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WiFi for house in North woods.

Mrcrowley

Mar 30, 2010
7
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Mar 30, 2010
Messages
7
The area I have a second home has cable internet BUT our house is 200 yards in the woods and to have Cable Company come in and install 200 yards of cable on the polls would cost over $4000 dollars . I know at this time cable is fastest internet in area options I have:

1) Run the wire myself underground from pole by the road to house.
2) Set up a weatherproof housing with cable modem and wireless router at road have a directional High decb WiFi antenna pointed towards house.
3)( I really don't want) Satellite TV and Internet this may be a problem because I would have to cut trees down to get rite azimuth angle.

I would like TV and internet also want to set up House monitoring for temp ,video,water detection, via internet but that comes later. Any sugestions?
 

Ian

Administrator
Aug 23, 2006
1,486
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Do you have a mobile phone signal in that area? If so, you may be able to use high speed mobile broadband. I don't know what the uptake is like in the USA, so it may not be an option, but in the UK the price has recently come down to a very reasonable level for decent speeds.

Just thought I'd throw in that 4th option :)
 

55pilot

Feb 23, 2010
434
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Feb 23, 2010
Messages
434
I would take dialup over satellite internet any day. I would pay for dialup if satellite internet was free. I would pay for dialup if satellite internet offered to pay me to use it. In other words, SATELLITE INTERNET SUCKS. I feel I am being too subtle.

Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all have 3G as do some local companies like Cricket. It is much better than dialup, but not as good as DSL or cable. Despite various national advertisement campaigns, 4G is just a figment of the companies' imagination and will not be widely available for many years.

Depending upon where you are located, 3G may be an option. All 3 of the major companies use different systems while the smaller ones piggy back on one of the 3. You may have excellent service at your place from one and no coverage at all from the others and things may be different 2 miles away. The only way to know is to ask around and then get a USB modem on a 30 day evaluation. You will pay for the days you use it, but can return the hardware without making a commitment.

No matter what anyone says, do not lock yourself into a non-cancellable contract without first trying. Make use of the "Cancel within 30 days with no penalty" that they are all required to provide under federal law. Remember, sales people are bred and trained to be liars. Do not accept any promises about how good things will get next week when the new tower goes into operation. Make your decision on what you experience, not what they promise.

The cable company may nix your plan #1 if they feel that the wiring is not up to snuff. Check with them before you start. Done properly, you are not going to save that much over what they are quoting. They do it all day long, have the right tools, buy cable for less than Home Depot buys it for and have the experience to do the job efficiently. By the time you are done doing it yourself, your may have saved very little for your labor.

Your plan #2 will work as long as you have direct line of sight to the house without any trees in the way. You may also want to look at the Motorola Canopy system. There are some other boosted WiFi standards that may work. The problem with this plan is that this shack is visible. If I am planning to break into your house, I will notice this shack and it will be the first place I will attack to disable your security.

---55p
 

Mrcrowley

Mar 30, 2010
7
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
7
I would take dialup over satellite internet any day. I would pay for dialup if satellite internet was free. I would pay for dialup if satellite internet offered to pay me to use it. In other words, SATELLITE INTERNET SUCKS. I feel I am being too subtle.

Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all have 3G as do some local companies like Cricket. It is much better than dialup, but not as good as DSL or cable. Despite various national advertisement campaigns, 4G is just a figment of the companies' imagination and will not be widely available for many years.

Depending upon where you are located, 3G may be an option. All 3 of the major companies use different systems while the smaller ones piggy back on one of the 3. You may have excellent service at your place from one and no coverage at all from the others and things may be different 2 miles away. The only way to know is to ask around and then get a USB modem on a 30 day evaluation. You will pay for the days you use it, but can return the hardware without making a commitment.

No matter what anyone says, do not lock yourself into a non-cancellable contract without first trying. Make use of the "Cancel within 30 days with no penalty" that they are all required to provide under federal law. Remember, sales people are bred and trained to be liars. Do not accept any promises about how good things will get next week when the new tower goes into operation. Make your decision on what you experience, not what they promise.

The cable company may nix your plan #1 if they feel that the wiring is not up to snuff. Check with them before you start. Done properly, you are not going to save that much over what they are quoting. They do it all day long, have the right tools, buy cable for less than Home Depot buys it for and have the experience to do the job efficiently. By the time you are done doing it yourself, your may have saved very little for your labor.

Your plan #2 will work as long as you have direct line of sight to the house without any trees in the way. You may also want to look at the Motorola Canopy system. There are some other boosted WiFi standards that may work. The problem with this plan is that this shack is visible. If I am planning to break into your house, I will notice this shack and it will be the first place I will attack to disable your security.

---55p

Ok I was looking at antenna earlier for like city or high building congestion area's and a couple high gain antennas with directed signal boost 12 high gain and some 25 high gain that would go through wood and some building material. I am not sure if that is true or not but if I get a antenna high enough say tree line pointing towards the poll. And with weather proof housing (housing would only need to be like 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet and could sit close to ground and attach to telephone pole). I know it would need some serious grounding and surge protection might be the cheapest way out but still not TV.
 

Mrcrowley

Mar 30, 2010
7
Joined
Mar 30, 2010
Messages
7
Yea mobile is out of question sprint has the best plan but no 3g signal that far ,ATT you have to pay for the data minites and I would want to set up house Monitoring system to and 3g would have to be on all the time to costly.
 

55pilot

Feb 23, 2010
434
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
434
Yea mobile is out of question sprint has the best plan but no 3g signal that far ,ATT you have to pay for the data minites and I would want to set up house Monitoring system to and 3g would have to be on all the time to costly.
You were given wrong information. I have AT&T and the data plan costs $15/month for "unlimited" data. That is in addition to voice. I use it on a smartphone and tether it to my laptop when traveling. Maybe you were looking at data-only laptop USB modems.

Several of the smaller companies, like Cricket, offer better prices than AT&T.

---55p
 

55pilot

Feb 23, 2010
434
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
434
might be the cheapest way out but still not TV.
I hear that many of the cable boxes have ethernet ports that allow you to remotely view the program on your laptop or specialized ethernet to TV boxes. The name of that type of a box escapes me. If you go that route and have a solid ether connection, you should be able to get TV as well. Worst case, you may have to spring for a higher end cable box. Look for some forums dedicated to cable TV and you will realize that you can get the system to do things you never thought possible.

Your transmitter does not need to be high up. As long as you have line of sight, you are good. If anything, you are better off having the transmitter down low, pointing slightly up and the receiver at the top of the house. That way you have less risk of passers-by or neighbors stealing your signal.

---55p
 

roltex_rohit123

Oct 12, 2009
92
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
92
The area I have a second home has cable internet BUT our house is 200 yards in the woods and to have Cable Company come in and install 200 yards of cable on the polls would cost over $4000 dollars . I know at this time cable is fastest internet in area options I have:

1) Run the wire myself underground from pole by the road to house.
2) Set up a weatherproof housing with cable modem and wireless router at road have a directional High decb WiFi antenna pointed towards house.
3)( I really don't want) Satellite TV and Internet this may be a problem because I would have to cut trees down to get rite azimuth angle.

I would like TV and internet also want to set up House monitoring for temp ,video,water detection, via internet but that comes later. Any sugestions?

how is a cable so costly? in India we have cable Rs.15 per meter and for 200 meters we need 3000 rs. that is barely 3000/45 $ in the US. if you want i can ship you the cable there. but you will have to bear all the costs including my travel to the company , cable cost and shipping. still it wont be even 3000$
 

55pilot

Feb 23, 2010
434
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
434
how is a cable so costly? in India we have cable Rs.15 per meter and for 200 meters we need 3000 rs. that is barely 3000/45 $ in the US. if you want i can ship you the cable there. but you will have to bear all the costs including my travel to the company , cable cost and shipping. still it wont be even 3000$
The cost also includes the cost of digging a trench, burring the cable and putting the earth back together. If it happens to be in the woods, you will be fighting roots and stumps. The cable needs to be direct burial cable, not the standard domestic cable. Direct burial cable is significantly more expensive than domestic cable.

Finally, companies do charge different prices for the same product in different countries, depending upon what the market will bear.

---55p
 

jackorocko

Apr 4, 2010
1,284
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
1,284
If it happens to be in the woods, you will be fighting roots and stumps.
If he wants cable tv he has no choice but to run the cable himself. A dingo with a ditch witch rented at your local rental station will deal with the digging. I have used these on many occasions for countless jobs. It'll still cost a couple hundred, maybe even a thousand, but certainly not 4 grand.


Come to think of it, I seen a cable guy replace one of the lines to a neighbors house. They ran the cable down the pole and across my lawn for a week before some guy came and buried it just about 4 inches under the ground. Pretty much right below the sod layer. This is easily over 100 foot distance and the cable was standard cable line they use to run to all residents whether it's above ground or below ground. I can even take a picture of the line where my dogs have tore it up.
 
Last edited:

roltex_rohit123

Oct 12, 2009
92
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
92
The cost also includes the cost of digging a trench, burring the cable and putting the earth back together. If it happens to be in the woods, you will be fighting roots and stumps. The cable needs to be direct burial cable, not the standard domestic cable. Direct burial cable is significantly more expensive than domestic cable.

Finally, companies do charge different prices for the same product in different countries, depending upon what the market will bear.

---55p

if you want to make a burrial cable just cover the standart cable with a cello tape (I dont know wht is it called in your country. in 1-2 $you can cover it. run two narrow tape parallel to each other and cable in between. it would be easier to work with and more effective. 200 meters is not a big deal. how much deep do you have to burry this cable? if it is not much then just tie T shape to your car wet the path of the digging. stant on the T and run the car very slow. in about 10-15 min it would be done. i plough my garden in this fashion. if you get any stone. stop the car and dig it mannually to remove the stone.
 

55pilot

Feb 23, 2010
434
Joined
Feb 23, 2010
Messages
434
Do not know where you are located, but every cable company I have ever dealt with, has demanded that the wiring be done properly. Otherwise they will not connect you to their service. While all these shenanigans may work (I have serious doubts), if the cable company discovers that this is what you have buried, they will refuse to connect to it and you will be stuck doing the work over again.

You can do it right, or you can spend a bunch of money in the name of "saving money" and then spend what it takes to do it right. It is a free country and those are your choices.

---55p
 

roltex_rohit123

Oct 12, 2009
92
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Messages
92
if you are doing this thing for a permanent use then why worry for money? just spend it once and enjoy for life..
 

mav2

Apr 14, 2010
5
Joined
Apr 14, 2010
Messages
5
cable installation

why not goto your local satellite supply store and buy a box of RG-6 cable with a messenger attached, maybe 200.00 for a box of 1000 feet, use the messenger to suspend the cable leave the ends off, when the cable company comes to connect it up, they will be satisfied with the cable, it is industry standard, and they can put their own ends on when they hook up..
 
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