Bridge Garage to House Network

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
My parents garage is not accessible to run wire easily above or below the structure or even outside due to concrete and layout to get access to garage.

They want to get their 3 cameras going around that area, and I'm trying to come up with the most affordable, reliable and room for growth option there is.

Ethernet over Power Line adapters seem like a bad idea for IP cameras.

Some of the cameras will be POE injected from a switch on "that side" (garge) of the network, others will take power separate. Room to grow because now it's only 3 cameras but likely to add 3 more for this region.


I'm hoping Ubiquiti AP can be used to bridge the connection or they have another device that works for this specifically?

What have you done?

I should also note we already have 1 Enterprise/Long Distance Ubuquiti WiFi AP in the attic.
If we could get a 2nd device to "bridge" the garage to the AP that'd be even better :D
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: digivampire

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
113
What you want is a point-to-point WiFi bridge. There are lots of players in this space and most of what is out there is for longer distances and higher link reliability than you probably require. The ones I have direct experience with are FAR too expensive for what you are doing...so I'll just suggest you Google "point-to-point wifi" and a bit of self-teaching.
 

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
Cool Thanks @PigLover

Maybe someday I'll look into what you "do" for high power options, would love to do a 45mi distance MW Tower :D if it can be done for 10k$-25k.
Although I think the elevation change may be more of a problem (3600' down to 1000' approx).
 

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
113
Cool Thanks @PigLover

Maybe someday I'll look into what you "do" for high power options, would love to do a 45mi distance MW Tower :D if it can be done for 10k$-25k.
Although I think the elevation change may be more of a problem (3600' down to 1000' approx).
45 mile microwave on that budget would be a real challenge (to say the least). First issue is that you are probably working at power levels that would require licensed spectrum - and its not clear that you could even do the legal work required for the FCC filings before you burn through $10 (especially if you have no recurring volume of license filings like a major transport supplier would have). Then you are looking at radios that just don't come in "low-cost consumer versions", low-angle dish antennas and the tower equipment to mount them, etc, etc, etc. And at 45mi you are probably working in the a lower-bands like 6ghz/10ghz in order to have adequate link reliability (power level as measured at the receiver to ensure a low enough bit-error-rate) and fade margin (maintaining those power levels in the face of fades, like rain, fog, clouds or at some frequencies even large birds). Low band radios are more expensive and the licenses harder to acquire. There are cheaper radios starting at 18ghz and up - but you won't get adequate reliability at 45mi from them.

The elevation change isn't an issue. Ensuring you really have line-of-sight across the whole shot is the issue (take a horizontal cross-section of the terrain between locations and draw a straight line between them - the ground needs to stay a fair distance below the line at all points for you to have LOS).

For that budget ($10-25k - probably much less) you can get dedicated fiber ISP service almost anywhere in the USA. Unless you really need really low latency, precisely predictable jitter or some special level of privacy you'd be better off to to use non-dedicated switched IP service (i.e., local loops to an ISP).
 
  • Like
Reactions: T_Minus

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
45 mile microwave on that budget would be a real challenge (to say the least). First issue is that you are probably working at power levels that would require licensed spectrum - and its not clear that you could even do the legal work required for the FCC filings before you burn through $10 (especially if you have no recurring volume of license filings like a major transport supplier would have). Then you are looking at radios that just don't come in "low-cost consumer versions", low-angle dish antennas and the tower equipment to mount them, etc, etc, etc. And at 45mi you are probably working in the a lower-bands like 6ghz/10ghz in order to have adequate link reliability (power level as measured at the receiver to ensure a low enough bit-error-rate) and fade margin (maintaining those power levels in the face of fades, like rain, fog, clouds or at some frequencies even large birds). Low band radios are more expensive and the licenses harder to acquire. There are cheaper radios starting at 18ghz and up - but you won't get adequate reliability at 45mi from them.

The elevation change isn't an issue. Ensuring you really have line-of-sight across the whole shot is the issue (take a horizontal cross-section of the terrain between locations and draw a straight line between them - the ground needs to stay a fair distance below the line at all points for you to have LOS).

For that budget ($10-25k - probably much less) you can get dedicated fiber ISP service almost anywhere in the USA. Unless you really need really low latency, precisely predictable jitter or some special level of privacy you'd be better off to to use non-dedicated switched IP service (i.e., local loops to an ISP).
ATT is surveying for 20mbit fiber, I already have a T1 as it's the ONLY option other than extremely bw limited sat. that cost as much and has way more latency. We are rural to say the least ;) So costs are 2-3x as much as in the city.

I guess this is out for now :D
Thanks for the info!
 

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
I have used both of those options with good success. The lower end are fine if you are not in an area with lots of noise. I set up one of the lower end ones last month with great success.
Awesome.

Getting the 2nd/cheaper option as we'll only go 100' if we go from room to garage, and not attic so it should be more than enough I think too.
 

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
113
ATT is surveying for 20mbit fiber, I already have a T1 as it's the ONLY option other than extremely bw limited sat. that cost as much and has way more latency. We are rural to say the least ;) So costs are 2-3x as much as in the city.

I guess this is out for now :D
Thanks for the info!
Even in the most rural corners of the country - including the "big square states" with desert - you'd be surprised how much fiber is out there from third parties (non ATT/VZ/Frontier). If there are telephone poles anywhere nearby then dollars to donuts says there is fiber on them - and even if not there is usually spare conduit in the ground from a power run or road substructure that can be leased on the cheap. Unfortunately, unless you are in the busienss its hard to find out who exists with fiber - and they probably aren't interested in selling your one or two links (if you had 30 or more sites to tie in that's quite another story).
 

coolrunnings82

Active Member
Mar 26, 2012
407
92
28
The 2.4ghz models as a pair work better/more reliable than using just one unless you aim it directly line of site to the router/ap you are connecting to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PigLover

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
113
The 2.4ghz models as a pair work better/more reliable than using just one unless you aim it directly line of site to the router/ap you are connecting to.
+1 to this. Actually +10. Whatever frequency you use, get a matched pair of dedicated bridge node for the link. Use directional antennas if you can to improve the link. If you want a highly reliable link to the other building DO NOT get a single bridge node and tie it in to your existing AP. You'll just get a crappy bridge link and destroy the overall performance of the AP for other devices.
 

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
Even in the most rural corners of the country - including the "big square states" with desert - you'd be surprised how much fiber is out there from third parties (non ATT/VZ/Frontier). If there are telephone poles anywhere nearby then dollars to donuts says there is fiber on them - and even if not there is usually spare conduit in the ground from a power run or road substructure that can be leased on the cheap. Unfortunately, unless you are in the busienss its hard to find out who exists with fiber - and they probably aren't interested in selling your one or two links (if you had 30 or more sites to tie in that's quite another story).
I agree, except we don't live in "most places". Sub-contractors just pulled fiber for ATT into my small town, and sold ATT the lines, this was last year, that's 10 miles from me. The cell tower is ~5 years old if I recall, and they got fiber to enable 4G but they haven't done the entire update yet and it still blows, I had 3g the first couple years here it was 100% awesome, then I had an antenna, then I had an antenna+amp, then calls got dropped, then we got a T1 :)

We are at the end of the power poles, and the phone lines, I do have 1-2 more circuits available for bonded T1 which I may end up with just to get a lil more usable BW at my place :)

2 Year contract we had 2 outages that were bad, and got SLA credit (100%/month) for. Not too bad for being so far, and having so many connections.

I have a couple people at ATT locally I know to see what's going on with the fiber, lines, etc... and my internet dude as I call him is always keeping an eye out for a new provider or tower to go up :D Fingers crossed.
 

PigLover

Moderator
Jan 26, 2011
3,184
1,545
113
Depending on the distance, your ambition and your soil type you could also get some direct-bury armored fiber cable and rent a cable plow (you did say you were rural). For the garage - that is - not the 45mi link :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: T_Minus

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
Depending on the distance, your ambition and your soil type you could also get some direct-bury armored fiber cable and rent a cable plow (you did say you were rural). :)
Hehe I've already had to account for running ~1/4 mile of copper to replace the 1 circuit we have here that's out. Luckily we do have a tractor with a backhoe and trenching bucket :D So If/When I want to go to multiples, I could :D :D I was thinking maybe a live Chicken Cam? LOL!!

For parents garage (They don't live near me) wifi is easy.

For my garage/shop yeah, I'm pulling fiber because it's 1o0+ ft away. I'll have to check into the direct-bury type that sounds way easier than conduit :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: coolrunnings82

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
+1 to this. Actually +10. Whatever frequency you use, get a matched pair of dedicated bridge node for the link. Use directional antennas if you can to improve the link. If you want a highly reliable link to the other building DO NOT get a single bridge node and tie it in to your existing AP. You'll just get a crappy bridge link and destroy the overall performance of the AP for other devices.
VERY good to know.

2 Of the small/2.4s on order!

I knew my parents would finally put good use to the L5639 on AIO water :D LOL
 
  • Like
Reactions: coolrunnings82

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
Thank you all! This is great news and information, they're very excited to get moving again as I've got some energy to get them up and going and cameras up as mail has been stolen!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: coolrunnings82

canta

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2014
1,012
216
63
43
just suggestion:
do you use detection on the camera or using centralized software?
if you are using centralized software, get a good wifi camera. I know foscam is not good and need reboot when wifi suddenly disconnected.
or using detection on camera, pick any wifi camera

my setting:
was using wifi for porch. I am using zoneminder(detection and recording) that gets feed from camera constantly. the cameras wifi stops for any reason.
I did $10 neweeg ethernet over powerline. I know the line is connecting with the same circuit braker.
all my wifi camera misery is gone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: T_Minus

T_Minus

Build. Break. Fix. Repeat
Feb 15, 2015
7,625
2,043
113
Currently using Blue Iris :)

Would love to find something better and affordable if such a thing exists.

I'm testing some WiFi cameras at my house, but in my parents area they get 8-10 WiFi signals so i'd prefer to keep the hackable cameras to a minimum :D Even the $100-200$ seem to be popping up with "hacks" or backdoors. I don't think they're going to shell out $1k+ for "real" security cameras either :D :D Although, I'm trying to go for some wide and some narrow so we can get plates.