Repeating WiFi into metal building

Loki008

2[H]4U
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Jan 14, 2001
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I am looking for an (hopefully) inexpensive way to extend WiFi into a metal shed. There is wifi outside, but thanks to essentially being a Faraday cage I can not get WiFi into the shed to control a WiFi outlet to turn a small heater off and on. I have been looking a bit but havent quite found what I was looking for in regards to WiFi repeaters. I am thinking ideally I would have one that I could mount inside and run an antenna outside so that it can grab the WiFi signal and repeat it inside the shed. Any suggestions on how to best do this would be appreciated. Obviously there will want to be a level of outdoor rating for the stuff that is going to be stuck outside.
 
From the title, it sounds like you're trying to build a big microwave.

Your absolute best route would be to run an ethernet cable to another wifi router (or Access Point) installed inside the shed. If that's not an option, then yeah, you're going to want to start with mounting a router in repeater mode to the outside of the shed. Likely going to need to build some box to protect it, unless you go with an industrial or commercial option. If the signal doesn't get through, jump am ethernet cable from the repeater to another router inside the metal shed.
 
From the title, it sounds like you're trying to build a big microwave.

Your absolute best route would be to run an ethernet cable to another wifi router (or Access Point) installed inside the shed. If that's not an option, then yeah, you're going to want to start with mounting a router in repeater mode to the outside of the shed. Likely going to need to build some box to protect it, unless you go with an industrial or commercial option. If the signal doesn't get through, jump am ethernet cable from the repeater to another router inside the metal shed.

I unfortunately do not have the ability to run a cable. This is a metal hangar at an airport, there is decent wifi around, but inside the hangar I cant get cell or wifi signal with the door closed but would like to be able to turn on the engine preheater and let it run for some time. I was hoping to avoid 2 routers as it seems a bit overkill but this is what I originally had in mind but felt like there should be a simpler device
 
I unfortunately do not have the ability to run a cable. This is a metal hangar at an airport, there is decent wifi around, but inside the hangar I cant get cell or wifi signal with the door closed but would like to be able to turn on the engine preheater and let it run for some time. I was hoping to avoid 2 routers as it seems a bit overkill but this is what I originally had in mind but felt like there should be a simpler device
Yep. You can definitely benefit from the commercial/industrial options.
Check out something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XY1GHP2

Safe flying friend :)
 
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There is - it's wireless point to point. Don't use a repeater.

For your LTE coverage, use a yagi antenna to provide LTE signal inside of the building.
 
Yep. You can definitely benefit from the commercial/industrial options.
Check out something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XY1GHP2

Safe flying friend :)

This looks like an outdoor AP, would it work as a repeater? or would i use 2 of these, one to bridge the WiFi then run an Ethernet cable inside to a second which would work as an AP inside the hangar?
 
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There is - it's wireless point to point. Don't use a repeater.

For your LTE coverage, use a yagi antenna to provide LTE signal inside of the building.

The only thing I am looking to do is control a Wifi outlet, I dont need high bandwidth. Why would I want PTP over a repeater. Also with PTP wouldn't i need a receiver outside and an AP inside? Seems like if i could fine a repeater with external antenna this would have less moving parts while allowing remote control of the outlets.
 
point to point would be used to go from your main network location to the outside of the "shed" with a strong, encrypted signal dedicated to the backhaul link. You run cable from the main router or a switch to the station on the main building, and another cable from the station on the "shed". This cable then goes into a switch of its own where you will then connect a general use access point for wifi within the building as well as to anything else you need in there. The LiteBeamAC gen 2 listed above is very good and what I would recommend as well. Or if you are shooting the signal from one hangar or control tower to another building like a mile away but have perfect line of sight, then you could go with a more directional PowerBeam with IsoBeam antenna on it for more rejection of outside signals and tighter beam of your own to interfere less with others.

If this is at an actual airport there may be regulations about doing this sort of thing though. You might need special clearances or permits due to the strong, directional wifi used. You know how government regulators are when it comes to not messing with air traffic control systems.
 
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point to point would be used to go from your main network location to the outside of the "shed" with a strong, encrypted signal dedicated to the backhaul link. You run cable from the main router or a switch to the station on the main building, and another cable from the station on the "shed". This cable then goes into a switch of its own where you will then connect a general use access point for wifi within the building as well as to anything else you need in there. The LiteBeamAC gen 2 listed above is very good and what I would recommend as well. Or if you are shooting the signal from one hangar or control tower to another building like a mile away but have perfect line of sight, then you could go with a more directional PowerBeam with IsoBeam antenna on it for more rejection of outside signals and tighter beam of your own to interfere less with others.

If this is at an actual airport there may be regulations about doing this sort of thing though. You might need special clearances or permits due to the strong, directional wifi used. You know how government regulators are when it comes to not messing with air traffic control systems.

This is a uncontrolled privately owned airport so not concerned so much with access and spectrum concerns, and while I agree this is an ideal solution but a bit more than I was hoping. There is a guest WiFi as well as a WiFi for members and aircraft owners. I am hoping to connect the outlet to the Member wifi. If I have to go this route with Point to point, I can but I would like to keep it simple if possible with extending the member wifi into the hangar.
 
A wireless point to point with a basic switch and another general use AP is going to cost something like $200-250 and actually be reliable. I would do it this way without hesitation. If you bought a Ubiquiti switch you could cloud manage both the switch and the AP as well. But the Ubiquiti switches (US-8-60W) are about twice the cost of the TP-Link below.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-LBE-5AC-GEN2-US-LiteBeam-Wireless-Bridge/dp/B06Y2JH7PV $126 ($63/ea.)

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY ($78) Unifi AC-Lite

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-SG1005P-Gigabit-Ethernet-compliant/dp/B076HZFY3F ($60) PoE Switch
 
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This looks like an outdoor AP, would it work as a repeater? or would i use 2 of these, one to bridge the WiFi then run an Ethernet cable inside to a second which would work as an AP inside the hangar?
This mounts to the outside of the building. You'll be looking for bridge mode in the AP. Connect it to your own router WAN port via ethernet through the wall. Configure that wifi router to broadcast your own signal. Done. The router won't know any different than it being plugged into a modem.

https://www.tp-link.com/us/faq-719.html
 
Double check with the airport owner. Maybe others with similar hangers would be interested in a solution as well. Might get owner buy in on a solution. You are probably not the only one wanting to auto pre-heat before flight.
 
Double check with the airport owner. Maybe others with similar hangers would be interested in a solution as well. Might get owner buy in on a solution. You are probably not the only one wanting to auto pre-heat before flight.

I spoke with the airport manager yesterday, he actually already has a set of nanostation M2's to get across the runway to a second AP over there. So I picked up a loco M2 and will use that to pull into an TP Link n300 AP which i liked because it was priced right and POE.
 
Unifi Nano Station Locos is perfect. Beam the antennas at each other and you'll be off to the races. They are dirt ass cheap too.

They work in pairs. Beaming to a distant wifi AP of another make or model will not allow the function of what they can do.
 
Hi there,

My name is John and I'm new to this site, but read through your posts and couldn't help but sign up so I could offer help.

I have used products similar to those found in the link below. The suggestion assumes you have power there considering what you are using it for. I feel like this would be an inexpensive fix, well under $100. So you plug the unit into one outlet near your router and connect it using Cat5 - Cat6 (Ethernet) cable. It then pushes the signal along the 110 volt power all over your house as well as this shed. You pick this signal up on the other end, in a reversal sort of way, by plugging the second into the power outlet and then running your Cat cable into the device you want to control or into a normal wifi unit. It is simple, requires no unusual knowledge of anything, and it is actually very fast. Arguably, I had this in a bedroom of my garage as the wifi signal couldn't make it and the booster lagged. This screamed faster than the wifi signal I had right next to the wifi router using a laptop.

This is certainly easier and cheaper and much more secure than any other option I viewed above. And the additional benefit, you can hook up to 16 of these devices, depending on the brand. So if you have a place that gets poor wifi signal, you can hook an additional unit up, run an Ethernet wire to the device, and you're in business. Good luck, sorry for the late post.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw0i9w5TPnRQu36vVUKqF_7j
 
JohnnyB13 You can only get a reliable signal with Powerline if the outlets you are plugged into are on the same circuit, or at the very least on the same power leg of the same subpanel. These locations are very unlikely to meet those requirements given that it is a small airport and most likely has multiple subpanels around.
 
JohnnyB13 You can only get a reliable signal with Powerline if the outlets you are plugged into are on the same circuit, or at the very least on the same power leg of the same subpanel. These locations are very unlikely to meet those requirements given that it is a small airport and most likely has c
I am looking for an (hopefully) inexpensive way to extend WiFi into a metal shed. There is wifi outside, but thanks to essentially being a Faraday cage I can not get WiFi into the shed to control a WiFi outlet to turn a small heater off and on. I have been looking a bit but havent quite found what I was looking for in regards to WiFi repeaters. I am thinking ideally I would have one that I could mount inside and run an antenna outside so that it can grab the WiFi signal and repeat it inside the shed. Any suggestions on how to best do this would be appreciated. Obviously there will want to be a level of outdoor rating for the stuff that is going to be stuck outside.
I might be old school but i just put a window in line with my router work fine line of sight
 
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