Ethernet bridge or other device for internet access?

[Sunburner]

I have a 12kW rooftop array with 2 SMA 5.0 inverters on a barn about 1,000 feet from my router and am looking for the easiest way to provide internet access to connect to Sunny Portal. I have tried an EZ-Bridge 2.4 Ghz kit but returned it after much struggling with configuration, elusive IP addresses, etc, only to be told it was not compatible with Mac OSx. There are numerous other brands and models out there and I'm looking for feedback from someone who has successfully used an ethernet point-to-point bridge for similar purposes using Mac.

This barn is on a separate meter from the router so power line adapters won't work. (I used them on my other, 10 kW array and they work great). I do have a telephone line at this barn, set up as an extension of my home phone. Has anyone used devices like power line adapters which use phone lines? Distance by phone line is probably a mile through the phone grid. I can of course set up another DSL modem in the barn but then I'm subject to another $70/month connection fee, which is not an option for me.

Advice from anyone using such connections is appreciated.

[foo1bar]

I'm looking for feedback from someone who has successfully used an ethernet point-to-point bridge for similar purposes using Mac.

I've used Linksys routers for making a bridge within my house.
I use WIndows - but I think everything for the setup was via a web interface, so don't see why it wouldn't work for Mac.

I think Apple does have "Airport Extreme" products (or whatever they're calling it now) that can do bridge mode.

[Syberdog]

I think 1000 feet is a stretch for signal strength, may have to come up with some kind of booster antenna, especially if there are walls or trees in the way. You will probably need 3 bars strength min..
I used two Netgear WNDR3400 wireless/lan routers to bridge between my garage and my LAN. As I recall I had to set one up as the base station receiver then the other as the repeater and it could only talk to the base (hard coded by MAC). I have about a dozen routers (picked them all up at the dump recycle bin, and they all work fine, albeit some with outdated b/g tech).
I'm not sure that all routers have the optional bridge feature and it is tricky to setup as you have to pair it with another router. Lookup DDWRT and see if you have a router that you can flash the OS with that.and it might give you some extras- but only do it with a disposable unit as you may end up with a brick instead.
I'm about to do it again as I ran my cat5 to the nearest point of the house and there is no network in that bedroom so I will setup a wireless bridge to my main router 4 walls away.

[Sunburner]

Thanks for the responses. Ethernet bridges typically transmit up to 5 miles + but only with a clear line of sight. My understanding is that 2.4 gHz or even 900 Ghz models are more forgiving of some obstructions than 5 gHz.

I do not need a router on the receiving end, just an ethernet hookup directly to my inverters. True, the SMA web interface doesn't care if I use Mac or PC but the bridge configurations require access through IP addresses to configure them. The EZ-Bridge I tried only works with PC, a point they neglected to mention in the manual.

Still looking for someone with personal experience with outdoor, long distance ethernet bridges, or other ways to extend wireless signals up to 1,000 feet with Mac platform.

Tanks again.

[bcroe]

Keep in mind, a better antenna on one or both ends will have a huge impact on range
and bad weather performance. Starting from a simple mast, you can go to a Yagi, to
a dish of some size. And lower frequencies ought to have less weather impact. Bruce Roe

[Mike90250]

Alpha makes some high power gear

[tyab]

If you have line of sight - then take a look at the Ubiquiti Litebeam AC23 (now called GEN2) units. I have two of them about 400' apart with *barely* line of sight and I get on average over 400 Mbps both send/receive between the two units. Rain does not affect them much at all (at least the rain I have had since installing them).They are working in bridge mode and have a single gigabit Ethernet connector that also provides PoE power. As long as you take the time to carefully align them to point right at each other, they will give excellent results for the short distance you need - 1000' is short range for these units. They are $59 each, and you will need something like J poles to attach them to. On the Ubiquiti forums, many folks are using these for multi miles links. Note that these are Point To Point units and thus you need at least two.

https://www.ubnt.com/airmax/litebeam-ac-gen2/

(home unit) https://www.flickr.com/gp/149650329@N03/h9Ufwk

(solar site unit) https://www.flickr.com/gp/149650329@N03/Wmo4pA

[Sunburner]

Thanks Tyab. That's just the info I needed. I've been looking at the Ubiquiti products and have posted on their forum but the product line is a bit confusing. I think I saw the Litebeams in 2.4 gHz versions? I don't yet know if mounting on my 40' mast will give a clear LoS but for my next step I plan to mount a light on top of the mast then go to the roof of my house at night and see.

Thanks Bruce and Mike90250. I'll also look at Yagi and Alpha.

[tyab]

Even if you have trees in the way so you can't see - its more of no hills in the way kind of thing. My home unit is about 23' off the ground, and the solar unit is about 8' off the ground and I have a lot of trees in my path - big oaks and some pines - and its going over rock drop-off so I don't get the full vertical beam - I get about 1/2 of it and it still works great. Trees are not much of an issue but I have seen in very strong winds and medium rain the bandwidth bounce around by about 150 Mbps as the system auto switches between 8x8 waveform and 6x6 waveform. I'm running the full 80 MHz channel width to get the high speeds - no issues here with interference where I live. What is really impressive is that my home 5gig network has no interference with these units - they have amazing rejection of off-axis sources. The Ubiquiti monitoring software is rather impressive in the amount of information in real time it provides. Oh and the current model number is LBE‑5AC‑Gen2 - I'm running the first generation units from January of this year.

[wienerdog]

Two of the Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco M5 should be able to do it. I can go over 500 feet shooting from the house through a window and down to the back corner of the property and it doesn't even point down that way. Also one good size tree that direction I just use one for wifi coverage over the whole property so I can listen to music while mowing on the phone. Even on the back side of it back into the house it penetrates multiple walls no problem. I have had mine running for over 3 years and have not need to touch it.

Actually just checked my amazon order I have the M2. Put it in August 2013.

[Sunburner]

Thanks tyab and wienerdog for the encouraging information.

Last evening I set up my test with a spotlight mounted on top of my 40' mast at my array and then climbed onto the roof at the house 1,000' away and could glimpse the light through the trees. It definitely doesn't clear the tree tops for a clear LoS but based on your feedback it sounds like it won't be an issue.

I'll order a pair of LBE‑5AC‑Gen2 today and see how they work. I'll report back with results.

Thanks!

[wienerdog]

For the price you can't go wrong with Ubiquiti products.

[Sunburner]

Amen. Half the cost of the EZ-Bridge I returned.

Do you know if the PoEs have ethernet surge protection?

[tyab]

Here is what I did. When my home was built, I had unshielded CAT6 put in everywhere all going to a 24 port giga switch. So the game room which is the closest room to where I installed the house Uniquiti would become where I would tap into my network - but I only had a single CAT6 in that room. First I put a Tripp Lite IsoBar on the wall, and a cheepo 5 port switch so the computer on that branch would still have its network. Then I ran unshielded CAT 6 from the cheepo switch to the Ubiquiti PoE injector (it is plugged into the IsoBar) - that cheepo switch is not shielded). From the PoE injector I ran shielded CAT 6 into the attic and to the outside. There it hooks up to a Ubiquiti Ethernet surge protector ($15?). And from that surge protector a short run of shielded cat6 into the LiteBeam. The Ethernet surge protector (as well as the J-Pole and the LiteBeam) are all tied together with #6 and that #6 runs all the way to the service entrance ground electrode at the same place the telco ground bonds to.

https://www.ubnt.com/accessories/ethernet-surge-protector/

Here is a long blog post wrote about this: https://solargroundmount.blogspot.co...?view=magazine

Ubiquiti claims that the LiteBeam has decent surge protection, but figured one of those low cost surge protectors on the Ethernet would not hurt - might be a waste of $15 bucks but it made me feel better

Setting them up was not bad but helps if you understand IP networking. Here is how I set them up. Mine were the first gen units so they did not have the 2.4G radio used for installation.

First I power up a unit and connected its ethernet to a laptop. Had the laptop refresh its IP and then it was able to talk to the LiteBeam on 192.168.1.20. Changed it to use DHCP, changed the unit name, put it into bridge PtP mode, made it the Access Point and then disconnected and did the same thing to the other unit (different name) but made that a client PtP mode. Then I put the AP unit on my network, the other one connected to the laptop. Refreshed the IP for the laptop and now it was on my network. Then I went into my router and assigned each of the LiteBeams a dedicated address on my subnet so they always had the same address. Rebooted both, laptop still had network and I was able to connect to each LiteBeam via the dedicated address. Then I went into each unit and changed to 80MHz bandwidth and played with a few more settings. With everything working - I shut them down and they sat in a corner of my office for a few months until I had time to hook them up outside.

Side note - we had 1" of rain overnight on Sunday - and during the rain I logged into the LiteBeam and it was communicating right along - it did have to drop to 4x4 waveform at times but never dropped communication. I can't tell you how happy I am with these units - they just work.

[Sunburner]

Thanks tyab. The Gen2 manual says there is both a mobile app and a web portal for configuring the units. It looks like this will allow me to make the changes you mention.

My units should arrive on Monday and I'll give it a try.

Thanks too for clarifying about the surge protectors.