Anyone here work with long range wifi set-ups?

[Armored Rah]

Currently I have a Direct TV dish converted over to 2.4Ghz, similar to this one http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00UvmQzkshHuogM/Ku-Band-Solid-Dish-Antenna-SK35-SK40-SK46-SK60-SK90-.jpg. it connects to my laptop by USB. My link is fed by two routers running DD-WRT. One router is a Linksys WRT54G, the other is a Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 running in repeater mode, but I want to get more distance out of them. I'm considering doing some custom work on the Dish to make it look a little less modern, but the project I really want to work on is throwing together one of these  http://www.i-hacked.com/images/stories/predator/predator.jpg and making it look like a water cooled machine gun. I was just wondering if anyone here had experience with 2.4Ghz antennas or long range connections. I have all the technical data I need, I just wanted to see if anyone here was interested in this type of thing, or had any ideas to share.

[Wisconsin Platt]

Its on my list of things to do, but at this moment, pretty far down the list.  I don't "need" long range wifi right now - although when I move my networking gear to my new office I might for the far side of the house - so all I've done is try to keep current on what others are doing.

[Armored Rah]

I would have guessed more people on the forum would be into this type of thing. The reason I got into it was in order to supply internet to my entire property, without spending too much money. Comcast charges $60 a month for internet access to one household. I have property that covers about 2 miles and 6 houses, but only 2 of the houses are in use (by me), but they happen to be the two farthest from each other, so a long distance link was necessary in order to keep from paying an extra $60 a month. I didn't see the point in that, since I can only be at one house at a time, but need internet access at both since I use two different workshops, depending on what I'm working on. Back to the building part though, does anyone have any suggestions on how to cheaply steampunk a dish antenna? I've though of painting it, but what color?

[von Corax]

My local high-speed wireless Internet carrier runs his entire network on 802.11g, and I think some of his hops run 20km or so. (He's just switched over from 2.4 GHz to 900 MHz, which gives better environment penetration; he says the 900 MHz antennas are enough cheaper to make up for the more expensive radios.)

I think the main thing you need is a pair of good directional antennas and a clear line-of-sight. Before the frequency switch I was using an old 10-foot satellite dish (I have some heavy foliage for the signal to cut through) but the horn was hacked together from an apple-juice can and a bit of copper pipe.

[CapnHarlock]

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way associated with this company (a possible customer, if I can find an installer less than 300 miles away)

Check out www.meraki.com - fairly-inexpensive (and solar-powered) repeaters /base stations

[Armored Rah]

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way associated with this company (a possible customer, if I can find an installer less than 300 miles away)

Check out www.meraki.com - fairly-inexpensive (and solar-powered) repeaters /base stations

 

I like that link. The prices are a bit higher than I'd like, but the idea of solar power, that's nice. I've thought about that myself, but high quality solar panels are also out of my price range right now. Actually, most anything over $50 is out of my price range at the moment. LOL
I also like throwing together "junk" and making something useful without spending any money, hence the current setup I have now. Just guessing, I'd say my entire wifi system has only cost me about $60, since most of it was built from scrap or items other people didn't want anymore. But as I said, that is a good link and I've saved it so I can look over it more thoroughly and hopefully procure some ideas from it.

As for going to 900 MHz, that's not an option right now, but it is something I might look into.