I need a quality router that has a connector for external antenna
I have a home made D6LU long Yagi-Uda array @ 2.4ghz and a parabolic 2.4 ghz antenna. I am in a fringe area........any suggestions......built in antennas do me no good where I am
Dave
Most routers have internal connectors (don't know the specific name in English, sorry)
You can get the antenna plugs for mounting instead the antenna (we did this in the early times, removed the crap antennas and replaced it with better ones, removable)
So you should be able to install a plug and remove the antenna and connect your parantenna to it
a way ;)
this ebay auction (in german, but you see what I am talking about)
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Externe-WLAN-Router-Antenne-Rundtrahlantenne-5dbi-U-FL-SMA-Kabel-Adapter-/271141377400
is an example
Routers with internal antenna usually are high impedance output, when loaded down to 52ohm coax they don't do well......much better to get router that is designed for external antenna......it will be 52 ohm input.
I have done exactly what you want with a "can tenna" and these WRT54 Linksys routers, it was a good while ago but worked well:
http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WRT54GL-Wireless-G-Broadband-Router/dp/B000BTL0OA?ie=UTF8&keywords=wrt54gl&qid=1463156035&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WRT54GL-Wireless-G-Broadband-Router/dp/B000BTL0OA?ie=UTF8&keywords=wrt54gl&qid=1463156035&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1)
Unless they changed them these have external connectors.
Tom
Thanks TomW,
Just the info I need......link sys support says they don't make such a router but.....tech support? Yeah
I'll get one and try.....I get free wifi from school 3 miles line of sight away.......difficult but way faster than Verizon 4GLTE
Quote from: tecnodave on May 13, 2016, 12:38:15 PM
I'll get one and try.....I get free wifi from school 3 miles line of sight away.......difficult but way faster than Verizon 4GLTE
For the low cost, comparatively high build quality, option of a decent antenna (or reflector and integrated antenna), suggest you look at the ubiquity stuff.
Their old "Bullet" range had an N connector and you just screw in whatever antenna you liked (I used to use 24dBi gridpacks, and 13dBi yagi antennas in blizard-proof radomes), and had plenty of installations operating over 10+ miles.
I used to buy WRT54GL (the L version was linux-ready, and ran OpenWRT and DD-WRT fine), they were around $90-110 each new. The Bullets were cheaper and far better performing, plus fully outdoor rated, PoE ready etc, so you just ran a coax to the roof, plugged in the bullet, attached it to the antenna tail and you were going.
https://www.ubnt.com/airmax/bulletm/
I've also used the AirGrid - where I am, they were even cheaper than a bullet+antenna and work great. Yes, if you get the 2.4GHz version, there's a setting that lets it operate with standard 802.11b/g.
https://www.ubnt.com/airmax/airgridm/
TomW,
I researched it and ordered thr WRT54GL routers....2 of them and will hook up as you describe.....
I knew it was possible, never did it.....the link to the bridge mode info really spelled it out
Makes sense now.
Ross,
My parabola is pretty much same as what you pointed me at, I did communications for a while and I design my own antenna systems sometimes using other people designs like D6LU long yagi.
I use K7MEM's design pages a lot. Still a radio buff, but not a ham.
Dave
Quote from: tecnodave on May 13, 2016, 09:22:48 PM
I researched it and ordered thr WRT54GL routers....2 of them and will hook up as you describe.....
Seriously look at downloading and reflashing them with DD-WRT.
It offers you lots of things the stock software doesn't.
I've been using them for years and love 'em.
Quote
Ross,
My parabola is pretty much same as what you pointed me at, I did communications for a while and I design my own antenna systems sometimes using other people designs like D6LU long yagi.
I use K7MEM's design pages a lot. Still a radio buff, but not a ham.
Yup, designing and building antennas is reasonably straightforward as long as you pay attention to detail (more so at EHF than lower bands!).
I've been a ham since the mid 1970s. While I used to make my own antennas for 1296MHz, and 10GHz, all my ISM band stuff was far more convenient to just buy things ready made - so many choices and generally cheaper than you can build them yourself even if you don't count your labour!
I have been using Linksys WRT 54 type routers that I reflashed with DDWRT for a few years now. They work great and are very stable.
A few things to consider even though you can pick them up cheap or free.
Every model has a quite a few versions. While some have external antenna's there are versions that don't unscrew so you can't use a reverse TNC adapter to connect to a different antenna.
Some versions are easier to flash to DDWRT than others. Some versions or maybe most have an easy mod to bring out wires for a serial port. I pick up every old Linksys router I see and have DDWRT on all of them. DDWRT webpage has detailed instructions for each version .
https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Linksys
You can get them already flashed with DDWRT on ebay for $25 though this version doesn't have as much ram or memory as some other versions but DDWRT micro works on it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Linksys-WRT54G-v6-Wireless-Router-Repeater-Bridge-With-Heatsink-DD-WRT-/291689860534?hash=item43ea120db6:g:-PgAAOxyRhBSqLxJ
You can mount the whole router up high somewhere and in Client mode to bridge with another router. If you power it with POE power over ethernet , then you can run very short coax between router and antenna. There will be almost no loss of signal that way and long run of Cat 5 cable no problem. Only 4 wires are used for internet , you use the other four wires for the power to the router.
I used some indoor Cat 5 cable outside for years now - there is a spot where the out side jacket cracked and exposed inner wires but the insulation on them has not deteriorated and also doesn't seem to have effected anything even though it gets wet and iced up in winter.
Larry
Here is what is inside of 2.4GHz Maxrad flat high gain antenna - it works very good. Looks like 8 bay bowtie antenna design.
(//)
Quote from: tecnodave on May 13, 2016, 10:59:10 AM
I need a quality router that has a connector for external antenna
I have a home made D6LU long Yagi-Uda array @ 2.4ghz and a parabolic 2.4 ghz antenna. I am in a fringe area........any suggestions......built in antennas do me no good where I am
Dave
CANTennas :http://www.cantenna.com/
https://www.google.com/search?q=cantenna&biw=1280&bih=654&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjXrY6kzd3MAhVJ4GMKHcL-DnQQsAQIRA
I have "Borrowed " signals across North America CAN,USA ,Mex and thank you folks , I would NEVER abuse , but thanks for the use in 2005-2008 . Spent a time travailing to meet with folks I have spoke with for years , but never met.
I received the two routers from Amazon....Linksys WRT54GL v1.1.....new in box with cd in folder which has instructions for setup
Ok this is really dumb.....my MacBook cannot read the setup cd.....followed the instructions to the letter......no setup utility.....Linksys instructions on cd envelope has setup instructions..... But does not work....
Instructions: For Mac, double click the cd icon on your desktop....then double-click on the setup icon.
(there is no cd icon on desktop).....opening the smiley face on the Mac Dock reveals a cd icon on the bottom
Double clicking on setup does nothing. ??? Duh! This is intuitive? The only file I can open is in directory. DOCS. It is a .pdf file. I can read that but all the other files on the cd appear to be windows files.
Any suggestions?
David
You should be able to hook your computer to the router Lan ports, power up the router, let the computer get a dhcp connection from the router then use your browser to access the setup.
Router will likely be 192.168.1.1 and computer 192.168.1.??
Not positive but login and password might be admin/admin ??
Check here for details:
http://setuprouter.com/router/linksys/wrt54gl/login.htm (http://setuprouter.com/router/linksys/wrt54gl/login.htm)
I never use those setup applications. No MACs or Winderz here :>
Tom
I'm starting with no WAN in to router.....I need to set up router from disc supplied with the router...MacBook cannot read setup disc?.........cd has specific instructions for Mac but does not work.....I have no problem doing this on windows.....put cd in drive.....wait.....click setup
MacBook cannot open any files on the cd except manual in docs directory
Dave
Apparently I will need to obtain a windows computer to set up a Linux based router? Duh? Documentation clearly states setup instructions for Mac but does not work, examing disc reveals only windows only files except manual in docs directory, it's a .pdf file and I can read it.
Ok on the Linksys CD:
For Windows, click Start,Computer,then double click the cd drive and the setup icon
For Mac, double-click on the CD icon desktop,then double-click on the setup icon
End of Linksys instructions,
I have MacBook 6.1 with recently installed OSX "Mavericks" so I followed Mac instructions to the letter, when I insert cd in drive it spins up but absolutely nothing appears on screen, no cd icon, wallpaper only, no apps running. No indication that anything is running.
Opening the dock on left and then the Mac smiley icon reveals a cd icon on the bottom, with one line:Setup wizard, clicking on setup wizard opens the directory of the cd, it does not start setup, I see files with windows extensions.....I.e. xxxxxx.exe xxxxxx.ini xxxx.dll obviously windows files
Keep in mind I have never used an apple product since the very early apple II, I am not familiar with Mac / apple terminology .
Can someone who is conversant with the Mac tell me how to read a Multi-os cd on a Mac.
I cannot beleive that Linksys (Cisco) would state that this cd is for PC or Mac but it can't be read on a Mac.
They are way too smart for that.
Someone had changed the settings in this MacBook and I can't find out what.
Dave
Quote from: tecnodave on May 17, 2016, 11:57:38 PM
I'm starting with no WAN in to router.....I need to set up router from disc supplied with the router...MacBook cannot read setup disc?.........cd has specific instructions for Mac but does not work.....I have no problem doing this on windows.....put cd in drive.....wait.....click setup
MacBook cannot open any files on the cd except manual in docs directory
Dave
As Tom said you do not need a WAN to talk to the Router. Hook up a ETHERNET cable from Laptop to router. Use a browser of your choice on the laptop and type in 192.168.1.1 the logon should open in your browser. Never used user is Admin and Pswd is admin . You now have access to all setups for the router.
Thanks all, yes I know that I can communicate from the Mac to the router, the setup instructions are on file that can be read by windows computer only, Mac cannot download that file to be read, nor can the iPad. I will need to buy a windows computer to do it.
The setup in the router is limited to basic setup,not switching to the mode that I need to do what I want.
I already have netgear routers and switches, but I find no documentation on how to configure for those routers (Netgear WGR614)
Yes there are files at netgear and Linksys but in windows format, I can't download those nor the
dd-wrt documentation as right now I have very limited iPad and brain dead MacBook, and as yet non operational dual core ASUS motherboard game machine in tower case with cd writer , high end video and audio cards with clean install of windows XP. This is the target machine for the routers, and network for mymidnite , local app, or some kind monitoring/control software. I will need to use this tower PC to get software then download to XP laptop to transport to solar controllers, I have two sites now with midnite controllers on both sites
As I don't have the funds to finish this machine, I'm trying to use what I have to get up online
Does anyone have an old laptop with windows XP that they would sell, I'd be interested.
Dave
Plug Cat 5 cable from your computer into one of the Linksys jacks 1 to 5 but not to the Internet port on it. Like Tom said - you should be able to go directly to router webpage from a browser by going to 192.168.1.1 . I don't know Macs but if Firefox browser doesn't work for me for some reason then I use Chrome or Internet Explorer . If it won't connnect try resetting the router by holding reset button on the router in with power off - then plug power cord in and hold the reset button in for at least 30 seconds. This will bring it back to all the defaults.
As others have said - you don't need the startup disc - all the setup menus for the router will be on the Linksys router webpage that you connect to - it is built into the router.
Larry
Larry,
Thanks I have done that, I get one page setup with no instructions as to what to do. The instructions are on the cd and on the website that I cannot download. There are no instructions on the router itself.
I have a pile of bricks already. Don't need more. There is no mention of the modes here!
Dave
Quote from: tecnodave on May 18, 2016, 09:42:01 AM
Larry,
Thanks I have done that, I get one page setup with no instructions as to what to do. The instructions are on the cd and on the website that I cannot download. There are no instructions on the router itself.
I have a pile of bricks already. Don't need more. There is no mention of the modes here!
Dave
So you are able to connect to the Linksys via a webpage ?
What does that page say ? usually you would have to log in to the first page to get access to do anything . Is it asking for a login ?
Larry
larry,
thanks for trying. the macbook is wifi built in. it also has a 10baseT connector for network. when i plug router into ethernet port i can log into router admin/admin.
i get the router setup page from within the router. not the instructions on what to do.
those i can see at www.linksys only when i use the wifi in from my access point., a 800 Mhz 4GLTE to wifi access point. when i try to use the internet i cannot connect to he access point. i need to set the router as an range extender to extend the range of the wifi to a different access point. this is not covered in the 1 page setup page in the router, it is covered on the detailed page at www.linksys actually 39 pages of instructions on how to do it dd-wrt has been mentioned in his thread that is what i am trying to do
ok once again the finished path would be through remote access point to router #1 wifi in 10BaseT out >>>>>>to>>>>>router #2 wan in>>>>to>>>>wifi out AND 10BaseT out ........external devices logged into second router would be:
wifi>>>>>>to ipad...........ios7.1
wifi>>>>>>to Macbook.....OSX 10 Mavericks
wifi>>>>>>pc Laptop.....Windows XP
10BaseT to tower pc windows XP
10BaseT to Classic one
10BaseT to Classic too
ok its not a one computer setup
are we on same page, can that be done with the one page setup in the router, i dont see how.....the instructions are in several different articles
i do not use an isp.........only wifi and or 4GLTE connection
dave
None of this is "hard" but it does need to be done logically and correctly.
If you are not somewhat clued in on networking you may need to find a geeky kid to help?
I tend to forget I have done this hundreds of times and finer details are instinct and left out of my attempts to help.
Of course you may be in over your head if you don't understand networking basics.
One will be in bridge mode and should be set up first, probably to get a DHCP connection to the school. the other will be the router for your local machines and set up after the bridge mode unit is working.
WRT the MAC not seeing the network it might just need a reboot or be told to "forget" the network it found connecting to the router?
Also I would get the bridged unit as close to the school as possible to get it to connect so hardware [antennas\] are not an issue. Nothing worse than a hardware problem when trying to set something up in software.
Best of luck and if you were close I would gladly help out in person. I work for coffee!
Tom
thanks tom,
i quit using computers several years ago,am not into networking to the point that i can set this up without detailed instructions. i have no problem dealing with a simple network card or router. i have never done a wireless bridge before. that is where i am lost......i am very conversant with winders XP and older, have some expereince with win 7...hate it.....zip nada with Mac OS anything....2 plus years ipad.....ok with unix....ok with sunOS...sunsparc.....done linux....cpm....real time......my weakness is complicated networking.
i need to find that article about this mode that someone on this forum pointed me at and download and print it so i can step by step it. i read the complete article but could not save it on ipad
i will reread all the threads and find that article before i attempt it again
thanx...dave
TomW
the Mac was hung up on the 10BaseT connector being connected and wouln not log into accsess point on wifi,
i understand that the first router must be set up first....it details on bridge mode im lacking...not finding that mode
david
TD, to save what is left f your hair, look at my sig line.... I got a wireless bridge to use for connection to my router,, no messin about with setup etc... sorry I can not see my sig till I post this ... it will be very compatible as it is a Linksys, paid ~ $10 shipped...
ADD: Linksys Wet54g Bridge
I don't know how to link those routers as a bridge with standard default Linksys firmware. I know how to do that if you flash it with alternative DDWRT firmware.
With DDWRT you make one router a Client ( like what is in a laptop) and connect to the other router which is in Access Point mode - it will be a bridge then. I have this setup with a external antenna and it is very stable and never drops the link.
But not sure if possible or how you do it with standard Linksys firmware.
Larry
I believe you just disable DHCP mode for it to act as bridge.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJx8Q8fgOo
Or
http://www.linksysinfo.org/index.php?threads/step-by-step-guide-to-setup-a-wrt54g-in-client-bridge-mode.2336/
Larry & RH,
truly appreciate the help, Ive been focusing on a heath issue which is taking all my energy......it did dawn on me that a router that has no restrictions will act as bridge.
i did watch the u-tube video. i will have my winXP game box back together and do setup from there, Ive read docs on dd-wrt and will download correct ver for this.
i have WRT54GL ver 1.1 not sure but maybe its 4 Gb flash. Will read up some more.
dave
Wish I could get my hands on your routers - then I could have them set up in short order. I have to tell you though that when I started tinkering with this networking stuff a few years back none of it made any sense and it is only recently that I am starting to wrap my head around how all this IP stuff works . Still just scratching at the surface too !
Let us know if you need any other help.
Larry