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If there an outdoor plug and play Mesh WiFi solution?

Posted on 2/2/21 at 1:41 pm
Posted by DeoreDX
Member since Oct 2010
4053 posts
Posted on 2/2/21 at 1:41 pm
The problem. Router/WiFi in the lake house at the top of the hill. Dock is about 300 feet away from the main house. You can detect the WiFi there but connection is pretty spotty and not very reliable. Would like a more reliable signal down there. Boat slips have a cover but it is not a weather tight area. Like a sideless pole barn over the water.

130 yards from the house is the shop/shed. Get good signal while outside of the shed but metal building blocks signal so it's not reliable while inside.

I've used/installed a Google Mesh network and a Velop network before. I enjoyed how they were just simply plug in and start using. I'm not completely computer illiterate but the less work I have to do the better. Is there something like that but can be installed outside in the elements? Ideally I install one on the outside of the shop and one at the dock. and they mesh together with a router or node inside the house. All the Mesh routers I've seen look like they are designed for in home use and no real outdoor solutions except for enterprise level solutions which look advanced and maybe out of my wheelhouse to setup and install.

If there are no outdoor Mesh devices perhaps an outdoor range extender could be installed at the shed and it should do a better job at reaching the dock.
Posted by Broken Coyote
Seated. Facing forward
Member since Dec 2010
3050 posts
Posted on 2/2/21 at 2:05 pm to
Netgear Orbi makes an outdoor Wi-Fi point for the Orbi system. Haven’t used it and it’s expensive, but it’s a solution if you need an outdoor Wi-Fi point.
Posted by mchias1
Member since Dec 2009
801 posts
Posted on 2/2/21 at 2:31 pm to
Do you AC power on the dock?
Posted by DeoreDX
Member since Oct 2010
4053 posts
Posted on 2/2/21 at 2:36 pm to
quote:

Do you AC power on the dock?


Yes
Posted by Geauxkart
Member since Jun 2013
82 posts
Posted on 2/3/21 at 7:09 am to
I have the outdoor Orbi to relay wifi to my shop. Works great!
Posted by Korkstand
Member since Nov 2003
28703 posts
Posted on 2/3/21 at 8:28 am to
quote:

Router/WiFi in the lake house at the top of the hill. Dock is about 300 feet away from the main house.
...
130 yards from the house is the shop/shed.

How's the layout? Are the dock and shop in roughly the same direction, opposite, or 90 degrees with the house?

The outdoor Orbi's might work, but if I'm thinking right then you'll need at least 3 units and I think that'll cost you a cool $1k+, plus you might need additional hardware to get from outside to inside the metal shop.
quote:

enterprise level solutions which look advanced and maybe out of my wheelhouse to setup and install.
Companies like Ubiquiti and Mikrotik make pretty cheap "enterprise" level gear. Yeah they take a little knowledge to get them set up, but you might be able to cover the cost of equipment and pay someone to install for less than or equal to the cost of an Orbi setup. Call around your local low voltage / security / surveillance camera outfits and get some quotes.
Posted by Lonnie Utah
Utah!
Member since Jul 2012
23852 posts
Posted on 2/3/21 at 9:06 am to
What kind of router do you have?

You can always take one of the small antenna's off you router and add an external/outdoor directional 2.4/5 GHz wifi antenna via a coaxial cable. Simply aim it at the dock. If needed you could put a mesh access point on one of the poles on the dock encased in a IP67 water proof box.

Not exactly what you're asking for, but it would work.
This post was edited on 2/3/21 at 9:09 am
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