Need to Punch Wi-Fi through Tin Shed in Back Yard (Updated: pending solution found)

pegaxs on 01/02/2018 - 08:39
Last edited 04/02/2018 - 12:08 by 1 other user

Here is the issue: (TL;DR at bottom for "@Baghern")

Father has a hobby room/tin shed detached from the house. It's about 30m from the house. He wants WiFi access in the shed, but I told him that the house WiFI wont reach that far, let alone through a tin shed with insulated foil lined walls. They got the IT contractor for work to solve it and all he did was put a Ubiquti WiFi repeater on the back of the house. It didn't fix the Faraday cage effect of the shed. Still no WiFi in the shed.

Next, the same IT installer used a Ethernet over powerline adaptor. That didn't work because the house and the shed are on totally different circuits.

Next, same IT moron again, installs WiFi range extender into power point in shed. Still no WiFi…

What I told him was we needed something that had an external antenna outside the building, run the cable inside the shed and put a range extender inside, essentially punching a hole through the tin wall…

Here is my problem. All of the WiFI extenders I have looked at all have fixed antenna. I am looking for suggestions on a good omni-directional antenna and range extender options I can use. Prefer 2.4 and 5gHz set up to future poof the system should it ever require it.

edit: Due to a few people suggesting it, LAN cables are off the table as well. There is no room left in current conduit and have been told that there is no way dad's lawn is being dug up a 3rd time for a single LAN cable. Infrastructure already exists to use WiFi and running a cable out there would cost way more than an antenna and a repeater box. And lets face it, they would only call on fcuk knuckle to come and run that cable, and that isn't on the table either :D

edit 2: Rebuilding the shed is not an option! Thanks @Boomramada. Have a few good suggestions now. Will add a poll of what I think are heading the right direction…

edit 3: Would like to extend a great big thanks to everyone who replied. Some really knowledgeable people on here with some great advice. Even the ones that didn’t read the OP and kept suggesting LAN cables and power line adapters. Every comment was appreciated. I have ended up ordering the Ubiquity Nanostation M2 Loco. And as per the poll, I’m going to jam the old IT dorks head through the wall and see if that improves coverage… and I have the Nanostation as a back up. I know which one will make me feel better.. :D Plot twist: next thread is “can’t get this repeater working. Any help?”

TL;DR: Tin shed (large Faraday cage) in back yard resists WiFi ingress. Need Internet so father can watch pr0n in peace. Make suggestions on how to punch WiFi signal through shed walls.

Poll Options

  • 31
    Ubiquiti Nanostation M5 LOCO
  • 1
    MikroTik GrooveA 52
  • 0
    TP-Link CPE220
  • 1
    No-name eBay Outdoor AP
  • 7
    Re-build entire shed
Computing

Comments

        • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 10:54

          Im not 100% sure until i go and look at it and work it out. I just know it is one of the round flying saucer Ubiquity ones from the shape and logo on it. I dont even know if it is 2.4, 5gHz or both. Will find that out and buy the repeater to match. I know it works outside in the yard, because my phone auto connected to it, so it is just a repeater for the internal wifi.

          I may even end up removing it and replacing both the outside ones (house and shed) with Nanostations.

        • knk on 02/02/2018 - 12:38

          @pegaxs:

          It'll be a UAP variant, pretty sure they're all compatible with one another and will fall back. The issue here is that inside the shed the signals going to be shit, so you need an appropriate outdoor unit (thinking unifi make something) and then inside the shed you may need another AP? See how you go though. The AP inside the shed assuming it isn't huge can be a cheapie.

          Good lucK!

  • wasabisauce on 02/02/2018 - 09:01

    Buy wireless data modem
    Win

    • terrys on 02/02/2018 - 09:12

      If a local wireless signal won't work because the shed is a faraday cage, what strange version of the laws of physics are you postulating that will let a cell connection operate?

      • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 10:42

        Correct. 4G works, but at 1 bar. They are about 600m line of sight to the Telstra tower. Take the 4G modem outside and it's bang up to 5 bars. If you shut the door to the shed (also metal) then 4G drops out as well…

        Faraday Cage

        The shed is tin and insulated with foil backed insulation. The shed is basically a coolroom. In summer, if you were working in there, without the aircon and the insulation, it would be unbearable.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/02/2018 - 09:50

    Don't happen to have an old-school phone line running down there do you? Or perhaps room in the conduit for one? I have had good success using Planet VC-231 VDSL converters, they just have an Ethernet handoff at each end, basically plug and play. Can be had for around $300 a set

    • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 10:46

      Strange you should mention that. Yes, they "did". But it was torn out with the construction of the new shed as it was deemed as not serving any further use.

      That was my first question.. "Do you still have the phone line to the shed?"
      "We had that all ripped out when the new part of the shed went in…"
      sigh

  • scuba12steve on 02/02/2018 - 10:00

    I recently setup a mesh network using modified firmware on the Ubiquiti Bullet M2's, we had ones with industrialised cases, but these are pretty sweet units once you get your head around them. The standard case ones are pretty cheap: https://www.mwave.com.au/product/ubiquiti-networks-bullet-m-…

    One of the cool features about these is they allow you to adjust the transmit power (to the point where they run rather hot (always made me nervous standing next to it)) and so if you found your signal to be a bit weak you could tune them - possibly to the point where it would punch through the tin anyway lol.

    In our case we mounted these on mining trucks and used there proximity to each other to form a mesh network where they would get internet access even when they were well out of reach of any other sources. The software was written to cope with a semi available network as well so in the end it went pretty well.

    • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 10:59
      +1

      possibly to the point where it would punch through the tin anyway lol.

      Fcuk it, up the wattage and just punch the signal though!!! :D

      Added bonus, works as a space heater in the colder months and warms up your microwave meals…

      And yes, when i was looking at the Nanostations, I saw the Bullets as well, but they look a little over engineered for what I want. If i was looking to go 10km with a uni-directional antenna, then yes, the N Type connector would be handy…

  • [Deactivated] on 02/02/2018 - 10:13

    Advice recinded
    Good luck

  • pformag on 02/02/2018 - 11:05
    -1

    Does the shed have mains power? Can't you use one of those powerline adapters?

    • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 11:08

      Next, the same IT installer used a Ethernet over powerline adaptor. That didn't work because the house and the shed are on totally different circuits.

      House and shed power are on their own circuits. Shed has 3phase, house doesn't. Shed has it's own distribution board. Power line adapters do not work.

      Cheers. This idea has already been tested and failed.

      • pformag on 02/02/2018 - 11:10

        my bad didn't see that.

        • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 11:12
          +2

          No problem. It was the first thing the IT guy tried. We didn’t even know power was separate to the house until it was tested like this. It's about the only worthwhile thing the IT guy managed to stumble across.

  • Coatesy on 02/02/2018 - 11:49

    Wouldnt it be easier to just get a separate internet connection?

    • knk on 02/02/2018 - 12:40

      No cabling to the shed, not possible.

      • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 14:05

        As @knk said. No line into the shed. Even if i used 4G, i would still need an external antenna…

  • DarthAntz on 02/02/2018 - 12:50

    install a router (receiver) on the outside of the shed and cable it into the shed?

    does the wifi extender have network out? extension cord the wifi extender to the wall you're going to punch through(and punch through), have it sitting on the outside of the shed (protected from weather), and then blue cable it into another wifi extender on the inside of the shed.

    Good luck and Im sure a lot of us are interested in hearing how you solve this.

  • bryce007 on 02/02/2018 - 13:02
    +1

    I have pretty much exactly same setup and had same problem. I attached Ubiquiti Nanostation M2 the top of the shed drain pipe (zipties) aimed in the general direction to the house wifi. Creating a point to point network to shed. Then ran a cat5 cable inside the roof via gap in the metal to a Mikrotik HAP AC Lite access point (although any access point would do), the advantage of the Mikrotik is it has POE out port, so I only need to power it for both devices. Using this setup I am able to pull 90mbps constant to the house internal network and only has 2ms latency cost.

    • knk on 02/02/2018 - 13:58

      I put 2 nanobeam m2s in at an old, old job about 4 years ago. Spoke to the old boss and apparently they went out there for something unrelated, hasn't heard from them in 4 years and those things are still running like a dream.

      Quality hardware.

  • OldSchoolHarry on 02/02/2018 - 13:06
    +1

    Try mounting a Ubiquiti Rocket with external antennae just outside the shed and run Ethernet cable to the inside.

  • Buckshot on 02/02/2018 - 13:42

    I used a dirt cheap solution for something like this at work.
    They built a shed after the slab had gone down without any of the conduit we needed.
    Going through the concrete wasn't an option.
    I ended up using a USB to Cat5e extender with a USB WiFi Dongle that sat in in a weatherproof box bolted onto he side of the shed. It was enough to pick up WiFi in the yard and port it through to desktop PC.
    The whole solution cost me about $200

  • casho on 02/02/2018 - 13:45

    Large microwave dish. Bonus warmth for the shed in winter :P

  • 281982 on 02/02/2018 - 15:38
    +1

    Hi OP,

    I work as a Wi-Fi engineer. I can say that tin sheds/ corrugated iron are easily one of the toughest materials to "punch" wireless signal through.

    I know you said cat cable is off the table, but I can't see any other reliable alternative unfortunately.

    Hope this helps, cheers.

    • pegaxs on 02/02/2018 - 19:04
      +1

      Cheers! I used to work for a network engineer, so it’s nice to have an expert chime in.

      I know the shed is the worst thing to try and get any radio wave coverage into, but I know it can be done and there have been so many great people on here who have given me so many things to go out and try.

      And yes, running a LAN cable to the shed would be ideal, but there is no way that is is going to happen. Just too much cost involved when there are alternatives already in place I can utilise.

      As many have said already, I think repeater on the roof and a PoE cable through the wall and a AP inside should work a treat.

      • peterpaoliello on 02/02/2018 - 23:14

        Directional! The AP need to be a Directional link. On ebay there will be smallish AP which accept an MNC (?) connector, which you can feed into a directional antenna. Working is one thing, working WELL is something totally different. Also try 5GHz vs the 2.4Hz as that will stop working when it rains.

        • pegaxs on 03/02/2018 - 09:18

          2.4Hz as that will stop working when it rains.

          Right…

          A quick trip over to Google busts that myth in the first link. I'm not going to get into a pissing competition over it, but know that it's bullshit.

          Even simple logic busts this. Every time it rains here, I can still see my neighbours WiFi. And that is through at least 2 brick walls, across 20m including the rain between the houses.

          If anything, 5GHz would be the frequency to have issues more so than 2.4GHz when it rains…

        • peterpaoliello on 04/02/2018 - 09:21

          ok mate, not need to be ass about it, a bit of anonymity + the internet and you're unable to share information in a professional and mutually respectful manner.

  • tassietigermaniac on 02/02/2018 - 17:26

    Only semi-serious answer

    https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-make-a-wifi-antenna-out…

    Real answer is the first comment. Get a router that supports DD-WRT and has the ability to screw on an extra antenna. Then get a long antenna and presto, boosted wifi signal.

    https://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database

    Let me know if you want some router suggestions

  • epicttiimm on 02/02/2018 - 17:58

    Mount a repeater to the outside of the shed, drill a small hole to pass Ethernet from the repeater to a router inside the shed.

  • Viper8 on 02/02/2018 - 19:06
    -1

    I hope every time your parents had him come back it was at no additional cost, given he did not complete the work that was tasked to him (make the WiFi in the shed actually work…).
    If not, I would personally be seeking reimbursement.

  • taisapi on 02/02/2018 - 20:35

    Replace one tin roofing panel with a fibreglass one. External USB antenna on PC inside shed near roof panel (need pics?}. I use this solution to reach my shed 30m from house with another tin shed in between.

  • lonix on 02/02/2018 - 22:44

    Get a wi-fi repeater with an external antenna. Get an outdoor directional antenna and run it through a hole in the shed.

  • peterpaoliello on 02/02/2018 - 23:11
    -1

    If this is what you want to hear or not i don't know, but the ONLY way you can do this is via a point to point link. You will need to run Ethernet up into the roof (depending on where you phone line is you can just move the whole modem up there), hook the Ethernet to one end of the point to point. On the shed side there will be the other end, Ethernet out the back to an access point. Or just get him a 4G modem, expensive however.

  • ajxutao7 on 02/02/2018 - 23:22

    there is an easy but expensive solution, https://www.ubnt.com/

  • Agret on 03/02/2018 - 00:02
    +1

    As per your solution the NanoStation Loco M2 will be suitable, just punch a hole for the ethernet cable and run it into a wifi access point inside the shed (UniFi AC Lite should be suitable for a shed)

  • neostarsx on 03/02/2018 - 00:04
    +1

    Father watch porn in peace. Read my mine roflmao.

  • Plug on 03/02/2018 - 00:23

    Wireless bridge

  • WilliamDGH on 03/02/2018 - 10:24

    How much data does your dad use? What about Home Wireless Broadband? http://www.optus.com.au/shop/broadband/home-wireless-broadba…

  • kfcfatfat on 03/02/2018 - 10:36

    Get two of this, set one up at ur house, on at the shed. Have them point to each other. This basically create a virtual link as if you have a lan cable. Plug a ap to the dish at your shed and setup a new wifi ap.

    https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/ubiquiti-powerbeam-5ac-gen2-25d…

  • thatonethere on 03/02/2018 - 15:32

    I know you have said no lan cable but that's what I did for our pool area. Bought myself a 50m cable ($30 on ebay) - plugged one end into the VDSL router and then threaded it under the house and then tucked it along the bottom of the fence to the pool shed. Plugged it into a wifi AP [my old ADSL router] (pool filter had power sockets spare).

    If there's enough garden foliage/fencing structure then you won't notice. Even if there is grass, just get a lawn edger and put a slice 5-10cm down thru the lawn and push the cable into that.

    If it dies from weathering I'll put in another.

  • AustriaBargain on 03/02/2018 - 22:01
    +1

    You could just tell your dad to smoke his bongs inside, or get him a vape or something that doesn't combust the herb and stink the house out.

  • coolsteps on 03/02/2018 - 23:18

    what ever you do you shouldn't ever use indoor cable like cat 5 outdoors even though its in conduit it will break down eventually causing faults in the future. use external cable that has grease to keep moisture out. I have seen many diy jobs and even by cowboy sparkys. do it right the first time will save you grief later and avoid an incorrect call out fee.

  • blueyez on 02/02/2021 - 22:46

    Have a similar dilemma so tagging onto this thread. Hope I make sense, apologies if not.

    Used to have cable internet running to the house and garage. Used to study in peace.

    NBN came along (running via cable to a wifi modem in the house) and just wanted to see if anyone knows - can it be set up as having 2 access points to the NBN?

    As the NBN was set up whilst I was away I have no idea if they considered the garage when installing/connecting everything.

    When we had regular cable before NBN we only had to pay for one service, the cable went into the garage wall as well as the house. Hoping to do the same via NBN.

    What extra equipment do I need to accommodate what I'm after? (with Optus)

    Looking to study again and would be great to have my own peace lol wifi won't permeate tin.

    • Agret on 02/02/2021 - 23:49

      Need to run a CAT6 cable from garage to the router in the house and plug into a port there, on the garage end buy a wireless router, give it an address on your network and disable DHCP on it then plug the cat6 cable into any port on it to share the same network. If you want a totally separate isolated network in the garage just plug the cable into the WAN port of the wifi router and keep dhcp enabled.

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