Suggestions for become a WISP?

Hi all,

I'm looking to share my broadband connection with a bunch of people within
around 3Km of my central point.

Obviously, I'm going to need an AP with a decent external aerial. I was
thinking something like this
http://www.dlink.com.au/products/wir...ant24_1500.htm from
D-Link, however their details say I'm going to need a similar antenna at the
other end. I'm hoping to let people within the radius just use plain-old
(and cheap!) consumer cards rather than have to install aerials at every
location.

Any suggestions on aerials or pitfalls I might encounter doing this? Perhaps
even a guide to it online? (Googling has come up with lots of Pringle-Can
type shoots, but I don't want directional unfortunately...)

Thanks for any tips,

Su

Susan Masters wrote:

> Obviously, I'm going to need an AP with a decent external aerial. I was
> thinking something like this
> http://www.dlink.com.au/products/wir...ant24_1500.htm from
> D-Link, however their details say I'm going to need a similar antenna at the
> other end. I'm hoping to let people within the radius just use plain-old
> (and cheap!) consumer cards rather than have to install aerials at every
> location.

That's probably a wise choice for *your* end of the connections. The
other end of each connection from any direction on the compass will
probably want or NEED a more directional antenna. Most of the
directional designs are of yagi/flat-panel/parabolic type. Additionally,
for those distances, antenna amplifiers may come into play if there are
obstacles, like tall trees, etc.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...agi+%2Bantenna
This google page is an example of such a choice of antennas.

Good Luck!

>
> Any suggestions on aerials or pitfalls I might encounter doing this? Perhaps
> even a guide to it online? (Googling has come up with lots of Pringle-Can
> type shoots, but I don't want directional unfortunately...)
>
> Thanks for any tips,
>
> Su
>
>

"Valentín Guillén" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Susan Masters wrote:
>
> > Obviously, I'm going to need an AP with a decent external aerial. I was
> > thinking something like this
> > http://www.dlink.com.au/products/wir...ant24_1500.htm from
> > D-Link, however their details say I'm going to need a similar antenna at
the
> > other end. I'm hoping to let people within the radius just use plain-old
> > (and cheap!) consumer cards rather than have to install aerials at every
> > location.
>
> That's probably a wise choice for *your* end of the connections. The
> other end of each connection from any direction on the compass will
> probably want or NEED a more directional antenna. Most of the
> directional designs are of yagi/flat-panel/parabolic type. Additionally,
> for those distances, antenna amplifiers may come into play if there are
> obstacles, like tall trees, etc.
>
>
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...agi+%2Bantenna
> This google page is an example of such a choice of antennas.

Thanks for that, how far do you recon it'll be before people *have* to start
using such antennas? I'm hoping to get a reach of maybe 500 meters for
people without anything more than a wireless NIC - sound feasable?

> Good Luck!

Thanks!

The best you can hope for std wifi adapter is about 250m,
IF your client can put and USB wifi adapter on a window sill with clear line
of sight of your central aerial.
Otherwise they will need a external directional antenna AND a clear line of
sight.
Regards,
Martin

I take it you've considered the legal implications? If you purchase a
broadband connection and then share it out beyond your own property without
registering yourself as an ISP then you're breaking the law. (At least if
you're in the UK?) It's very similar to anyone who purchases Sky and then
shows it in public without a public entertainment licence.


"Susan Masters" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ujg1c.2537$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm looking to share my broadband connection with a bunch of people within
> around 3Km of my central point.
>
> Obviously, I'm going to need an AP with a decent external aerial. I was
> thinking something like this
> http://www.dlink.com.au/products/wir...ant24_1500.htm from
> D-Link, however their details say I'm going to need a similar antenna at
the
> other end. I'm hoping to let people within the radius just use plain-old
> (and cheap!) consumer cards rather than have to install aerials at every
> location.
>
> Any suggestions on aerials or pitfalls I might encounter doing this?
Perhaps
> even a guide to it online? (Googling has come up with lots of Pringle-Can
> type shoots, but I don't want directional unfortunately...)
>
> Thanks for any tips,
>
> Su
>
>

"Burt Burrows" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c272ur$87r$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I take it you've considered the legal implications? If you purchase a
> broadband connection and then share it out beyond your own property
without
> registering yourself as an ISP then you're breaking the law. (At least if
> you're in the UK?) It's very similar to anyone who purchases Sky and then
> shows it in public without a public entertainment licence.

Does this apply even if I'm just giving a few friends access to my
connection for free?

(I've already checked with my BB supplier and they said I could do what ever
I liked with it once it's installed - So I'm OK as far as they are
concerned)

How does one apply to become an ISP? I had no idea their was any regulation
for ISPs, although I can now imagine they fall under the same kind of issues
as Telcos.

> How does one apply to become an ISP? I had no idea their was any
regulation
> for ISPs, although I can now imagine they fall under the same kind of
issues
> as Telcos.

Ah, well unsurprisingly it looks a lot like it's under the cover of
Oftel/Ofcom/Ofwhatevertheyrecallednow.

However, looking around their site (www.ofcom.org.uk) it looks geared
towards consumers with little advice on getting registered. Any hints
welcome.

> However, looking around their site (www.ofcom.org.uk) it looks geared
> towards consumers with little advice on getting registered. Any hints
> welcome.

Answering my own questions is probably a sign of madness...but:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archi...faq0503.htm#q8

Although, that's far from haveing solved all my questions...

Hello Susan,

I have no idea how you would go about registering as an ISP. I guess it's
going to cost a lot of money though for the relevant licences. If your
broadband provider says it's ok to share the connection and can put that in
writing to you then fair enough! I'd just be a little cautious. A friend of
mine shared a BB connection out last year and very promptly received an
email from their provider. Quite how they know / monitor it I don't know,
but it seems they do!


"Susan Masters" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:QFO1c.3548$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > However, looking around their site (www.ofcom.org.uk) it looks geared
> > towards consumers with little advice on getting registered. Any hints
> > welcome.
>
> Answering my own questions is probably a sign of madness...but:
>
>
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archi...faq0503.htm#q8
>
> Although, that's far from haveing solved all my questions...
>
>

Hey

> I have no idea how you would go about registering as an ISP. I guess it's
> going to cost a lot of money though for the relevant licences. If your
> broadband provider says it's ok to share the connection and can put that
in

I'll have a dig into it, if I find anything useful I'll post it for the
benefit of the curious but I suspect it's gonna be a long, painful process.

> writing to you then fair enough! I'd just be a little cautious. A friend
of
> mine shared a BB connection out last year and very promptly received an
> email from their provider. Quite how they know / monitor it I don't know,
> but it seems they do!

There's an interesting paper on it here*

http://www.research.att.com/~smb/papers/fnat.pdf

Whilst not overly complex I doubt many if any ISPs are genuinely employing
the technique - it doesn't strike me as 100% accurate or easy to deploy on a
large scale, at least I am aware of no kit for out the box checking. I'd
guess perhaps someone ratted him out?

Either way, not a pleasant thought...

S

*Of course, "interesting" is a subjective measure