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lpns
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<50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 2:48 pm

I'd like to connect to a power post (charging station) by my parking space outside and my home wifi antenna doesn't provide enough coverage (it is directed the wrong way to provide better coverage for the entire apartment). On the power post outlet I want to use a smart wifi socket. I have a Mikrotik RB5009UG+S+IN router and a Ubituity UniFi 6 Lite AP. In the future, I plan to switch the AP to a Mikrotik one.

What options do I have in trying to get the connection (between my home wifie and the smart plug) to work so that I can turn on my car heater remotely?

I thought I'd add a new wifi AP but direct it outside through the window (triple-pane glass). Distance to parking space is less than 50 meters. But is it enough to have a stronger wifi at only one end? Don't I need the smart plug to be also powerful enough to transmit back to the AP? If so, would I need antennas at both ends?

- I prefer to use Mikrotik antennas / APs for this, no need for Wifi6. But I also have an old Linksys WRT320N with DD-WRT firmware. Could I use this router only as an AP (bridge mode?) Even increase it's power output with DD-WRT?
- I'd prefer not to use antennas at both ends if possible. I'm not sure I am allowed to mount anything external on the power post.
 
mfrommel
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 3:48 pm

Don't I need the smart plug to be also powerful enough to transmit back to the AP?
Indeed, WiFi communication is always bidirectional.
The weak part may be your client, in this case the "smart plug"
Can you tell us more about this smart plug?
Does it use 5GHz or (probably) only 2.4GHz?

through the window (triple-pane glass)
Windows can dampen the WiFi signal significantly.
Can you mount an access-point outside the window on the house?
MikroTik does offer many devices that can be mounted outside.

But I also have an old Linksys WRT320N with DD-WRT firmware
You can configure that as an access-point, place it at the window, and test if you can reach that access-point from your parking lot.
 
afuchs
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 4:06 pm

Witch access point do have?
As far as I know all devices under
Wireless for home and office
are omnidirectional even the wAP series for outdoor.
 
lpns
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 4:21 pm

Witch access point do have?
As far as I know all devices under
Wireless for home and office
are omnidirectional even the wAP series for outdoor.

Well, I was looking at models such as:
1) "SXTsq Lite2" (but does this need two devices because it talks about it being perfect for point-to-point links),
2) "mANTBox 15s" (but this is more costly and has a router etc. built in so more than I need for this application - plus would I need two of these as well?)
 
lpns
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 4:31 pm

Can you tell us more about this smart plug? Does it use 5GHz or (probably) only 2.4GHz?
Yes, 2.4GHz only.
Windows can dampen the WiFi signal significantly. Can you mount an access-point outside the window on the house?
Yeah, that's what I thought.... I might be able to attach it on the outside if needed, even though on that side of our building you're not supposed to mount anything. If it's detachable and doesn't cause damage, maybe it's ok and no one will notice anyway....or then I just place it inside the window and that's two glass panes bypassed.
You can configure that as an access-point, place it at the window, and test if you can reach that access-point from your parking lot.
Thanks, this is what I will try next. The antenna gain seems to be 1.5/2 dBi so not great if compared to the gain of SXTsq Lite2 or mANTBox 15s, but maybe it can be boosted a bit with DD-WRT.
 
404Network
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Fri Mar 04, 2022 5:17 pm

I would hazard a guess that perhaps with a directional antenna there will be enough signal back and forth to get the job done.
More specifically for the charging box side to reach the directional antenna with enough DBs to make a connection.
Hard to say without trying.
For only, $39 mount this outside and see if its good enough.
https://mikrotik.com/product/sxtsq_lite2
 
mfrommel
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Sat Mar 05, 2022 10:51 am

1) "SXTsq Lite2" (but does this need two devices because it talks about it being perfect for point-to-point links),

2) "mANTBox 15s" (but this is more costly and has a router etc. built in so more than I need for this application - plus would I need two of these as well?)

2.) "mANTBox 15s" is 5GHz only, you need 2.4GHz. All MikroTik devices with PouterOS can be configured as a router, so nothing special here.
Possible alternatives:
1.) "SXTsq Lite2" was my first idea too. But it has only "License level 3" https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... cense+keys
For a normal Wireless AP (PtM) you need license level 4 or above.
I am not sure, what this limitation implies. It might be possible to do repeater mode :-?
 
404Network
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Sat Mar 05, 2022 8:15 pm

1) "SXTsq Lite2" (but does this need two devices because it talks about it being perfect for point-to-point links),

1.) "SXTsq Lite2" was my first idea too. But it has only "License level 3" https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ ... cense+keys
For a normal Wireless AP (PtM) you need license level 4 or above.
I am not sure, what this limitation implies. It might be possible to do repeater mode :-?
I am thinking of this as simply an Access point (not point to point anything) and the charging station is simply a client, like an iphone ??
Are you saying it has no access point capability??
To me the limitation is the 10/100 ethernet port from teh device back to inside the house to another device, switch router etc..........
 
mfrommel
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Sun Mar 06, 2022 10:35 am

Are you saying it has no access point capability??
Exactly. It has nothing to do with the hardware it is a license limitation.
RouterOS license3 can't do "normal" access point - only point to point.

You can buy a license4 key from MikroTik for $45 though.
I've done this once, for the SXT Lite2 https://mikrotik.com/product/RBSXT2nDr3 as I discovered that it can't do access-point ;-)
After the license upgrade it worked.
 
HonorQ
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Re: <50m link from home wifi to parking lot

Wed Mar 09, 2022 4:55 pm

If you need to connect only one client then level 3 is good enough.
Once I made something like that with RB 751 witch external directional antena and it worked good enough on distance about 30 m (with mobile phones).
BTW you can't connect this device with ethernet cable?

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