wi-fi for entire apt bldg - NEED ADVICE!

ok, need advice on whether this will work.
not concerned w/security. we're all very moderate users, and won't be
concerned if others gain access to our hotspot.
so here's the setup:

4-story apt bldg, 4units on each floor
single cable internet on a 3rd floor unit
pre-war building, drywall walls, floors are not concrete, w...all
re-inforced wood w/light use of steel

equipment scenario 1:
linksys AP/router BEFW11S4
linksys booster WSB24
2-3 users on each floor w/wifi cards

in this scenario, my feeling is that the linksys w/booster will not be
very strong. therefore, if EACH floor had a single cable line
w/linksys setup, will all the users on that single floor get access?
or will the single line on the 3rd floor w/linksys equipment reach all
users in the bldg?


equipment scenario 2:
netgear AP/router FWG114P
netgear 18dBi antenna ANT24D18
2-3 users on each floor w/wifi cards

i'm told the netgear 18dBi antenna is very strong...that's why i'm
thinking a single cable line w/this setup may give everyone in the
bldg access. thoughts?

if neither of these, can anyone suggest an alternative wireless setup?

yoomit <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> ok, need advice on whether this will work.
> not concerned w/security. we're all very moderate users, and won't be
> concerned if others gain access to our hotspot.
> so here's the setup:
<snip>
> i'm told the netgear 18dBi antenna is very strong...that's why i'm
> thinking a single cable line w/this setup may give everyone in the
> bldg access. thoughts?

You need to learn a bit more.
"very strong" is not a good radio term...
Antennas transmit and recieve in a specific pattern.
If you plot the signal strength on a globe around the antenna, for an
18dBi antenna, then you'll get something that looks like a horizontal
ring, with most of the signal going into this ring, and very little
going up or down. (for 18db, it's around +-10 degrees high)
This is a problem if you are above or below the antenna.
For lower gain omni antennas, the band widens, and for directional antennas
it looks like a shape (often a circle) pointed in one direction.

If you used this antenna, you are unlikely to get any reception above
or below it unless right next to it.

One of the better ways is to spend a day with a few antennas and a laptop
with a card connected to them, and an accesspoint in the building in
question, and see what happens in real life.

Some terms you may find handy for finding FAQs on http://www.google.com/

802.11b wireless FAQ omnidirectional decibel signal attenuation

Yoomit,

Right, test and test, and you may be surprised at the results.

Sometimes the best-laid plans will yield unexpected disappointments.
While talking to the Wi-Fi network guy about the installation at a
local airport (Sacramento, CA), he described a particular "cold" spot
and area that his staff continued to try to fix. Your best design and
equipment may fail to cover such spots, so you need identify them
before wrapping up all your plans.

--Ray

Ian Stirling <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<5szLb.12475$(E-Mail Removed)>...
> yoomit <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > ok, need advice on whether this will work.
> > not concerned w/security. we're all very moderate users, and won't be
> > concerned if others gain access to our hotspot.
> > so here's the setup:
> <snip>
> > i'm told the netgear 18dBi antenna is very strong...that's why i'm
> > thinking a single cable line w/this setup may give everyone in the
> > bldg access. thoughts?
>
> You need to learn a bit more.
> "very strong" is not a good radio term...
> Antennas transmit and recieve in a specific pattern.
> If you plot the signal strength on a globe around the antenna, for an
> 18dBi antenna, then you'll get something that looks like a horizontal
> ring, with most of the signal going into this ring, and very little
> going up or down. (for 18db, it's around +-10 degrees high)
> This is a problem if you are above or below the antenna.
> For lower gain omni antennas, the band widens, and for directional antennas
> it looks like a shape (often a circle) pointed in one direction.
>
> If you used this antenna, you are unlikely to get any reception above
> or below it unless right next to it.
>
> One of the better ways is to spend a day with a few antennas and a laptop
> with a card connected to them, and an accesspoint in the building in
> question, and see what happens in real life.
>
> Some terms you may find handy for finding FAQs on http://www.google.com/
>
> 802.11b wireless FAQ omnidirectional decibel signal attenuation

The Netgear 18dbi antenna in question is a directional antenna.
According to the datasheet you can use it in a multifloor situation
by mounting it to the ceiling at a top floor. See below:

http://www.netgear.com/products/prod...asp?prodID=198

Any thoughts on using a 18 dbi directional?

Can an omni directional antenna interact with this directional? or do
you need 2 directionals pointed at one another?

-john smith



Ian Stirling <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<5szLb.12475$(E-Mail Removed)>...
> yoomit <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > ok, need advice on whether this will work.
> > not concerned w/security. we're all very moderate users, and won't be
> > concerned if others gain access to our hotspot.
> > so here's the setup:
> <snip>
> > i'm told the netgear 18dBi antenna is very strong...that's why i'm
> > thinking a single cable line w/this setup may give everyone in the
> > bldg access. thoughts?
>
> You need to learn a bit more.
> "very strong" is not a good radio term...
> Antennas transmit and recieve in a specific pattern.
> If you plot the signal strength on a globe around the antenna, for an
> 18dBi antenna, then you'll get something that looks like a horizontal
> ring, with most of the signal going into this ring, and very little
> going up or down. (for 18db, it's around +-10 degrees high)
> This is a problem if you are above or below the antenna.
> For lower gain omni antennas, the band widens, and for directional antennas
> it looks like a shape (often a circle) pointed in one direction.
>
> If you used this antenna, you are unlikely to get any reception above
> or below it unless right next to it.
>
> One of the better ways is to spend a day with a few antennas and a laptop
> with a card connected to them, and an accesspoint in the building in
> question, and see what happens in real life.
>
> Some terms you may find handy for finding FAQs on http://www.google.com/
>
> 802.11b wireless FAQ omnidirectional decibel signal attenuation

Ian Stirling <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>You need to learn a bit more.
>"very strong" is not a good radio term...
>Antennas transmit and recieve in a specific pattern.
>If you plot the signal strength on a globe around the antenna, for an
>18dBi antenna, then you'll get something that looks like a horizontal
>ring, with most of the signal going into this ring, and very little
>going up or down. (for 18db, it's around +-10 degrees high)
>This is a problem if you are above or below the antenna.
>For lower gain omni antennas, the band widens, and for directional antennas
>it looks like a shape (often a circle) pointed in one direction.
>
>If you used this antenna, you are unlikely to get any reception above
>or below it unless right next to it.


I agree. A router on one floor with wired APs on the others, along with a
reasonably high gain omni mounted at eye level in a central hallway at each
level might work. Start with the router and one antenna and work from there...