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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3113
Topic starter 24/06/2022 2:38 pm  

We need to boost our WiFi outdoors to cover a growing number of outdoor WiFi connected products. Any suggestions or recommendations?

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Majordennisbloodnok
 Majordennisbloodnok
(@majordennisbloodnok)
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Posts: 777
24/06/2022 4:22 pm  

Do these outdoor products plug into an outdoor power socket? Or do you have an outdoor power socket near where they're located?

105 m2 bungalow in South East England
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5 kW air source heat pump
18 x 360W solar panels
1 x 6 kW GroWatt battery and SPH5000 inverter
1 x Myenergi Zappi
1 x VW ID3
Raised beds for home-grown veg and chickens for eggs

"Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat"


   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3113
Topic starter 24/06/2022 10:14 pm  

@majordennisbloodnok, that’s the dilemma. Some are POE (power over ethernet), so it entails running a cable. I have access to power outside in a number of places, but getting the internet to it is a challenge.

The silver cavity insulation wreaks havoc with our WiFi outside.

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Majordennisbloodnok
 Majordennisbloodnok
(@majordennisbloodnok)
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Posts: 777
25/06/2022 9:23 am  

In that case, powerline adapters may be a simple solution. Some will just provide an RJ45 ethernet socket, some will just act as wifi range extenders whilst some will do both.

The basic premise is simple; you plug two of them in, one close to your router. They will use your electrical cabling like a network cable and so communicate with each other.

It does assume your home electrical cabling is reasonably well done and isn’t so great with 3 phase (or at least across phases) but for most of us it’ll work fine.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Passthrough-Configuration-TL-WPA7617-KIT/dp/B08QSK84JL/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=powerline+adapter&qid=1656145651&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMUJLSDJJTENNNUxEJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDg3NzcwMjNHNjJUSjZJUElDMiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTI4NDE5MU83OTUyWUwySTBBUyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

105 m2 bungalow in South East England
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5 kW air source heat pump
18 x 360W solar panels
1 x 6 kW GroWatt battery and SPH5000 inverter
1 x Myenergi Zappi
1 x VW ID3
Raised beds for home-grown veg and chickens for eggs

"Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat"


   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3113
Topic starter 25/06/2022 9:53 am  

@majordennisbloodnok, I've got the AV600 and it doesn't connect to our outdoor buildings – it has to be on the same electricity "loop" and for some reason it doesn't work in our studio or garage.

Buy Bodge Buster – Homeowner Air Source Heat Pump Installation Guide: https://amzn.to/3NVndlU
From Zero to Heat Pump Hero: https://amzn.to/4bWkPFb

Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast


   
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 Colin
(@colin)
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Posts: 56
25/06/2022 10:43 am  
Posted by: @editor

We need to boost our WiFi outdoors to cover a growing number of outdoor WiFi connected products. Any suggestions or recommendations?

Would highly recommend Ubiquiti Unifi Access points & Ubiquiti Airmax Nanobeams to get the data connection to the access point(s). Getting power to PoE devices isn't too much of a problem if you've got sockets nearby, you can just use a PoE injector. 


   
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Mars
 Mars
(@editor)
Illustrious Member Admin
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 3113
Topic starter 25/06/2022 3:11 pm  

@Colin, I have looked at Ubiquiti – it looks like really good quality. Good point about the PoE injectors. It's an easy workaround.

Buy Bodge Buster – Homeowner Air Source Heat Pump Installation Guide: https://amzn.to/3NVndlU
From Zero to Heat Pump Hero: https://amzn.to/4bWkPFb

Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast


   
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 Colin
(@colin)
Estimable Member Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 56
25/06/2022 4:47 pm  

@editor Agreed, good quality gear. I've been running three of their access points for the past couple of years without missing a beat. One of their Long Range access points e.g. the AC-LR or U6-LR might be enough to do the job you need. Some of their Nanobeam gear can go up to 30km.  


   
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 prjohn
(@prjohn)
Reputable Member Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 125
27/06/2022 6:44 am  

Have you looked at a TP-link N300 Wireless Outdoor Access point, 200m range for multiple connections and reasonably priced.

 


   
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Majordennisbloodnok
 Majordennisbloodnok
(@majordennisbloodnok)
Noble Member Moderator
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 777
28/06/2022 8:59 am  

@editor, it's pretty clear now that there are details to your situation that will significantly influence any advice given on network kit. Is there any chance within the bounds of sensible privacy that you could give any more specifics?

There are a few questions in particular that spring to mind immediately:

  • Could you give a bit of a fuller idea of the layout and relative distances involved? You mentioned two outbuildings (a studio and a garage) that don't have any network equipment at the moment, but presumably both have power. How far away from your house and each other are they?
  • Are all the external devices you want to connect clustered in roughly one place or spread far and wide? And how far from the house and/or outbuildings is that?
  • Do you have any external power that isn't attached to the outbuildings or house? And is all external power on the same circuit?
  • Is there clear line of sight between the various locations involved? House <--> outbuildings, outbuildings <--> devices, devices <--> house etc.? If not, what obstacles are in the way?
  • How much data do you expect to be servicing? I'm guessing your internet-enabled external devices won't consume much, but if you get network to the studio, for instance, are you then likely to want to start working from there yourselves?

As always, there are plenty of potential solutions to your immediate problem - some better than others - and several limitations that aren't immediately obvious but a "right" answer will need a bit more info unless you're just happy with us throwing generic suggestions at you of what's good kit.

105 m2 bungalow in South East England
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5 kW air source heat pump
18 x 360W solar panels
1 x 6 kW GroWatt battery and SPH5000 inverter
1 x Myenergi Zappi
1 x VW ID3
Raised beds for home-grown veg and chickens for eggs

"Semper in excretia; sumus solum profundum variat"


   
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