Wi-Fi over Two Houses

phirippu on 12/03/2020 - 09:29
Last edited 12/03/2020 - 09:30

Hi Ozbargainers!

Living temporarily next to my parents in a separate dwelling, most likely for the next 6 months. Both places are double brick and about 6 metres apart from closest wall to closest wall to wall.

I am currently using a Netgear EX7300 wifi range extender to utilise their internet connection, and it is pretty bad and cuts out a fair bit. Speeds are highly variable but never high.

Any advice from my learned Ozbargain community as to how best to utilise the connection? Would Orbi work?

Cheers

Internet Wireless Range Extender

Comments

  • hoey888 on 12/03/2020 - 09:30
    +2

    Run another wireless access point/router via temporary Cat5/6 cable?

    • phirippu on 12/03/2020 - 09:32

      Sorry should have added, no cabling allowed as the 6 metres is the driveway! Good idea though

      • Muzeeb on 12/03/2020 - 09:39

        Google horizontal directional drilling and ditch witch. Problem solved.

      • iampoor on 12/03/2020 - 09:43

        You could run the cable above ground like the overhead powerlines? 2 meter clearance should be enough, if it is too low you will find out once your internet connection dies…

      • websterp on 12/03/2020 - 09:53
        +4

        Running a cable would be the best/cheapest/easiest way
        Get a Cable protector hump from a safety gear shop or even officeworks sells those so cars could drive over the cable without damaging it during the 6 months it would be in use.

        • c64 on 12/03/2020 - 12:15

          cheapo pine stud with a groove cut down the middle or just two pine studs separated by a small distance to create a channel.

      • [Deactivated] on 12/03/2020 - 11:02
        +1

        Do you have a drain across the driveway? Can you put the cable in that? As long as the ends are dry you should be ok.

      • trex on 12/03/2020 - 11:17

        +1 for cabling. Don't need to go the shortest way ie driveway. Look for a longer but more convenient path.

  • 87percent on 12/03/2020 - 09:46
    +2

    I'm running google wifi from the house to a bungalo in the backyard, just over 5m (through a brick wall) from the closest wifi unit. I'm on HFC, getting 115/5 around the house but the bungalo gets about 65/2. I bought the 3 pack initially for the house, and then bought a 2nd hand single unit for the bungalo.

  • websterp on 12/03/2020 - 09:48
    +4

    Based on your budget and bandwidth requirements (2.4GHz/5GHz or both) setup a point to point wifi link using Ubiquiti gear.
    Few options listed below;
    https://www.wireless1.com.au/ubiquiti-networks-locom2-2-4ghz…
    https://www.wireless4now.com.au/ubiquiti-5ghz-nano-mimo-airm…
    https://www.wireless4now.com.au/ubiquiti-5ghz-airmax-ac-nano…

    If you want to setup a reliable, enterprise grade p2p wifi link at a budget Ubiquiti gear is the way to go. I just realised that the distance between the two buildings is 6m so would be overkill for your use. As others have suggested why not cable ?

  • Davo1111 on 12/03/2020 - 09:52

    id just run a cable (maybe in air?)

    Ive used ubiquiti to link two buildings 100m away, but this would be expensive compared to a cable

    • Davo1111 on 13/03/2020 - 11:10

      Edit i used airmax nanostation, but looking at their website, there are better products there

  • HighAndDry on 12/03/2020 - 09:54
    +3

    Like you said, a mesh network like Orbi or Google Wifi will work, you'll just need one on your parents property in range of the router, and one in your dwelling, ideally in windows facing each other with line of sight. An extra one in your dwelling if the window mesh point doesn't cover the whole place. Like this:

    [Router]——[Mesh 1] | walls | [Mesh 2]——[Mesh 3] (optional for you)

    • phirippu on 12/03/2020 - 10:06

      would this do the trick you think? https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/523835

      • websterp on 12/03/2020 - 10:08
        +1

        It would work but keep in mind these are indoor units so you will have to have both units inside the two buildings. Since you said the walls are double brick the signal strength could drop significantly specially with 5GHz

      • HighAndDry on 12/03/2020 - 10:29

        Agreed with websterp that you'll probably need to use these in a way that gets around the walls for these to work. But if you have a good spot (eg directly opposite windows) should work fine.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/03/2020 - 10:17
      +3

      I did that with the RBK50 and a few RBS50 and outdoor kits (over capacity but it works).

      I wouldn't recommend it. I ended up trenching and placing Cat6 cables.

      (From house to man cave. About 25m apart).

      • HighAndDry on 12/03/2020 - 10:30
        +1

        Ah yeah, 25m is pushing it haha. Only recommending this to OP because they say only 6m apart which (at least for Google Wifi that I use) is fine with decent line of sight.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/03/2020 - 10:53
          +1

          I had an outdoor orbi to outdoor orbi in a straight line. Spent $800 bucks on those…

          If only I checked out the cost of trenching… Only cost me $500 for the trench and conduit.

          Oh well, now I have full bar wifi in the veggie patch and parking bays. 😂

          • HighAndDry on 12/03/2020 - 12:37
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: Hahaha time to internet all of the things? Moisture sensors, smart irrigation, you could have an automated vege farm out there!

            • [Deactivated] on 12/03/2020 - 13:49

              @HighAndDry: Getting there. drawing up a greenhouse now.

              (No weed).

  • [Deactivated] on 12/03/2020 - 11:05
    +2

    I have orbi RBR50 and RBS50 x2 in my large double story home - would recommend this as an option if you can't use cable. I really don't need the second satellite but it makes thinks a little easier in terms of connecting wired printers to the network.

    • Kalice on 12/03/2020 - 15:14

      second this, Orbi would do the job and I have used it for this purpose. However, I can't get my Orbi to work with my new Telstra smart modem.

      • Twix on 12/03/2020 - 15:42

        What kind of nbn? FTTN, FTTB, FTTC, FTTP or HFC?

        Is your ISP Telstra?

        Do you still use the home phone or mobile only?

        • phirippu on 12/03/2020 - 17:40

          My parents have Telstra cable - not even NBN. They currently use the home phone but will probably get rid of it when they upgrade internet. Probably going to move to 5G

          • Twix on 12/03/2020 - 18:18

            @phirippu: Have you tried to put the Orbi in access point mode?

  • phirippu on 12/03/2020 - 11:42
    +1

    Thanks everyone! Super useful! I love this community.

    • Deridas on 13/03/2020 - 09:06

      It's a great community unless you're whinging, asking for traffic accident advice with no insurance, or humblebrags.

  • wiipantz on 12/03/2020 - 12:09
    +1

    I've done this before with a ubiquity direction antenna

    Not this but similar for one side of the suburb to the next
    https://www.wireless4now.com.au/ubiquiti-5ghz-airfiber-dish-…

    I've also setup similar on properties with sheds and accross the road setups, could be an option.

  • Drj55 on 13/03/2020 - 09:15

    This might be overkill but has a great name:

    AirFibre from UniFi

    https://www.ui.com/products/#airfiber

  • Leo Getz on 13/03/2020 - 23:02
    +3

    Ethernet cable between buildings is a no.
    Normal ethernet cable is not rated for outdoor or underground installation.
    Can create a potential voltage difference between the buildings earths.

    Suggestions for Ubiquiti gear and setting up a wireless bridge are the way to go.
    You could also run a fibre between the buildings with a couple of fibre-ethernet converters.
    Ubiquiti does that gear and pre-terminated lengths of fibre too.
    Parent's Router - Eth/Fibre Converter - Fibre - Eth/Fibre Converter - WAP (Wireless Access Point)

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