Wireless questions

[James S]

[Cameron]

[sponge]

[James S]

1800 feet is distance from the WAP to the wireless client, not radius or diameter, although it effectively is the radius.

That's outside ... with absolutely no barriers, and void of atmospheric conditions. Even with one wall between the WAP and the client the distance is easily cut in half.

I'd expect a MAXIMUM USABLE range of 300 feet. If you knock the speed down to a maximum rate of 1 or 2 MBs then the signal to noise ratio will drop because it's sending the data slowly and makes sure the packets get there. It's more about packet loss than anything else... if there's little packet loss then the connection will go farther and be more stable, but not that much more stable or further!
Your best bet will be 500 feet at under 1 MB per second stable.

With 802.11a then the speed will octuple and the range will double.

[EDIT] You're not going to successful, or satisfactorally, set it up with only one WAP... but go buy a WAP from BestBuy, you can return it within 30 days no questions asked (but verify that BEFORE you buy it).

[Cameron]

[James S]

You could set up wireless WAPs on every fourth telephone pole down the road, or something. You'd just have to wire the first one to your internet connection and that would be it. They'd bridge between each other, Then you could drive up and down the road still on the network.

[refractor]

Strapping microwave emitters to telephone poles might not go down too well with the telephone company...

[James S]

They don't emit microwaves, they emit radiowaves... but ya, probably not.

[MZGuy]

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20010628.html
This guy apparently set up a 802.11b connection over a range of about 10km, which is about 33000 feet with a directional Yagi antenna.
All that will cost ya a bit of money, but the range will certainly be sufficient

[sponge]

You need direct line of sight with that, and it sounds like in this case, that's not possible. I remember reading that, was interesting though.

[Cameron]

[James S]

You'd need to put it in a box anyway, so nailing it under your mail box would keep it from the rain better anyway... but its range wouldn't be as good so low down.

[James S]