[ale] Outdoor Wifi - Water - The missing Detail?

Mon Jun 28 13:17:30 EDT 2021

It takes me a while sometimes.   So, looking for "wifi loss through 
trees", once finds comments which suggest that while wood might not 
reduce Wifi, WATER does, and trees and leaves contain water.

Well, people contain even more water.

So, it's looking to me like a single directional access point at the 
back of the building is doomed.   It might look like it works, it might 
even test pretty good.  Empty.

BUT, put a 60x130 tent in the back field, fill it with 800-1000 people, 
put the beer and food lines at the back side, (because grills, beer 
trailer, warmers, ice-trailer, etc are all on the back side, and put 
volunteers running tablets at table-top level, then each tablet is 
trying to get Wifi THROUGH about 40 people.  Who are well-beered.   Just 
not going to work.

Looks like we should indeed run a pair of somethings to get across the 
parking lot, then Cat6 to the rear tree line, and then an access point 
high up, so that food/beer staff have nothing between them and the 
access point.

On 2021-06-28 11:08, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
> Thanks.  Please, keep the ideas coming.   There were comments about
> power - nope, no conduit, Scout building and rear tent power all come
> from separate lines back to the transformers on the pole.
> 
> What I'm getting from the Ubiquiti forum is that UAP-AC-LR-US 802.11ac
> Long Range Access Point will likely peter out at 300 ft.
> 
> Note that the satellite view is stale - the two trees right at the
> back of the church building are gone - they were sending roots towards
> the foundation. So, it's a clear shot up to the trees beyond the
> driveway.  Unclear to me how much a couple of trees at that distance
> can block WiFi.
> 
> Responses do suggest that we may have TWO distinct groups to cover or
> not: Vendors in the parking lot, and our beer/food vendors at the back
> of the tent.   The parking lot may have to get tossed over the side as
> 2nd priority.   Frankly, I think most of the vendors do other
> festivals, and have worked out how to do their credit cards on their
> phones; they would just rather not spend their data.  I think cell
> coverage in the parking lot is adequate.
> 
> So, if I understand your approach, it involves two NanoStations?  Or
> two NanoStations to get from building to back field, and an access
> point on the field NanoStation to provide the Wifi to the tablets?
> 
> regards,
> 
> Neal
> 
> On 2021-06-28 10:40, Alex Carver via Ale wrote:
>> Just to add fun to the festivities I have a couple of these 
>> NanoStations
>> that work very well as PTP bridges:
>> 
>> https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-airmax-and-ltu/products/nanostation-loco5ac
>> 
>> The radiation pattern is more directional than the UFO-style AP's like
>> the UAP AC so it tends to work better for that purpose.  They're also
>> able to work in a multi-drop configuration so you can have multiple
>> endpoints instead of cable.  When they're in PTP mode they're not
>> directly accessible with normal WiFi products, the protocol is 
>> different
>> so it's harder to have someone "tap" into your connection from a 
>> sidelobe.
>> 
>> They're also inexpensive at $50 each and rated for outdoor use.
>> 
>> These should work at the range you're wanting but you can always go up 
>> a
>> bit and get something like this if range really is an issue:
>> 
>> https://store.ui.com/collections/operator-airmax-and-ltu/products/litebeam-5ac-long-range
>> 
>> Built-in dish makes a tighter beam and a lot of range (like several
>> miles in unobstructed LOS).
>> 
>> Many options in Ubiquiti's airMAX and airFiber device groups.
>> 
>> 
>> On 2021-06-26 09:12, Neal Rhodes via Ale wrote:
>>> Thanks to all that replied.   My goal was to figure out the options, 
>>> and
>>> focus some other people's attention in a productive direction.   I do
>>> NOT want to be the expert on this, as on the day, I'm busy doing 
>>> sound
>>> or playing music on stage.
>>> 
>>> I will quickly summarize the high points I've passed on.  Not to
>>> preclude further comments from the ALE group, which I value.   But 
>>> I'm
>>> gonna let this simmer and see if some other folks pick up the ball.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENT? You can look at Google Maps for 1826 Killian
>>> Hill road, Lilburn
>>> From back window to the far tree line at back of field: 450ft (137 
>>> meters)
>>> From back window to the scout building: 170ft (52 meters)
>>> From scout building to back of field: 304ft (92meters)
>>> A straight line of Cat6e wire from back door, across the driveway on 
>>> the
>>> choir room side, to the trees, then along the side of the property, 
>>> back
>>> to the cross near the fire-pit: 500 ft ( 152 meters)
>>> 
>>> So from Back wall of building to where the Beer is sold is 480ft.
>>> 
>>> OPTIONS:
>>> A) Run a 500 foot Cat6e cable from the switch in the sanctuary, out 
>>> the
>>> choir room fire escape, out the Choir fire escape door, across the
>>> driveway in a 1/2” PVC pipe,  with pieces of 2x4 slant cut on either
>>> side to make a ramp to drive over, along the tree line, to the cross
>>> near the fire pit, and place an access point there.  We would already
>>> have power there for audio speaker.
>>> 
>>> B) Implement a Mesh network, using existing Virtual Studio Raspberry 
>>> PI
>>> processors, from the back window, to the scout building, to a unit at
>>> the tent.   While possible, this leaves one more essential component 
>>> of
>>> Oktoberfest that Only Neal Understands.
>>> 
>>> C) Place a purpose built long range Access point outside, perhaps on 
>>> the
>>> classroom fire-escape wall, where it will be in the shade of the 
>>> steps. 
>>>   This could be a permanent installation.   Some of these can be 
>>> powered
>>> by the CAT6 cable connection.  (POE)   Neal is not an expert.  I am
>>> reading that some units claim coverage of up to 600 ft.  This would
>>> include coverage of the rear parking lot.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Possible products: This is by no means exhaustive; consider
>>> https://www.mbreviews.com/best-outdoor-wifi-range-extender/ for more
>>> details/ideas.
>>> 
>>> A) Ubiquiti Networks UAP-AC-LR-US 802.11ac Long Range Access Point  
>>> $109
>>> https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1189144-REG/ubiquiti_networks_uap_ac_lr_us_802_11ac_long_range.html
>>>   There are indoor, and indoor/outdoor flavors of these.  Some 
>>> powered
>>> by POE.
>>> 
>>> B) TP-LINK CPE210 N300 Outdoor Access Point $39
>>> https://www.microcenter.com/product/482831/tp-link-cpe210-n300-outdoor-access-point
>>> This unit appears to be designed to mount on an outside wall, and has
>>> directional antenna which focus the signal in one direction only.
>>> 
>>> C) CPE510 5GHz 300Mbps 13dBi Outdoor $49
>>> CPEhttps://www.tp-link.com/us/business-networking/outdoor-radio/cpe510/ 
>>> Unclear what you get for the additional $10.
>>> 
>>> Now that I'm writing this, I'm wondering if the TP-Link units really
>>> only work talking to each other, and not to a tablet out in the 
>>> grass.
>>> 
>>> regards,
>>> 
>>> Neal
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>> 
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