How can I use one dsl modem over two buildings?

Question

At home we have two buildings, the house, and a pool house. I would like to have network/internet access at the pool house, however, it is approximately 500 feet away.

The main house has a DSL modem (on line 1) and router. The signal strength becomes too weak running a wire up to the pool house, and I don't think wireless would be strong enough either, alternatively, getting a second dsl modem on the second line is'nt worth the cost. Are there any other alternatives I have? How could wireless be extended all they way up there?

Thanks

Answer 1

The rated distance for ethernet Cat5 cable is 300 meters.  That is over 900'.  What kind of 'wire' was being used from the router to the pool house?   A wired connection would be the most optimal way to use your broadband signal.

See link 1 for reference to optimizing signal strength.

If it was my situation(and the cat5 cable didn't work), I would run Cat5 ethernet from the router out to about 350-400' and install an antenna on a post with direct line-of-sight to the pool house.  This would give you a working wireless conection at the pool

Answer 2

Wireless.

Use a 9db to 15db gain antenna at the pool house.

Answer 3

As the first poster said, you could put up the repeaters. And while a Cat5/Cat6 Ethernet cable will work up to 300 meters like the poster before me stated, the signal quality decreases dramatically after 100 meters.

The best way to send a signal from building to building is via fiber optic cable but that involves purchasing routers and switches with a fiber uplink and running the fiber cable underground so that seems to be out of the question.

An alternative would be to get an external wireless access point and connect it to an Ethernet jack in the wall and run it to the exterior of your house facing the pool house. Standard commercial access points such as a Linksys wireless router can reach up to 300 feet with a decent signal and 500 with a workable signal but if you feel that is not enough, there are industrial strength access points that can easily reach 500 feet. Look into Cisco or Aruba wireless equipment for more information on these.

Answer 4

A WiFi Repeater or Extender. It takes the signal and rebroadcasts it.

See the link below for an example.