wi fi in shop

[M E Cook]

I know this is a question for another site but alot of people on this site have pole barn shops I have no windows outside my shop door I get internet but not inside !!!! how are others handleing this problem I'm 300 feet from house thanks

 

[Shaneard]

Underground CAT5 is what I ran and put another wireless router at the other end of cable. It has to be underground with the shield around it or lightning in the area will burn the cable up.

 

[ustmd]

I was in the same situation and used an Engenuis wireless access point on a pole on the roof of the shop:

Amazon.com: EnGenius 11n 2.4GHz Wireless Ethernet Bridge/Access Point (ENH22): ENGENIUS: Computers & Accessories

 

[M E Cook]

I was in the same situation and used an Engenuis wireless access point on a pole on the roof of the shop:

Amazon.com: EnGenius 11n 2.4GHz Wireless Ethernet Bridge/Access Point (ENH22): ENGENIUS: Computers & Accessories

After you mounted that outside then do you run a cable onto shop to your computer ?? or ??

 

[aczlan]

I would mount a Nanostation Loco M2 ($46 - Amazon.com: Ubiquiti NanoStation loco M2 - Wireless Access Point - AirMax (LOCOM2US): Computers & Accessories ) outside, run a network cable inside (it gets power over the network cable), then plug that into the computer there (or if I wanted wireless, I would install their air gateway access point inside (it connects to the power supply for the Nanostation): Amazon.com: Ubiquiti AIRGATEWAY Wireless access point 82.11 b/g/n: Computers & Accessories ).

Aaron Z

 

[Raspy]

I put a Cisco wireless router in my attic (no windows) to serve the house. My neighbor can get reception from it in their house at least 600 feet away. So, just get a stronger router.

 

[Republic of Texas]

300ft is the limit for Cat5 & Cat6. Plus, an electrical surge (lightning strike) will follow the copper & fry anything connected to it. Wireless bridges can get tricky sometimes.

If possible, run fiber in electrical conduit underground. (Fiber will melt if hit by lightning.) Can't have a better connection than that.

 

[Mendonsy]

After you mounted that outside then do you run a cable onto shop to your computer ?? or ??

Yes, you need to set two of them up as a wireless bridge. One will be on the house and the second one on the shop. Both are hardwired to the inside with CAT5 cable. You can add an Ethernet switch to the shop if you need more than one device.

 

[MossRoad]

The only reason to run cable or fiber would be to get some seat time digging a trench with a tractor. Wireless is the way to go if a trench or conduit doesn't already exist. If you factor in the time it would take to dig a 300' trench, the cost of conduit and cable or the cost of direct burial cable, etc.... you could get the job done for a hundred bucks wirelessly in much shorter time.

 

[newbury]

I know this is a question for another site but alot of people on this site have pole barn shops I have no windows outside my shop door I get internet but not inside !!!! how are others handleing this problem I'm 300 feet from house thanks

There is an expensive (1 hub, 1 receiver about $500) wireless system Ayerstone that reportedly gives excellent wireless over long distances. Typical wi-fi limit is said to be 150 feet,

The Ayrstone AyrMesh wireless network provides a long-range Internet connection, making it easy to use web-enabled devices anywhere on your property.

They claim up to 7.5 miles with multiple devices.
I ran across an old post (years old) supposedly by the owner of Ayrstone saying he just used Ubiquiti products with matched antennas and good service (lots of talking people through installation etc.).

I would mount a Nanostation Loco M2 ($46 - Amazon.com: Ubiquiti NanoStation loco M2 - Wireless Access Point - AirMax (LOCOM2US): Computers & Accessories ) outside, run a network cable inside (it gets power over the network cable), then plug that into the computer there (or if I wanted wireless, I would install their air gateway access point inside (it connects to the power supply for the Nanostation): Amazon.com: Ubiquiti AIRGATEWAY Wireless access point 82.11 b/g/n: Computers & Accessories ).

Aaron Z

So this seems the simplest way, just make it lightning proof.

The only reason to run cable or fiber would be to get some seat time digging a trench with a tractor. Wireless is the way to go if a trench or conduit doesn't already exist. If you factor in the time it would take to dig a 300' trench, the cost of conduit and cable or the cost of direct burial cable, etc.... you could get the job done for a hundred bucks wirelessly in much shorter time.

Since he seems to have acceptable networking outside the building I'd agree. But in my case I have to go through trees, can't get a direct shot.

But OP, if your getting decent signal OUTSIDE you might be able to use something like an 802.11N Wireless Usb Network Adapter W/ High-Gain Omni Direction 5Dbi External Antenna for $27. Stick the antenna outside, run the cable in.

But I do like the idea of mission creep, trenching and running fiber for true typical TBN overkill.

 

[dstig1]

300ft is the limit for Cat5 & Cat6. Plus, an electrical surge (lightning strike) will follow the copper & fry anything connected to it. Wireless bridges can get tricky sometimes.

If possible, run fiber in electrical conduit underground. (Fiber will melt if hit by lightning.) Can't have a better connection than that.

I ran fiber between our house and shop, but for a very good reason. The shop was built first and all utilities are terminated there, and then go to the house, where the primary need is. I was also thinking about security cameras, too, so bandwidth could be large. It is over 300'. I had a cat5 running the link for a while, but I could tell it was pushing it (slower than it should have been). I had the cable co pull and connect the fiber as it requires special (and expensive) tools and expertise. I think it ran $700 or so for fiber, pulling it, and terminating the connections. Money well spent. Conduit was ran by me during construction with pull cords in it. Much faster now. Unless you have a BIL who installs fiber for a living, i would not think it would be worth it for the OP's needs.

 

[newbury]

One can buy preterminated fiber cables of almost any length. A 328 footer may cost $140. But you need fiber transceivers/routers/switches/network cards.
The "expertise" required is just slightly different than running preterminated CAT6.

When I was teaching troops in the Army part of the training course required hooking up separate shelters with fiber cable. Very simple if you don't have to make the ends. Just handle with care, they break relatively easily.

 

[dstig1]

I would agree, if you had open access and weren't pulling it through pipe. Ain't no way that is going to survive a 300' pull through conduit. They had 2 guys pulling with all their might on that thing and one feeding from the other end(also pulled cat5 and coax at the same time in 2" conduit). You could try feeding it as you laid the conduit, but even that would be iffy for that distance. What you show is basically a long patch cable, which I used on both ends of my run from the pulled cable termination to the specially equipped port on the switch (~3' patch cable). I also doubt it is rated for wet locations, which an underground conduit most definitely is. In my case they used the same direct burial fiber cable they use to run down the roads and to each house in the town. And about 4 gal of a 5gal pail of special fiber pull lube.... This was not trivial to do, which is why I hired it out. And I am not one to hire out jobs much.

 

[ustmd]

Yes, you need to set two of them up as a wireless bridge. One will be on the house and the second one on the shop. Both are hardwired to the inside with CAT5 cable. You can add an Ethernet switch to the shop if you need more than one device.

Since the OP can get signal outside his shop, he does not need two to set up a bridge. He can install the one at the shop and it will function as a antenna. That is what worked for me.

You can also get an one that will focus as a wireless access point (a remote router).

 

[Dieseljeeper]

Is it possible to use your cell phone as a hot spot? I do that in my shop (150' from the house) and get better WIFI than in the house. The only thing I run into is it only seems to work with a windows operating system as my phone, laptop and tablet are all windows OS. I have this Ipad that Im on now because my wife is a die hard apple fan Christmas gift. I cant seem to get it to connect out there but it is probably operator error

 

[joeu235]

Cell phone hot spot is great. I often "work from home" and stay in the shop.

 

[Todd727]

I set up the Enstation system, although I went with the 5GHz system. Outstanding speed. Very happy.

Amazon.com: EnGenius Technologies 5 GHz High-Powered, Long-Distance Wireless N3 Outdoor AP/Client Bridge (EnStation5): Computers & Accessories

 

[lostcreekranch]

I set up the Enstation system, although I went with the 5GHz system. Outstanding speed. Very happy.

Amazon.com: EnGenius Technologies 5 GHz High-Powered, Long-Distance Wireless N3 Outdoor AP/Client Bridge (EnStation5): Computers & Accessories

My shop is about 1000 ft from our house where the Wi-Fi resides. Will I need two of these units? One at house and second one at shop?

Shop is metal building and metal roof, will that be an issue?

Thanks!

 

[aczlan]

My shop is about 1000 ft from our house where the Wi-Fi resides. Will I need two of these units? One at house and second one at shop?
Shop is metal building and metal roof, will that be an issue?
Thanks!

Yes, I would use two, one on the outside of the house (or in a window) and one on the outside of the shop. I would however use the Ubiquity Nanostations I linked to earlier as they are cheaper ($45ish vs $80ish) and I would get the Ubiquiti AIRGATEWAY access point to sit on the power brick inside the shop and provide wifi out there.
I have had two of the Nanostations running on a 550' link for the past 5 years with no hiccups and almost full bars, 1000' shouldn't be a problem (as long as you dont have too many trees in the way)
Aaron Z

 

[lostcreekranch]

Yes, I would use two, one on the outside of the house (or in a window) and one on the outside of the shop. I would however use the Ubiquity Nanostations I linked to earlier as they are cheaper ($45ish vs $80ish) and I would get the Ubiquiti AIRGATEWAY access point to sit on the power brick inside the shop and provide wifi out there.
I have had two of the Nanostations running on a 550' link for the past 5 years with no hiccups and almost full bars, 1000' shouldn't be a problem (as long as you dont have too many trees in the way)
Aaron Z

Thanks Aaron. Are these devices line of sight?