: Thinking this over, why not just get your own DSL connection in your house over your own phone lines? If you do any work from the house, couldn't that be a justified expense to the company?

 

[Gunpowder]

Just checked my notes Cat 6 to house is 300'. It is in plastic conduit.

Another phone line to the house is cost prohibited. (nonprofit organization).

 

[JHolmes763]

Okay... should be all good with another simple switch and a 50' run to your living room. Or just try the wireless in the basement first and see if you get a signal. 50' and through the floor shouldn't be a big deal, but every location is unique. Good luck.

 

[Rod]

You mean 300 baud packet isn't fast enough for you?

Get some high gain db antennas; that will certainly help. If you're running 350' you probably need a repeater.

 

[grateful1]

You mean 300 baud packet isn't fast enough for you?

Get some high gain db antennas; that will certainly help. If you're running 350' you probably need a repeater.

Hehe...my buddy did antennas in his house. Got a visit, yes...visit, from the FAA!


"Bring a separate DSL line into office. Connect provided router and connect a wireless router " :

I don't understand, do you mean run a separate 'phone' line? I ask because if it already has a router/modem at the origin, then you only need a dsl switch/wireless router.

You can also contact the DSL company and see if the can boost it at the transfer station(basically asking for business class DSL).
.

 

[Gunpowder]

"Bring a separate DSL line into office. Connect provided router and connect a wireless router " :

I don't understand, do you mean run a separate 'phone' line? I ask because if it already has a router/modem at the origin, then you only need a dsl switch/wireless router.

You can also contact the DSL company and see if the can boost it at the transfer station(basically asking for business class DSL).
.

I'll see if I can post a diagram tomorrow. Regarding getting business class DSL. We will get a s fast as they can provide... which is basic. The phone line between us and the transfer station is copper so we won't know how much speed we can get but it won't be much

 

[Gunpowder]

whats the difference between managed, unmanaged and modular switches. was searching tiger and newegg ans staples.

 

[grateful1]

whats the difference between managed, unmanaged and modular switches. was searching tiger and newegg ans staples.

Managed means you can login/connect to it and see the port info and make changes...'manage it'!

Modular..you can upgrade/change them out, using the same chassis.

Unmanaged or managed are fine.

 

[JHolmes763]

Managed switches means you can access them remotely. They'll be assigned an IP address and you can manage them with that IP address. Unmanaged "dumb" switches just plug in and work at nearly a line level and you almost don't even know they're there.

A modular switch would be a range of models with a common chassis that different modules can be inserted into. More or less switching ports, daughter cards, features, etc.

A simple unmanaged switch should be all you need. D-link or Netgear for around $25.

 

[Gunpowder]

Diagram of Public/private network plan

 

[Gunpowder]

Anyone have comments on the diagram I posted above? That is what I came up with. The DSL line is being installed on Tuesday so I want to start getting some hardware to start the process.

One of the first things I need to get is the unmanaged switch for the house. I see they come in 10/100Mbps and 10/100/1000Mbps configurations. Any idea if I need to go with the better spec or will the 10/100 handle my application? When would the 1000 Mbps come into play?

Regarding the Wireless Bridge, That was what I was told I needed by a tech on my committee who no longer lives in the state. I have had some question this application. It was budgeted @ $400 from Streakwave.com. Since some of the equipment is new to me maybe someone can tell me what this does and then maybe I can relay why we discussed needing it.

Thanks for your help guys.

Mike