Question Best solution for WiFi to back yard

[colonelcorto]

Hello everyone, I am trying to decide on a wireless solution for a planned patio or pool area in my back yard. A drawing of my back yard can be found here: YARD I spent most of the day outside tending several stumps I am burning and noticed my wifi signal is not sufficient for several guest or my own family. I have a old WRT54G in the shed that I flashed with DDWRT to use as a wifi bridge for a security camera project but it is currently unused.

I thought about plugging an additional AP in to that bridge as one solution but the bridge only averages about 30 Mb/s and is limited to 2.4 Ghz. Another solution would be to use a direction antenna on my planned 5th AP pointed at the patio area. Thoughts?

 

[nigelivey]

I would as you have suggested install another AP. Not even sure I would bother with a sector AP, a standard Omni should be enough in open space.

 

[colonelcorto]

I would as you have suggested install another AP. Not even sure I would bother with a sector AP, a standard Omni should be enough in open space.

I like this idea too but I’m concerned about the bottleneck of the 2.4 ghz wireless bridge.

 

[nigelivey]

I like this idea too but I’m concerned about the bottleneck of the 2.4 ghz wireless bridge.

Why do you need the point to point link? Have you got wired clients in the shed?

 

[colonelcorto]

Why do you need the point to point link? Have you got wired clients in the shed?

I did. I was experimenting with some raspberry pi security cameras.

 

[nigelivey]

I did. I was experimenting with some raspberry pi security cameras.

Ok I see. Have you thought about using a proper point to point system such as Ubiquiti Loco M5s? Obviously there is a cost implication but you would have good connectivity in the shed. You could also look at the Uiquiti AC LR Aps.

 

[colonelcorto]

Ok I see. Have you thought about using a proper point to point system such as Ubiquiti Loco M5s? Obviously there is a cost implication but you would have good connectivity in the shed. You could also look at the Uiquiti AC LR Aps.

I have looked around a bit but have actually considered moving the antennas to the exterior of the shed or just burring a cable.

 

[kanewolf]

You show 4 APs in the house. What brand of WIFI hardware are you using? Buy an outdoor rated AP from the same manufacturer.

 

[nigelivey]

I have looked around a bit but have actually considered moving the antennas to the exterior of the shed or just burring a cable.

If you can bury a cable that would certainly be the best option, make sure its of the correct kind for direct burial or put in copex, always bury a spare with it, it easier to now than later!!

 

[colonelcorto]

You show 4 APs in the house. What brand of WIFI hardware are you using? Buy an outdoor rated AP from the same manufacturer.

I’m using all mixed brands. The main router in the basement is the xfinity unit (it’s surprisingly good), a Walmart cheap-o router in AP mode, a linksys RE6300 in AP mode, and an Engenius ESR900 in AP mode. All APs are gigabit and wired to the main router.

 

[kanewolf]

An ethernet cable to the outside of the house or to the shed. Then an outdoor rated WIFI access point from Engenius or Ubiquiti would be my recommendation. You may find that once you have a high quality AP, that you will desire to swap your hodge-podge hardware to a single vendor. I just converted my house to Ubiquiti. The ability to have a true guest network that is isolated from your home network makes it worthwhile to me.

 

[colonelcorto]

An ethernet cable to the outside of the house or to the shed. Then an outdoor rated WIFI access point from Engenius or Ubiquiti would be my recommendation. You may find that once you have a high quality AP, that you will desire to swap your hodge-podge hardware to a single vendor. I just converted my house to Ubiquiti. The ability to have a true guest network that is isolated from your home network makes it worthwhile to me.

Im pretty happy with my current network performance but I would LOVE a true guest network.

 

[ElectrO_90]

Unifi - any of their products are miles ahead of the competition.
They also do guest style logins as well.
You maybe happy with your current setup, but for the money you can get far better equipment.
Kanewolf is correct when he said Ubiquiti is the way to go.

 

[colonelcorto]

Tell me more! Currently, I have to keep a list of the AP location, it’s static IP, it’s login, and channel for each band. It’s a PIA to make major changes but it does work. I have even used LinSSID to avoid my neighbors channels. I can block, allow MAC address and IP address through the xfinity router but it’s clumsy. These whole home solutions streamline all of this?

 

[kanewolf]

Tell me more! Currently, I have to keep a list of the AP location, it’s static IP, it’s login, and channel for each band. It’s a PIA to make major changes but it does work. I have even used LinSSID to avoid my neighbors channels. I can block, allow MAC address and IP address through the xfinity router but it’s clumsy. These whole home solutions streamline all of this?

Look at the UniFI controller software. It is a single pane management for all the UniFI line of hardware. Switches, Cameras, APs and routers. It isn't cheap. But to know what firmware, IP address, WIFI channel and POE status in one place, there is nothing like it, that I have found.

 

[failboat]

You can rent a sod cutter for <$100. The ISP put lines right under the sod half the time. You could bury it a little then put your grass back on.

 

[nigelivey]

Tell me more! Currently, I have to keep a list of the AP location, it’s static IP, it’s login, and channel for each band. It’s a PIA to make major changes but it does work. I have even used LinSSID to avoid my neighbors channels. I can block, allow MAC address and IP address through the xfinity router but it’s clumsy. These whole home solutions streamline all of this?

Alternatively look at a second hand Ruckus ZD1100 and Ruckus APs on ebay, standard license is 6APs, it will spank anything Ubiquiti will offer for the same or less money, having a proper hardware controller is worthwhile in my opinion, the hardware is unbreakable. You get full commercial grade equipment for the same price as Ubiquiti SoHo kit.

 

[digitalgriffin]

You can rent a sod cutter for <$100. The ISP put lines right under the sod half the time. You could bury it a little then put your grass back on.

I used a cheap electric edger by black and decker. It allows me to get 2" into the ground which is more than enough. Certainly cheaper than renting one for $100

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg65d5QZWww


As others have said, an outdoor AP is your best bet. An outdoor POE one is even better. I would avoid range extender mode or bridge mod devices. Range Extender mode has horrible ping and throughput issues. Bridge mode isn't suitable for wireless clients. UBiquiti's UniFi "AC Pro AP" makes some decent outdoor models.

If you don't wish to run a line, you can mount one on your attic eaves. The height will give you some added range. 100 Feet shouldn't be a huge issue on a 2.4Ghz network unless you have a ton of trees in the way.

That said, outdoor wifi has a nasty problem with signal reflection. The new WiFi6 standard is supposed to correct for this by updating the reflection time signal rejection.