wire-less internet connection

[Krill]

Hello, we have ADSL connection to our house and was wondering if we could supply a wireless connection to our gites about 30 m, what we would like to know is

What hardware we would need

approx cost

would it effect us using the net

can you see any problems

Many thanks in advance for any advice

Chris

www.vienneholidays.net

 

[goose]

Simple answer is you just buy a wireless router from your local PC shop and plug it in....most modern laptops will scan and find it themselves...but...you need to think about how you're going to have paying guests linking up to it, security issues, payment issues etc. If paying guest come over when you've advertised a wireless internet connection are they going to grumble if its not working? Will you help them when they come to your house with questions about how to get their laptops connected? How will you stop them downloading tons of dutch porn each night?

I'm on a wireless network as I type and 30m would be too far for the signal I would think. Wireless networks only work really well with clear line of sight (yes they are radio waves but they still don't like brick walls!) or being very close. Put in too much distance and too many obstacles and it just won't work. You can install repeaters nearer the Gites to boost the signal though. The effect on your own access would depend on the bandwidth you have available. I know thats a "how long is a piece of string" answer but if you've got the biggest ADSL you will be okay, if you've only got 1 meg you might see some performance degradation but not much unless you've got 10 gites all downloading together!

Hope that helps a bit but I think you need to get an expert in to suss it out whether your building is suitable and give you some quotes.

[Polycarpe]

Our CdH is still in the planning stages. We have been wondering about offering guests the use of a PC (for downloading digipix of the days outing etc) and have considered too allowing internet access.

We're a bit concerned about what guests might look at with unfettered access to the internet. Anything they do find will be logged on our PC.

I'm interested to know the answers to Krill's questions but also would like advice on restricting certain sites.

Thanks

[Krill]

Thanks goose, just as i thought it might be more trouble than it's worth, we had an IT chap staying with us who said it was all so simple but then they do it every day

Thanks for the help

[Eslier]

With good quality equipment you might just about manage to get a weak signal at 30m providing you aren't trying to go through granite walls !

It's possible to connect an external, directional high gain antenna to some wireless routers/switchers/adsl modems which will extend the range but these can be of significant cost (200€+)but this would achieve your aim without too much problem.

As well as providing shared internet access you will also be creating a network through which computers on the netweork can communicate with each other. To protect your own computer you will need to make sure you have a good firewall installed - something like Norton or Mcafee. Don't rely upon the Windows XP Firewall or anything that you get as a free download. Assuming you are in a remote rural location it would be safe enough to offer an "open" network. If you are in a town or village centre then you may have to consider how to protect your network from unauthorised use.

Given that your guests are only likely to be using the internet access for occassional use you shouldn't have too much of a problem. I have two computers working regularly at the same time sharing a 1Mb connection and we have no problems whatsoever with bandwidth issues.

Good luck

[Deimos]

If you use an external firewall e.g. in your router you need to remember that any computers your guests connect to your network are inside that firewall and anything untoward on their PC will also be running inside your firewall.

Be careful is purchasing high gain antennae for WiFi WLAN equipment. There are regulations for radiated power from such equipment and exceeding that takes you into the realm of requiring a license. Also remember that the frequency is right in the range of your microwave oven – i.e. you are radiating true microwave. Also remember that the US regulations allow higher power transmission than European. Make sure that any external antennae you purchase is approved by the manufacturer for use in Europe.

Ian

[Krill]

Thank you for all the advice, do you think it might be better to have a seperate supply installed to the gite and have the guests sign something to the affect that only they had access to the service between certain dates

[Richardbk]

As has been said by others you are unlikely to get a satisfactory signal at 30metres , especially if you have thick stone walls, unless you invest in an expensive high power antenna.

If you can a better way would to run a ethernet cable from your exisiting router to a separate wireless router (or even a simple ethernet/wireless bridge) in the gite. You can run ethernet cable up to around 100 metres. The other advantage is that it could be configured more easily to block and filter access for just the gite part.

Remember that you should really provide a web access policy and rules to guests and get them to sign it. i.e if Anything illegal ends up on one of your PC's you could be liable.

regs

 

Richard

[Owens88]

It is quite do-able, and it will generate problems (its computing isn't it ?) !

We have a complete village covered wirelessly, and then many of the households have their own wireless network. Security filtering is not that difficult really, until you want 'very high security' and then even the banks are not invulnerable !

Have a look at www.solwise.co.uk (no connection to me).

It does go into more depth than you will need, but if you follow the gist then you can make your own judgements. If you're lost on page 1 then probably best forget it until a neighbour can hand-hold you.

Good luck

John

[Babnik]

I don't know how practical this would by, but why not wire up a network? All depends how 'finished' your place is.