Use a "wireless BRIDGE"

Look it up...

Cheap and easy -Ubiquity

I run some many many miles...

No, don't do that. Please.  Buy a UBNT bridge.

All you need are a couple used Ubiquity Bullet [preferably 5.8 ghz for less interference] radios off ebay.

They'll have the type N connector and for antennas over the distance your talking abt, a wet noodle stuck in the connector will do.

If you use 5.8, you might want to pick up a couple cheap directional antennas too, cost might be $20

If you show the config pages, I can show you how to set them up real fast.

Take this fine wireless technician up on his generous offer.

Enigma, and with apologies to the OP for possibly hijacking his thread (although my question may be relevant)

I am presently using an Airwire from Ubiquity, and it works great, but the distance is about 35 feet.  I would like to upgrade to something faster, and had considered some of Ubiquity's point-to-point products, but users on their forum indicate that it may be necessary to dial the power down, significantly, so as not to over drive the radios.  

Can anyone speak to this?

It is very easy to set power level on the Rocket and Bullet, just takes a second.

I doubt if there is going to be an issue overdriving those radios, due to the tech used.

If you find there is, set the output power lower, this said ---it is good practice to use only the needed power to communicate.

The generous wireless tech is correct, use only the power necessary to make the link ideal.

 

Just curious why you said not to use a router as a wireless bridge.


Is it because it isn't a good solution and the UBNT adapters work much better or is it due to the costs involved?


I'm asking because I had several wireless bridges set up in the past using Buffalo WBR-G54 and WBR2-G54 routers.  I was using them with my ReplayTV dvr's to do in-house streaming.  At the time I bought them back in 2002, I needed a solution to hook the dvr's to my ethernet so they could download guide data and stream video the other other units.  As they only had a wired ethernet port and at the time there weren't any plug in access points to use with my wifi that would permit proper streaming, I used the Buffalos like everyone else because they had a built in wireless bridge function.


Anyway, fast forward 10 years or so, the Replays have all been taken out of service as I moved to HD tv and Tivo so now I only need to bridge from where the wifi router is in one room to the master bedroom.  I was using a long cable but that has to go and I need to use wireless again.  I dug out a pair of Buffalos and they still work.


My questions...


1) Any reason to switch to a UBNT device?

2) If not, any reason to use the DD-WRT firmware on my Buffalo instead of leaving it as is?

1) DD-WRT is no longer supported except for the commercial versions
2) DD-WRT doesn't work worth a shit as a bridge
3) UBNT is purpose built to bridge, it's not a thrown together hack full of idiotic bullshit
4) Paying for UBNT winds up costing you way less over time because it's not a thrown together hack full of idiotic bullshit.

 
Ok, that answers my question about DD-WRT and that is out.


What benefit is there for me to go buy some UBNT devices rather than just using the existing Buffalos I already own?


I have a half dozen of the Buffalo routers on hand (I got the ones from family members when they retired their replays too).


Last night I set up a pair to do WDS bridging (which is built into the factory firmware).  The idea is to plug the crossover port of the Lan for one Buffalo router into my existing UVerse router and then put the other Buffalo in the bedroom.


As I have UVerse for my internet, I am not going to use the WAN port in either Buffalo so I have it set to do manual IP addresses rather than PPPoE or DHCP.  I also turned off DHCP on both routers and gave them static ip addressed.  I then enabled WDS, set the encryption codes to be the same on both and put the LAN mac address of the other router in to each.  Lastly I enabled dedicated bridge mode to prohibit any clients from attaching to the routers.


When I ran speed test, I got the same speeds across the bridge as I was getting with a dedicated wire so I know it is all set up right.  The only thing is when I did the test, the routers were in the same room and I didn't have a chance to move one to the other room to test it as it was late last night when I got it all working.


So to reiterate, any good reason for me to switch to a UBNT device at this time?

Other than the fact Buffalo's are cheap chinese junk?

 
They may be Chinese junk now but my Buffalos date back to 2003 and say made in Japan and have been working fine all this time.

I don't follow, you want to use 13 year old wireless tech?

 
My question is how does using a UBNT device benefit me compared to using my 13 year old tech.


That is, what improvements have been made in 13 years?

You mean besides the fact it's not 13 years old?

Oh my God... Countless in tech... And the GUI

If your old timers work, use them.  

At least for most people, not using WEP and massive increases in speed.  Or the fact you won't be using >decade old electronics.

As many have said Ubiquiti. Ubiquiti made their names in wireless radios much the way Motorola Canopy (later to turn into Orthogon and presently Cambium Networks) and Harris-Stratex (Aviat Networks) did. I'm actually trained in Cambium and Aviat as their intrinsically safe stuff is seen a lot in the oil and gas industry but I use Ubiquiti a lot.

All the radios are are APs. They can be configured as either Access Points (for the router side) or Stations (subscribers). You can bridge the connections or you can start another subnet (I'd bridge connections for personal stuff). They manufacture Point to Point and Point to Multipoint products. Really depends on what one is looking for.

I've got a 17 mile Ubiquiti 5.8 shot from Lubbock, TX to Lorenzo, TX. Another from Lubbock to Ropesville. Those are my two furthest shots with Ubiquiti. I had the challenge of assiting in the engineering of a (licensed) 11 GHz Aviat Eclispe link. First hop was 41 miles...second was 10.

But yes, turn down the power if you keep the same speeds up...not only good practice but helps reduce other interference.