Getting WiFi to shop

[Robert LaPlaca]

There's a high risk of lightning damage. That's why fiber is commonly used between buildings.

Obviously fiber is the best from isolation and distance..

[John Coloccia]

For $200 to $300, you can setup a couple of outdoor, directional wifi extenders to link the buildings. Since you've already said you don't want to run any cables or fibre, I don't see how there's any other way to do it.

[Bruce Page]

For $200 to $300, you can setup a couple of outdoor, directional wifi extenders to link the buildings. Since you've already said you don't want to run any cables or fibre, I don't see how there's any other way to do it.

That's pretty much what I thought when I posted the link in post 4.

[Mike Henderson]

OP has said it was going to be a big problem to run a conduit from the house to the shop. Plus, if (as in my case) the electrical system of the shop is separately grounded, he will run a very high risk of shorting out (frying) the electronics that are connected via the network cable. I think he is looking for an acceptable alternative to hard wiring.

I'm pretty sure that Ethernet requires a transformer coupling at each end of a point-to-point link. This is specifically for the situation where you may have differences in potential, such as could happen if the two ends are powered by different systems. The transformers electrically isolate the wire from the system potential. All that is passed is the signal - no DC.

Mike

[Here's a link to a TI paper describing two methods of isolating Ethernet, one transformer and the other capacitor.]

[Brian Hale]

Good stuff guys, thanks

Running some direct burial Cat 6 is possible but the amount of work required to do it is quite high, so I'm willing to try other options first. Perhaps that's not the most cost effective method but.......

My shop is powered from the main panel is the house, 100 amp 220 volt, 3 wires 2 hot and a common. Shop has a grounding rod. Would I still run the risk of fry my components due to separate grounds with a Cat 6 cable?

I've seen a setup somewhere awhile ago that involved 2 small antennas, one on each building and the shop end would tie into a router. Can't for the life of find the system, or the name, but it looked workable and a lot easier than excavation. Is that the high power PtP Bruce posted?

I tried using a router as a repeater (incorrect name I'm sure) that I placed at the end of the house and got a good strong signal out side the shop, little to nothing inside.

[Ed Aumiller]

My shop has similiar problems except the fiberglass insulation in my house is foil faced...
What I did is to place the wireless router on a window sill facing my shop... as long as I keep my laptop near any window in the shop, get good signal..
Can even use wireless in RV parked with shop between house and RV...
Try putting your wireless transmitter on a window sill and see what range you get...

My son lives about 400' from my house and shop and can get his signals fine outside... but we set our wireless channels to different freq's...

Good luck...

[David Masters]

My shop is about 120 feet from the house. At some point I'm going to use repeaters as John and Bruce suggested. Until then, I use my cell phone as a WiFi hotspot for my iPad and laptop (when it is in the shop). It's a good temporary solution until the repeaters climb higher on the list.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

I use powerline ethernet to get from my satellite connection to my shop about 150 feet away. Currently I have 3 cisco powerline ethernet connectors and they have worked almost flawlessly. I have had to reboot them twice in three years.

I had some of the first powerline connectors, they weren't nearly as good. The newest crop is even better than what I have, cheaper, faster and different brands are interoperable.

Since you are on the same panel its by far the easiest approach. You plug one in the wall and connect an ethernet cable and them plug one in the wall of your shop. Some of the newer ones even include a wireless access point built in for the shop end!
Although most of the other ideas for remote transmission or cabling will work its very hard to beat the powerline ethernet approach

Disclaimer: I don't now and never have worked for any network hardware company.

[Jerome Stanek]

another option is a cantanna made from a Pringles can

[Jim Becker]

A repeater may work, depending on the signal strength your FiOS AP can provide out in that direction but I"m not getting the impression that's a possibility. But if that's not going to work, then the two best solutions that remain are hard-wired and a second AP or using something like the PowerLine solution previously mentioned. The latter is simpler to install quite obviously since it uses the existing power wiring out to your shop. You just need to insure that the 120v outlets on both ends are on the same "leg" of the 240v service. Hardwire is "the best" overall...and with a 100 meter (about 300 foot) limit, you'd be fine if you chose to trench, put in conduit and pull communication cable to your shop building for network and phone. A second WiFI AP could be installed out there for wireless dedicated to the shop.

I have minimal WiFi signal in my shop which is not too far from our home. That's also due to building materials...nature of the beast.

[Curt Harms]

I haven't used them but as long as the house & shop are powered off the same service panel wireline networking sure seems like the easiest. Do new wireline devices need to be on the same leg? This used to be an issue and there were devices that could be attached between the busses in the panel to supply network signals to both legs. If you're on a shared transformer, be aware that your network signal can be received by anyone being serviced by the same power transformer hence the need for encryption. The network signal cannot 'jump' the transformer.

Searching Newegg for 'outdoor wifi antenna' showed this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-156-_-Product

It's directional and may not look bad if mounted on an exterior wall. Of course if you're feel McGyverish there's the cantenna option mentioned by Jerome. Google 'cantenna'.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Reading this thread I checked out the new power line stuff and it's come a long way. This looks like it might be a good solution for you (and me!)

http://www.tp-link.us/products/detai...PA4220NET#over

That should provide wifi within your shop.

[Mike Henderson]

I haven't used them but as long as the house & shop are powered off the same service panel wireline networking sure seems like the easiest. Do new wireline devices need to be on the same leg? This used to be an issue and there were devices that could be attached between the busses in the panel to supply network signals to both legs.

As long as you have some 240V circuits, the wire of the 240V circuit will act as a capacitor and bridge between the legs. The amount of capacitance is not large but at the frequency that the wireline networking works at, it's sufficient to bridge between the legs.

Mike

[Brian Hale]

Well I just ordered this.....

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4.../dp/B00AWRUICG

40 bucks seems like an inexpensive trial and if it doesn't work out I can send it back.

It should arrive tomorrow. Gotta love Amazon

Wish me luck!

Brian

[Jim Becker]

Good choice, Brian...and a very reasonable cost. At the shop end, you can either plug a computer directly into the device (multiples with an Ethernet switch) or plug a wireless AP into the device. Again, just be sure that both ends are on the same 120v "leg".