Long range networking with clear line of sight

[Levent]

I am currently in the process designing my own house (which will most likely be on a hill side with clear view of the next closest settlement that is around 10-15km far birds eye view) one of my main problems is lack of internet infrastructure. I get no 3G let alone 4G reception at the said location, so I am very limited when it comes to connectivity. Another problem is power consumption, using starlink for example at best means I have to introduce another solar panel to the property and at least 48 hours of extra battery capacity to run it.

 

I have three options but I would prefer the cheapest.

• Long range dish networking (4G, WISP, or self hosted), I have not even a single clue where I would begin to look for one of these or even they would work.
• Starlink, it should be online around these parts when I start the building process next year.
• Paying for an mobile network ISP for their 4G booster base/tower (massive headache, lots of permits n shit will be needed and it will cost me a LOT)

I am just considering my options at this stage, nothing other than the house design will be certain when I start building. Location might change but my considerations most likely wont as I am looking for a remote location.

[jaslion]

6 minutes ago, Levent said:

Long range dish networking (4G, WISP, or self hosted), I have not even a single clue where I would begin to look for one of these or even they would work.

Unless there is a sender nearby for this stuff thats not gonna really work out.

 

Id say starlink is the safest bet for this stuff even if it isnt the most efficient. Neither would the other options be since you would still need to power a decently powerfull antenna

[mMontana]

A YT channel hosted by a couple world travellers on RV started using Starling few months ago.

The man is quite "nerdy", so he tweaked quite a lot the equipment (and bought a second router-to-antenna cable) until he forfaited the Starlink router.

Now, the antenna is removable, with a custom adapted cable from an external plug to the antenna. The cable connecting socket to the antenna is tweaked to step back to standard TIA 568B (in case he ISP with different kind of antenna, it's a standard PoE network cable). Then it goes to his DC-to-DC PoE injector, which is enabled on demand,  then into a Mikrotik router firewall as "standard" PPPoE wan. He found a lot of info into internet for reaching this custom setup.

 

With this, he forfaited

-24/7 inverter for powering up the Starlink router (yet still in possess if needed).

-Having multiple wireless lans managed from different devices

-obey the network structure dictated by the router

-seamless integration with the other WAN source (4g adapter with booster).

 

That arrangement avoided a lot of power inefficiencies.

However: starlink antenna is a power hungry device. You already know that integrates heating...

[TubsAlwaysWins]

2 minutes ago, Levent said:

I am currently in the process designing my own house (which will most likely be on a hill side with clear view of the next closest settlement that is around 10-15km far birds eye view) one of my main problems is lack of internet infrastructure. I get no 3G let alone 4G reception at the said location, so I am very limited when it comes to connectivity. Another problem is power consumption, using starlink for example at best means I have to introduce another solar panel to the property and at least 48 hours of extra battery capacity to run it.

 

I have three options but I would prefer the cheapest.

• Long range dish networking (4G, WISP, or self hosted), I have not even a single clue where I would begin to look for one of these or even they would work.
• Starlink, it should be online around these parts when I start the building process next year.
• Paying for an mobile network ISP for their 4G booster base/tower (massive headache, lots of permits n shit will be needed and it will cost me a LOT)

I am just considering my options at this stage, nothing other than the house design will be certain when I start building. Location might change but my considerations most likely wont as I am looking for a remote location.

• I cant speak for 4G.
• I was employed at a WISP for a few years and consider myself to be proficient in Wireless PtP and PtMP equipment, specifically Ubiquity and can try and answer any questions you might have about it. I dont know power consumption but It depends on what radios you are using. Alot of consumer stuff is rated at 24v 0.5A (~12W?). Depends on what speed you need to get out of it. I cant suggest a WISP due to not knowing your location. They should show up on lists around town. 
• Im not sure what Self-hosted means, im assuming becoming your own ISP? Connections you can resell to others are very expensive. I think we paid almost 2k/mo for our 1Gig ATT link. The closest thing I can think of is buying or renting some place in the town you have line of site to, sending the internet connection there, and then using PtP back to your location? Goes back to option 2. 
• Starlink would probably be a good option if there are no WISP's in your area. Probably what I would do. 

[manikyath]

the cost for sticking fiber in the ground may be not *that* insane, as compared to the costs of building a house.

 

but it sounds like you're going for something "off the grid" - at which point it might make most sense to get something satalite based.

 

you might get some extra 4G range with a dish antenna, but nothing's to say if that signal is going to be there during differing weather conditions, and what happens if someone between you and the tower decides to do some vertical expansion.

 

it comes down to this; all the solutions will be ass in some way.. otherwise people would be living there already.

[Agall]

25 minutes ago, Levent said:

I am currently in the process designing my own house (which will most likely be on a hill side with clear view of the next closest settlement that is around 10-15km far birds eye view) one of my main problems is lack of internet infrastructure. I get no 3G let alone 4G reception at the said location, so I am very limited when it comes to connectivity. Another problem is power consumption, using starlink for example at best means I have to introduce another solar panel to the property and at least 48 hours of extra battery capacity to run it.

 

I have three options but I would prefer the cheapest.

• Long range dish networking (4G, WISP, or self hosted), I have not even a single clue where I would begin to look for one of these or even they would work.
• Starlink, it should be online around these parts when I start the building process next year.
• Paying for an mobile network ISP for their 4G booster base/tower (massive headache, lots of permits n shit will be needed and it will cost me a LOT)

I am just considering my options at this stage, nothing other than the house design will be certain when I start building. Location might change but my considerations most likely wont as I am looking for a remote location.

Something to consider is using a WAN load balancer. They can take two different WAN connections like from different ISPs and give one common IP to the network. They're just translated at the device, so if one goes down, you simply keep swimming on the other. They'll also dynamically load balance.

 

The idea being Starlink and a cellular network. 

[OhYou_]

I do basically what you want, I'll dump a few things I've done.

 

Cell Boosters are by far the easiest solution. but if you get zero 4g on the ground on your hill, a booster is not going to help. by design, they need at least some signal to actually work. I have one that i put on top a 12M mast which is bolted to the front of my house, i get poor signal even at that height so my phones only work well when within a few meters of the internal antenna.

Starlink is the best solution, but the uptime is very poor. I am interested in what your power solution is going to be like if the starlink router is a concern.

My oldest system I have in place involves ubiquiti gear which I have one radio on my house, and another one on top of a hill 2km away. On the hill I have a 4g router, which the internet comes out of and goes across the 2km hop to the house. The speed is ehh but it is fairly reliable. the end point is on 150w of solar with a 60AH 12v battery.

 

I did experiment with a link to an actual city, which I put a dish antenna on my workplace, and another on the mountain top, but the distance is 32km and I proved that I need to build quite a sturdy tower to be able to finely adjust the dishs. Yours being half the distance may be better, but you still have the problem with having a spot to put the other one in town.

 

Basically, go around your property with your phone and try to locate a spot where you actually get 4g LTE. if you do not have this, just get starlink, you will be far happier.