Outdoor Long Range AP with NAT?

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danielparker

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#287143 9-Jun-2021 12:04

Hi,

I am wanting suggestions for an outdoor long range access point that can do NAT.. (preferably powered by POE)

I have an outdoor event where I am being provided with an ethernet cable for internet access. I can only assume that I will only have 1 IP address, and so will need to do NAT.

I am expecting to have about 8 clients (802.11n 2.4ghz) connecting to it.. but it will be in an environment with hundreds of people in the area (Think concert / Lecture theater).. I will be hiding the SSID, but do expect that phones etc will be constantly scanning for WiFi, so needs to be able to cope with that.

This installation is temporary.. less than 24hrs..

Reliability / signal strength / range are the important factors here over price.

What would you recommend in this situation?

Regards
Daniel Parker

cyril7

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#2721189 9-Jun-2021 12:14

Anything running routeros will do it.

Cyril

hio77

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#2721195 9-Jun-2021 12:31

Stick a mikrotik in between then your open to selection of AP.

Based on the location you may find multiple APs are required.

At 2.4ghz you will have more concern of Bluetooth devices since they are everywhere rather than just ap scans..

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danielparker

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#2721300 9-Jun-2021 16:56

I was hoping for something 'all in one' as there will be no one technical at the location.. I am wanting to get it to a 'just plug in the ethernet' and you are good to go..

The clients will all be preconfigured to automatically connect to the AP.

Smaller is better, as it will be traveling by air.

What is the opinion of Grandstream products, like the GWN7600LR? - https://www.gowifi.co.nz/specs/datasheet_gwn7600_LR_EN.pdf

Regards
Daniel Parker

chevrolux

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#2721301 9-Jun-2021 17:02

How far is "long range" in this scenario?

But to add, this Mikrotik hAP will work just fine with out of the box config. Just connect the provided "cable" to ether1 (or "internet") port. And the Wifi SSID and password are on a sticker in the box. The "2HND" part of the name means "high power 2.4GHz wifi". But still depends how far "long range" actually is.

danielparker

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#2721305 9-Jun-2021 17:09

'Long Range' in this case just means as long as possible.. If a client disconnects, thats fine, but not ideal.. They will just continue where they left off..

I guess 50m to 100m, open air.

Regards
Daniel Parker

Dynamic

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#2721319 9-Jun-2021 17:47

I don't have direct experience with WiFi over those distances in that sort of environment.

I have supplied an AirCube https://www.ui.com/accessories/aircube/ for use at indoor swim sports events, where a laptop running a scoring system broadcasts to two laptops connected to large displays. In my case the laptops were about 20 and abut 30m away from the AirCube, which I placed as high as reasonably possible to reduce the chance of obsticles between it and the remote laptops. Signal strength was excellent with direct line of sight. Other WiFi was in the area. I deliberately just used it in its 'out of the box' configuration so the non-techy people running the events would not create an issue if they decided to factory reset the AirCube. The public were present with their mobile phones, but no more than 100 people at a time (so maybe 30-50 phones in the area). Half a dozen staff were given the wifi password for the aircube so they could use the internet but were instructed to use it sparingly. The result over half a dozen events has been great. (A Windows Firewall issue did crop up recently at an event, but that was not the AirCube's fault.)

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Dynamic

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#2721320 9-Jun-2021 17:49

Oh..... and the trouble with Long Range AP's is that the device they are talkiing to isn't necessarily a Long Range device. If we are 50m apart, I can shout at you with a megaphone but that doesn't necessarily mean I can hear your response.

Cable is always more reliable, where this is practical.

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cyril7

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#2721321 9-Jun-2021 17:50

Hi one of the following will do it, it comes with a 6db omni in the box, although the antenna is dual band and the radio is 2.4 or 5 but not both simultaneously.

If you need more gain then obviously there are plenty of sector options with 10db or more of gain.

I have two on my desk waiting for a very large vegetable chiller job, so if you have any specific questions ask away.

Cyril

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#2721326 9-Jun-2021 18:07

Just to reply to Dynamics comment re client and AP relative power and recieve sensitivity, by using high gain sector antennas you can mitigate this, but it is a potential issue. Obviously a sector antenna may not be appropriate for the coverage required.

Cyril

danielparker

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#2721328 9-Jun-2021 18:33

cyril7: Hi one of the following will do it, it comes with a 6db omni in the box...

Hi Cyril,

I'm either blind, or you forgot to name the product.. :-)

Daniel

cyril7

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#2721330 9-Jun-2021 18:42

Hi, its me, just got home after a flying motorcycle trip throught the South Island (Brass Monkey), so a little frazzled.

https://www.gowifi.co.nz/wireless-systems/rbgroovea-52hpn.html

Try that for size.

Cyril

sbiddle

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#2721575 10-Jun-2021 07:58

You're using the words "long range", "high density" and "2.4GHz" in the same sentence. I won't recommend anything because there is nothing that is going to meet your requirements.

You need to be using 5GHz and you need to be designing a network that makes ensures all devices will be no more than ~15m from an AP and preferably meet LoS requirements to ensure SNR requirements. Anything else quite simply is going to result in failures.

I've done plenty of large scale indoor and outdoor events including building multi site 200+ client EFTPOS and POS networks at concerts with 15,000+ people where any sort of failure would be simply unacceptable.

danielparker

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#2722579 10-Jun-2021 09:38

I hear you. I can only work with what I have got.. The clients are 2.4GHz only. I can't fix the crowds. I do have some control over the distance from the AP, so will be trying to have them as close as possible.

I guess I am asking for the 'best' option within the parameters I have. Thankfully the clients are not as sensitive as EFTPOS.. If they disconnect they will resume when reconnected. (They store data locally and then send it to remote servers when they can)