Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

A bit like an iBoost

 
 
 
 
 
essjay
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Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 13.03.2019  ·  #1
I'm looking at rigging up something in the van where we can get good wifi coverage. When staying at a site that means connecting to the restaurant wifi. I looked at an iBoost but figure you could buy the parts cheaper.

For the antenna booster I think this should do the job. That said I think it needs to be powered over PoE so may need some sort of power injector.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HXT8K4O

For the router I think this might do
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01NAYG15H/

Anyone gone down this path before? Using the above I think I can create a private network in the van for the kids devices and get a good signal from the transmitter.


<BM>
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 14.03.2019  ·  #2
Not sure how effective it will be if it's in close proximity to the devices in the van. To be effective, it would likely need either better line of sight or shorter distance to the wireless access point.


witzend
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 18.03.2019  ·  #3
Just had this recommended


essjay
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 18.03.2019  ·  #4
This is something like that I'm looking at
https://community.ubnt.com/t5/…-p/1525093

The directional antenna to point at the wifi transmitter (Ubiquiti NSM2) and the TP-Link router to create a private network inside the van. The only issue I can see is having to connect to the antenna occasionally to update the username/password for the campsite wifi. If I use the TP-Link router that most likely means disconnecting it from the router and connecting to the laptop to make changes. Maybe putting everything on the same IP address range could overcome that shortcoming (not entirely sure if that will work though).

The main benefit I see to using the TP-Link router is that I can plug in a USB hard drive with tv/movies downloaded which the kids could browse and consume on their tablets if wifi is brutal/non-existent at the site using Kodi or VLC (I'll use Plex for consuming media stored at home while remote and wifi is good).

Also the TP-Link can be powered by USB which means a hardwired dashcam cable should run it permanently off 12v. I will need the below PoE injector to power the antenna. Ubiquiti themselves have access point devices I could use but do not have the file sharing/DNLA functionality that I can see.
https://www.msdist.co.uk/tycon…e-injector

Here's a good video but instead of the Ubiquiti AirCube ISP he's using, I'll use the TP-Link (I might still buy the AirCube ISP just to play with as it's only £34 on Amazon UK).



I'll update this thread as I go along but I expect the Ubiquiti NSM2 antenna to be a good solution. Claims a range of 13km so even with foliage/dodgy line of sight, I should be able to pick up a strong wifi signal.


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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 18.03.2019  ·  #5
We used to


essjay
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 18.03.2019  ·  #6
Quote by witzend

We used to struggle getting WiFi when travelling but now if you've a mobile signal which we have found almost everywhere we have cancelled our home land line and taken a mobile broad band contract with 3 it works off the vans 12v supply while away and with supplied 240v to 12v adaptor at home


Yes we went that route last year, connecting to wifi when available but using 4G at other times. I think we got through about 45GB during one week which won't be feasible this year when we may be away longer.


essjay
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 01.04.2019  ·  #7
Ok, most of the kit bought so far, all from eBay

Ubiquiti Nanostation M2 (2.4GHz high power directional antenna) - £35
Tycon Systems TP-DCDC-1224 PoE injector to power the antenna (converts 12v to 24v) - £6.50
Asus RT-AC51u Wifi Router - £22

All in it's now cost me £63.50 plus maybe £15 shipping, lets call it £80.

Compared to the iBoost system which is £159 and it's a lesser antenna than I picked up. Theirs comes with the Ubiquiti Nanostation locoM2 which claims a 5km range. The full M2 which I got claims a 13km range. I think 99% of the time the locoM2 should be fine but for the sake of it I went with the more powerful antenna.

Next steps to connect it all up with my 12v power supply, add a few fuses to protect the devices, configure and then mount it on the van.


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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 08.05.2020  ·  #8
I'm just interested to find out how this setup went last year. Looking to put something similar together.
Did you find the M2 was worthwhile rather than the Loco? It's hard to find anything close to the price now.
Everything can work off 12v or 240v mains?
Thanks


essjay
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Re: Anyone Rigged Up Their Own WiFi Booster?

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Posted: 08.05.2020  ·  #9
Working a treat. I'm working from home now and using the van as a office. The M2 is picking up the WiFi from the house and an Asus router transmitting around the van. All running off 12v and a PoE injector is powering the M2.

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