[Hidden-tech] longer range wifi

[Dan Nachbar]

A while back I asked about long-range wifi boxes.  I've tried out
quite a few units since then and here is what I found:

The big winner is the Ubiquiti Networks PicoStation2HP.
Available via Amazon and others for about $85.
Webpage from the manufacturer is http://www.ubnt.com/picostation

This unit cranks out 600-1000 milliwatts (depending upon the bitrate)
and has a good built-in antenna to match. It is trivial to configure.
It can supposedly run up to 54 megabits/sec best I've been able to get
it to run is about 12 megabits/sec. That's about what I get for most
B/G routers and is fine for my needs.  So I haven't worried about it.
I've only tested the out-of-the-box configuration.  It could probably
do better with better antennas, etc.

But in the off-the-shelf configuration it connects just fine to a
laptop (Macbook Pro) through walls, etc at 100-200 feet away.
Outdoors, unobstructed, line-of-site: a laptop can connect 600 feet.

One spiffy feature is that the units are configurable to be
"receivers" as well as access points. So you can set one up to be
the client and plug the client's ethernet wire into the laptop.
Using a pair of units in this way gets amazingly good range.

I tested a pair of them along the long, straight road that runs by
the UMASS football stadium.  (It's about 1/2 mile long end-to-end.)
There was no drop-off in speed up to about 1/4 mile. The connection
speed started to tapered off after 1/4 mile and was about 40% of
maximum at 1/2 mile. Of course, few situations are clear of
obstructions -- but it was fun to see it work.

More practically, in my neighborhood, a pair of these units will
run full speed up to about 400 feet through wall, trees, etc.  The
speed tapers off to about half of the max (6 megabits/sec) at 600 feet.

Although the Picostations were the off-the-shelf champ, I was also
very impressed with the Amped Wireless SR300 Repeater and AP300
Access Point.  They have a significantly stronger signal than
most of the common routers.

Dan Nachbar