Q: I am shortly moving onto a farm where I will be living in a converted dairy about 150 metres up a gentle hill from the main house where my landlords live. They are happy to have me piggyback off their (bigpond) wireless modem but I feel I will need some kind of booster/amplifier antenna(e) at either end to get anything like a reasonable reception/speed off their wireless signal (they are connected over ADSL).
Is there any equipment you have which will do the job well (bearing in mind that I am a home based worker and utterly dependent on a reliable connection). Would it be simpler to run a cable up the hill? I understand that there are issues with running long lengths of cabling as well?
Could this equipment double up in boosting a 3G signal (the office phone is Macquarie network which seems to use the Optus network, to judge from where I receive good signal).
Answer:
There are a few options that may do the job for you, these are the two that would be most effective:
1. Outdoor wireless client device: https://store.duxtel.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=sxt
Any of the SXT models will allow you to connect a local PC or wireless router to a distant wireless access point, please keep in mind when choosing the product that the client device will have to match the same frequency as the access point. The definition of ‘distant’ depends on many factors including the type/model of access point, as well as terrain and obstructions (such as trees and hills, buildings and walls) Since the SXT models of router can be mounted outside of the building at your end, obstruction effect of the local building can be avoided. If you can detect the wireless network when standing outside your home while facing the farm house, then this option will probably work very well for you.
2. DuxLink point to point system: https://store.duxtel.com/DuxLink-Duo-and-DuxBridge-Configuration-Script
This option is essentially a pair of SXT configured as an end-to-end transparent bridge, which is connected an ethernet port on the internet router and to your PC or router at your end. Both units are mounted externally on each building and aligned to directly face each other. In this configuration, the link can extend many Kilometres. There is also a 60GHz version of this kit that allows Gigabit duplex speeds up to 200m over the wireless interface.
You could try out this link with a single SXT client first, and then reconfigure it as a DuxLink later if having a single SXT is not satisfactory. The reconfiguration task is not exactly ‘trivial’ but it is not difficult for someone with some basic network peripheral skills.
Judging by your description of the layout, if properly installed, A single SXT will probably work, and the DuxLink duo system will definitely work.
Another alternative that you may consider a viable option could be one of our 3G/4G/LTE kits
There are a number of outdoor LTE kits that can be mounted in a suitable location to obtain optimal receive signal for your selected cellular service provider (supports all Australian carriers).
I hope that this information is useful to you. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you require further information or clarification.