What are the very basic ideas I need to know to make a wireless connection or a wireless network?
Here are some of the basic ideas you need to know. This list is not complete and experts might point out exceptions to some of the simple statements made here. But if you understand all these things, you are ready to get started and order some equipment from Ferimex!
Every wireless connection has two endpoints. At each endpoint you must have an antenna and a device and electrical power and usually a computer.
The device translates the signal received by the antenna into information that can be used by a computer.
The outdoor antenna is usually connected to the device by a cable or a pigtail. In some cases the antenna and the device are integrated together into a single unit.
Cables or pigtails should be as short as possible. Longer cables have more signal loss. Thicker cables are better than thin cables. They have less loss.
The device is usually connected to a computer by ethernet cable, or is installed in the computer in the case of wireless PCI cards or PCMCIA cards.
There is equipment for use outdoors for long distance connections. There is equipment for use indoors, for networks inside buildings. Outdoor equipment can be used indoors. Indoor equipment cannot be used outdoors, because it is not waterproof. Ferimex has indoor and outdoor equipment.
It is very difficult to connect laptops or computers with only a wireless card to an access point or hotspot outdoors. Maximum range will be about 200 meters or less. Customers need an external antenna mounted outdoors to make longer connections.
An antenna does not have a "distance". A device does not have a distance. Only a connection has a distance!
The distance of a connection depends on many factors. Most important are the gain of the antennas and the devices used at both ends of the connection, the length of cables connecting the antennas to the devices, and the interference from other sources.
A Point-to-Point connection is used to connect two points, usually with two directional antennas and a device connected to each antenna. Connections can be up to 15 km long for 2.4 GHz and up to 30 km for 5 GHz.
The speed of an outdoor connection often decreases as the distance of the connection increases, or as the interference from other sources increases.
To make a connection outdoors, you usually need to have clear line-of-sight (LOS) between the two points. Indoors, you can often connect successfully through one or two walls.
The IEEE standard 802.11b refers to equipment using the 2.4 GHz frequency and maximum speed of 11 Mbps (megabits per second). 802.11g refers to 2.4 GHz frequency and maximum speed of 54 Mbps. 802.11a refers to the 5 GHz bandwidth.
Antennas will usually work with any devices, as long as they are both for the same frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). Devices from different companies using the same frequency may in some cases not be compatible with each other.
An Access Point or Hotspot (sometimes called Multi-Point) is a location with one or more antennas and devices, to which many different customers or clients can connect with their own antennas and devices (or laptops with wireless cards, which are basically an antenna and device integrated together).
It is usually difficult to use indoor equipment to connect to a distant outdoor access point. The client should have an external (outdoor) antenna.
An indoor local network of computers can be connected to an outdoor network with a single antenna and device. You don't need antennas and devices for every computer inside your building, to connect to the outdoor network.
Outdoor access points can be connected to each other using directional antennas ("backbone") to form a network. It is often a good idea to use 5 GHz connections for the backbone of your network, and 2.4 GHz equipment to connect your customers to the access point.
To set up an access point or hotspot or ISP, you need a source of internet. This could be from ADSL, satellite, or some other source. Then you use the wireless equipment from Ferimex (antennas and devices) to distribute the internet to your customers. Ferimex does not provide the source of internet, and you cannot get internet free from the air just by having an antenna and a device!
An outdoor access point cannot serve customers more than about 3 km from the access point. If you have customers farther away, you need to build an access point closer to them. Or you have to make a dedicated point-to-point connection for each customer. The customers need outdoor antennas, not just wireless cards on their computers.
Amplifiers are usually illegal, and will greatly increase the interference for other people and for your own network! Amplifiers increase the signal AND the noise. To get a better signal, use better antennas and better devices, or make shorter connections.
Designing and installing a network takes a lot of planning and experience. Don't expect it to be easy. But don't expect it to be too hard. You can do it if you educate yourself first. Start by reading everything in this FAQ. Ferimex helps you more than any other company!
You can learn a lot more by attending a personalized two-day training school at Ferimex.
The Basics of Wireless Networks
