![]() Configuring multiple devices to use the same Wi-Fi band and channel as the bridge APs do will have a severe impact on the point-to-point link quality. ![]() If you're using the injector, the "Data" port can be plugged into a single device directly or plugged into a switch to feed a whole network.Īlthough TP-Link's bridges support connecting client devices-e.g., laptops, phones, and tablets-to them directly, I don't recommend doing so. You use either a PoE switch or the included injector to power and feed the access point. On the remote side, things work just the same. If you don't have a PoE switch, you can just use the PoE injector included with the CPE210/CPE510 instead-the injector has one AC power plug, one "Data" Ethernet port that you plug into your network, and one Power + Data Ethernet port that goes to the AP. If you have a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch already, you can use it to feed your AP just like you would a camera or other device. That single interface provides the access point with both power and data. These simple point-to-point APs only have one port on them: a 100Mbps Ethernet interface, hidden behind a weather-resistant access panel. But in addition to some added cost, the CPE710 will require more effort to properly mount due to its physical complexity. I did not have the chance to test that particular device, but it features 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) and a gigabit interface-if you need more than 100Mbps, it may be worth considering. TP-Link also offers a newer, fancier point-to-point AP. People in densely packed suburban areas may want to choose 5 GHz instead, specifically for its lower range and penetration-especially if other neighbors' houses are directly in line with the bridge being created. Most people in rural areas should use 2.4 GHz for its greater range and penetration. That means anything more than 100Mbps is effectively wasted. When it comes to this and many other cheap Wi-Fi bridges, the limiting factor usually isn't the Wi-Fi anyway-it's the wired Ethernet interface.īoth CPE210 and CPE510 have Fast Ethernet (100Mbps) wired interfaces, not gigabit. These are important factors if you need to punch through several walls or a small patch of woods. And while it's tempting to think, "Oh, 5 GHz will be faster," that's rarely going to be the case.Īlthough 5 GHz Wi-Fi is technically capable of higher throughput than 2.4 GHz, it offers less range and penetration. You can purchase either a 2.4 GHz version or a 5 GHz version. These two TP-Link kits-and many competing directional Wi-Fi bridges-run on the older 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) protocol and use a single radio only. On the barn side, I just set the Client down on a utility shelf-and I deliberately aimed it a few degrees off-center from the unit in the house. Instead of mounting the house's Access Point device to the roofline, I zip-tied it to a "cat tree" in the living room and aimed it loosely at the barn through a picture window. I've deliberately kept things as sloppy and simple here as I could. But for shorter distances, you can get a whole lot sloppier. If you're trying to bridge a distance of several kilometers, this guidance is pretty reasonable. Phrases like "professional installation only," "tower mount," and "completely clear line of sight" crop up frequently. The marketing and documentation on these and other point-to-point kits is aimed squarely at professional installers, not homeowners. In fact, you can even enjoy more-than-acceptable results in the end. Instead, we're simply out to demonstrate that wirelessly connecting two buildings quickly, cheaply, and easily is possible for anyone. Our goal in this exercise is not to geek out as hard as possible by mounting and aiming everything with millimeter precision. ![]() And that made it an excellent test candidate for a little DIY networking experiment. Said tractor lives in a barn about 80 meters from the house, much of which is a moderately wooded grove. Their place is beautiful, but it's the kind of home where a riding lawn mower is optional-a tractor with a bush hog is a necessity. The good news is, with the right gear, you can connect your home to an outbuilding without either professional expertise or a ditch witch and a spool of burial-grade cable.Īlthough the Salter household (current generation) is planted firmly in suburbia, my parents stayed rural when they moved closer to their grandkids. This is a job that shouldn't involve range extenders or rely on standard Wi-Fi mesh pieces. The secret lies mostly in knowing the right tools for the job. Extending your Wi-Fi properly from one building to another is, unfortunately, a bit of a secret art-but it doesn't need to be either difficult or expensive.
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