Question Lady needs advice on best way to extend WiFi signal ?

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solostaboutthis

Nov 13, 2023
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I need my question answered in layman's terms please. I have a concrete block building that is 200 ft from my home. I need to extend my Wi-Fi signal out there the outbuilding it not in heavy use, but I need signal still. How can I get internet out there without running something underground. I can string it across but cannot bury it. Any help would be awesome!
 
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Do you have any other bld or somewhere you could connect power and protect a repeater about 1/2 or a little more of the way?

They tend to be flaky, and to be sure the block bld is going to be hard to get a signal inside.

What device or devices are you looking to connect to the WiFi that far away?
 
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Eximo said:
Line of sight outdoor repeaters are pretty decent for 200 ft. Not cheap though.

Max distance for something like outdoor rated CAT6 ethernet cable is 100M, so that would be plenty if you can string it up.

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If you do opt to string a CAT cable out there with no plan to bury, you will need to consider getting a cable suited to it for UV (sunlight). Even if you buried it you would require direct burial cable. A standard CAT cable isn't going to stand up long in the sun and weather. It is so much cheaper in relation to the other two that if you just ran a new cable every year or three it would take a while to catch up cost wise.

Oh, and side note, if you do run it out in the open like that, plan on replacing equipment to lightning damage.
 
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punkncat said:
If you do opt to string a CAT cable out there with no plan to bury, you will need to consider getting a cable suited to it for UV (sunlight). Even if you buried it you would require direct burial cable. A standard CAT cable isn't going to stand up long in the sun and weather. It is so much cheaper in relation to the other two that if you just ran a new cable every year or three it would take a while to catch up cost wise.

Oh, and side note, if you do run it out in the open like that, plan on replacing equipment to lightning damage.
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That is an outdoor rated one, just not sure how good it really is. Unless you pay for the premium stuff from a reputable supplier, replacing a cable as cheap as that every few years might not be too bad. You could also paint it for a little more UV protection.
 
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solostaboutthis said:
I need my question answered in layman's terms please. I have a concrete block building that is 200 ft from my home. I need to extend my Wi-Fi signal out there the outbuilding it not in heavy use, but I need signal still. How can I get internet out there without running something underground. I can string it across but cannot bury it. Any help would be awesome!
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Create a wireless bridge so:
from you existing network connect something like a Ubiquiti Nanobeam AC 5Ghz, install on outside of building and point at concrete building. Reverse it on the concreate building, another Nanobeam, pointing at the first one, cabled inside your concrete building attached to a switch, attach a Wifi AP to the same switch.
 
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punkncat said:
Do you have any other bld or somewhere you could connect power and protect a repeater about 1/2 or a little more of the way?

They tend to be flaky, and to be sure the block bld is going to be hard to get a signal inside.

What device or devices are you looking to connect to the WiFi that far away?
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The outbuilding has electric and there is a carport between house and outbuilding that has electric. the outbuilding has two tv's and a computer that is on internet. Right now we have satellite running that outbuilding but do not want to continue paying for internet in house and paying for satellite out there.
 
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JohnMGotts said:
If the out building has power that is sourced from your home circuit breaker panel, you could use power line adapters.
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The outbuilding has electric and there is a carport between house and outbuilding that has electric. the outbuilding has two tv's and a computer that is on internet. Right now we have satellite running that outbuilding but do not want to continue paying for internet in house and paying for satellite out there. the outbuilding is sourced from its own circuit panel it is like and in-law suite detached from the house. What is power line adapters? Is that like wi-fi extenders? My home is concrete block and so is the outbuilding that is 200 ft away.
 
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Power line adapters carry the ethernet signal through the electrical cable. Instead of trying to reach the outbuilding with wifi, you carry the signal from the house router to an A/C outlet in your home through the cable to the outbuilding. There is an adapter on each end. At the outbuilding you install a wireless Access point and plug it into the adapter ethernet port.
The important part is, the house adapter must be plugged into a receptacle on the the same circuit as the outbuilding. If the outbuilding is fed directly from the utility company, this won’t work. If it has a sub panel fed from the house, it could. Note that when I say “circuit” I’m referring to the breaker panel feeds. Odd/Even #breakers are on different legs, so if a sub panel is fed from an “even” breaker for example, the adapter would also have to be fed by an “even” breaker. Check it out on the web for more details.
 
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I suspect as suggested the cheapest option unless you can actually bury the cable is going to be to just buy normal ethernet cable with the assumption you will replace in every couple years. Mostly it is the sun that causes issues.
A relative did this to run a remote security camera. He dipped the wire in cheap house paint and then stapled it to a fence. It was still working 5 years later when he sold the house.
 
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JohnMGotts said:
Power line adapters carry the ethernet signal through the electrical cable. Instead of trying to reach the outbuilding with wifi, you carry the signal from the house router to an A/C outlet in your home through the cable to the outbuilding. There is an adapter on each end. At the outbuilding you install a wireless Access point and plug it into the adapter ethernet port.
The important part is, the house adapter must be plugged into a receptacle on the the same circuit as the outbuilding. If the outbuilding is fed directly from the utility company, this won’t work. If it has a sub panel fed from the house, it could. Note that when I say “circuit” I’m referring to the breaker panel feeds. Odd/Even #breakers are on different legs, so if a sub panel is fed from an “even” breaker for example, the adapter would also have to be fed by an “even” breaker. Check it out on the web for more details.
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OK MY OUTBUILDING HAS A SEPERATE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL THAN THE HOUSE SO I GUESS IT WON'T WORK. (sorry did not know I was on caps) Can I use a point to point wireless
 
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If it doesn’t have an electrical meter outside, it’s likely a sub panel fed from the house. Point to point is mentioned above as “line of sight.”
In reading back and noting you have TV’s, PC, mobile phones involved, I too would opt for above ground shielded CAT (CAT 6 STP) cable. One connection at your home router and the other to the wireless access point. It will bring the speed and security you need without the high price. Your PC and TV’s can be ethernet connected to the AP for fastest speed. Mobil phones would use the wireless.
Just be careful with the lawn mower! 😁
 
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JohnMGotts said:
If it doesn’t have an electrical meter outside, it’s likely a sub panel fed from the house. Point to point is mentioned above as “line of sight.”
In reading back and noting you have TV’s, PC, mobile phones involved, I too would opt for above ground shielded CAT (CAT 6 STP) cable. One connection at your home router and the other to the wireless access point. It will bring the speed and security you need without the high price. Your PC and TV’s can be ethernet connected to the AP for fastest speed. Mobil phones would use the wireless.
Just be careful with the lawn mower! 😁
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JohnMGotts said:

can I use a wireless bridge, point to point which I believe will only connect one tv that it is plugged into in the outbuilding but then put in an ac plug repeater, so all other devices receive wireless internet? I am a super novice about all this. this way no wire is strung above or below ground.
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can I use a wireless bridge, point to point which I believe will only connect one tv that it is plugged into in the outbuilding but then put in an ac plug repeater, so all other devices receive wireless internet? I am a super novice about all this. this way no wire is strung above or below ground.​

 
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If you go to the outbuilding and test with some device how strong is the signal.

In general to make this work you need to put in outdoor bridge equipment and then run a wire though the wall. For best results you put outdoor bridge on both ends.

This is all hit and miss when you are dealing with rather short distance....outdoor bridge connections can actually go many miles.

The outside walls of buildings do a very good job of absorbing signals. Maybe you could equipment in the windows if they face each other.
 
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