[SATLUG] Deli owner wishes to set up own hotspot cheaply

[David Power]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: satlug-bounces at satlug.org [mailto:satlug-bounces at satlug.org] On
> Behalf Of Borries Demeler
> Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 2:10 PM
> To: satlug at satlug.org
> Subject: Re: [SATLUG] Deli owner wishes to set up own hotspot cheaply
> 
> How much of an area do you need to cover? A small restaurant area
> could be well covered with a regular linksys router (about $50).
> I would recommend decent ISP service - not sure what's available in
> Bandera.
> 
> If you are looking at a linksys, make sure to look at the wikipedia
> page for wrt54G(S) routers. You can probably get one of the older
> ones on EBAY. Version 1.1-4 have more memory and higher processor speeds.
> THis comes in handy if you want to do something special and want to run
> a 3rd party linux based firmware.
> 
> I love my ver. 2.1S with 32 MB of RAM and 8 MB of flash memory. No limits
> on the size of the 3rd party replacement OS, and you can fiddle with it
> yourself. If you want to do anything fancy this is the way to go. Look
> at the 3-rd party replacement firmwares to see what you need.
> 
> Tip: When you order on E-bay, ask for the first 4 letters of the serial#
> so you know what version you are getting.
> 
> -borries
> 
> >
> > Hey guys,
> >
> >
> > I'm looking for the most inexpensive way to set up
> > free wifi for a deli in a rural area of Bandera.  It's
> > near a resort and does lots of business.  The
> > snowbirds are always looking for a hotspot to email
> > their grandchildren, etc....  It's kinda funny because
> > all these silverheads are addicted to the Internet.
> >
> > Any ideas gladly welcome.
> >
> > Mary

I've setup lots of hotspots using the linksys routers running dd-wrt and
open source Linux based replacement You would want the slightly more
expensive GL model if you cant find something earlier than a v5 model (more
flash and ram). 
Recently I switched to the buffalo WHR-G125 because of reported good
results. The latest version of dd-wrt supports this and it has better
receive sensitivity that the linksys, add a high gain Omni and it makes a
nice hot spot. 

Its always tempting to crank the power up or use a high output card, I've
found you need to calculate the line loss and try to match the output to the
average client transmit power. Otherwise the clients can "see" the hot spot
but the hotspot can't hear the clients. Big mouth hard of hearing syndrome.

Good receive sensitively helps get around these issues.

If you don't have broadband available for the backhaul you need to look at
how close a line of sight shot to the nearest point that you can pick up
signal is. I've done some 3 mile and better shots using standard gear, you
just need a handy water tower or other very tall object to shoot to.

Ill be lighting up the park in Fredericksburg again for the Renewable Energy
Roundup next month. It takes 3 linksys routers with 9-18db Omnis and patch
panels and a high gain patch panel and router in the fire station as a back
haul to reach underneath all the metal structures there.

 http://www.dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/index.php

Hyperlink has been a good source of pigtails, antennas and other need bits
for me.
 
http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/antennas_2400.php


David