Need: Long-Range Airport

[Numbers1820]

What I want is an Airport network that will reach ~100 yards -- through several brick walls and a small parking lot, from one building to the next.

Background: I want to run my home computer (PowerMac) and my office computer (iBook) through the same DSL connection to save money and allow me to receive/make calls while online, etc. (Currently, I do not even have DSL. Airport is what would make the expense of DSL over dial-up worth it for me.) One advantage of living in my area is that my commute is a murderous 100 yards or so from home to office : ). BUT that is still two different buildings, and 4 thick walls away.

I want to hear from people who have gotten Airport to reach from point to point in real-world applications similar to mine. I want to buy and install with confidence and minimum hassle, not buy this, return that, fiddle and diddle until it works. Ideally, I want to get up and running with a first time installation, about 4 hours work tops. The less the better, as long as I can still do it myself without getting a tech to me (a near impossibility in my remote area, and would would be horribly expensive).

Advice?

[mi5moav]

I had the same problem. My offices are in a historical district so it's a big no no for any kind of change. Heck it takes 6 months if we want to change the colors of a wall. Fortunetly, we have friendly neigbors that allowed us to place a couple wirelsss hubs in their offices so basically I have 3 hubs and a router. This cost us about $1000.00 bucks two years ago. It might be worth while to pick up 3 or 4 of these new airport express and secretly plug them into the closets of neighboring buildings creating a secrte network to your building. Heck 100 yards aint to far. I can easily get 100 yards from my wireless hub. It's a linksys with an external ant.
(coat hanger)

[macavenger]

Would a Dr. Bott ExtendAIR Direct Antenna (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...0.6.25.7.5.3.3) do the trick? it says it "increases the effective range of AirPort to approximately 500 feet with a 70' beam width of coverage." 500 Feet is a good 200 feet over 100 yards, so at least in theory it could work. I have never tried one, though, so I don't know. It would probably be easier and cheaper than using multiple secret AirPort Express hubs, albiet less fun

[symphonix]

Because of the very 'directional' nature of the link you're trying to establish, a cantenna, or the optional directional antenna for AirportExtreme, could be placed at either end of the gap.
I think Dr Bott's has a directional antenna that would be suitable, there is also a Cantenna availabale from a company called (I think) WaveGuide, as well as a lot of other commercially available options for 802.11 networking. Also, you could whip up your own cantenna using a drink can-the advantage being that it can be made to just the right length to give a focus that will cover the area you want (a long cantenna will project the signal further but have a narrower focus). Some good info on modifying an existing Airport to a directional system is available at:
http://www.macmod.com/content/category/6/59/2/

If it were me, I would be mounting an external directional antenna on top of each of the buildings, perhaps on the TV aerial mast, and make sure you have a line of sight between them so you can go over the top of all the buildings in the way.

[Gnomo]

I had looked into doing something similar and this is what I was told by the Apple store people: If you plug in to the external antenna port, the internal antenna no longer functions.

So, you would want to put the directional antenna on the side that has the PowerMac. Otherwise you would not be able to connect wirelessly with your iBook.

[Numbers1820]

Thanks, fellas, for all your help.

It seems from some of your replies that I need to give some more background information. That may or may not change your advice, but here goes:

I am a Christian pastor in rural Nebraska. My work office (iBook) is in the church (of course ; ), and my home office (mostly used by my wife) is in the parsonage (PowerMac).

Physically, this is the way the buildings are set up: The home office is in a north-facing room of the parsonage, then there's about 15 yards of lawn, 30 yards of parking lot/sidewalk (for the church), then the church building begins. It's quite high and has thick brick walls. (I suppose that affects radio reception/interference.) My office is in the far northern end of a recent addition to the church's north side. That's what gives me the ~100 yard distance.

There are no other buildings in between the office and my home (unless you count the original church sanctuary), but futzing around with aerial antennas on top of buildings doesn't sound like fun to me. I could do it if I had to, but...

Plugging in several Airport Expresses along the way sounds the simplest, by way of comparison. I would have total access to various electrical outlets along the way. (I'd just have to make sure to post "Do NOT remove" stickers by them!)

Is there a differnce between 802.11b and 802.11g range that would make a difference in my case? Is there any way around buying an Airport card for my iBook, an Airport base station for the PowerMac, and seeing if/how far it reaches, and buying and futzing with external antennas or Airport Expresses until I get it to work? I'd like to be able to make a rock-solid prediction of what I need and then just buy it and install it in one fell, easy swoop.

Further ideas, anyone?

Thanks ahead of time.

[Gnomo]

I would recommend against going the multiple airport express route. Not only would it be expensive, but I also think you would want to avoid doing a bunch of relaying of wireless signal.

If you don't already have the DSL yet, I would probably suggest that you try to get it hooked up at the church. This way it would be a "business" expense. Also anyone that worked for the church could use it then.

Then I would suggest that you hook up your base station (Airport or whatever brand you choose) in your office at the church, so you can use your iBook wirelessly. You will have to get an Airport card for you iBook. I don't know of any other brands that work in the airport slot. (Try eBay).

At home, I would suggest getting a wireless to ethernet bridge like the linksys wet11 (they also make a 802.11g model, but I don't know the model number) and a directional antenna (I have a panel antenna compatable with the WET11 if you are looking for one, or I can suggest a website. They cost around $50, or you can make a cantenna, but you'll need the correct connector). This would allow you to use your ethernet card in the powermac to connect to the wireless network and into the DSL and it would be much cheaper than buying two base stations.

[Satcomer]

Also, I urge you to check out Mac Wireless. With external long range antennas plus with wireless bridging, it is more than feasible.