We need long range outdoor WiFi for a public Internet service

WiFi is a network technology that was developed to connect computers and mobile devices to a computer network inside a building. The home WiFi Internet router and office wireless access point are common examples of WiFi technology.

WiFi has been adapted for outdoor use out of necessity. There are many public Internet applications that require the use of WiFi in an outdoor environment. Some examples are listed below.

• Internet service for a rural community using WiFi.
• A RV or caravan park that provides WiFi Internet for guests.
• A campground provides WiFi Internet for campers.
• A public park with WiFi for visitors.
• Etc.

There are two types of users of outdoor WiFi Internet services.

• People on vacation, the vacation location may have limited or no 5G service, or visitors are from other countries and so do not have access to a 5G service. Vacationers want to maintain contact with friends and family, and also upload vacation photos to social media.
• Residents of a community, especially rural villages in remote areas or developing areas of the world that have no access to affordable communications services. Satellite Internet services are available that work anywhere in the world where they have been approved for use, however the cost is much greater than rural residents can afford. A WiFi service that shares a satellite connection with a community is an affordable method of providing Internet access for many people. 

Equipment for an outdoor public WiFi Internet service

The installation of an outdoor WiFi service requires three items of equipment

• A point to multipoint outdoor wireless access point, this product combines a wireless transmitter and receiver with a suitable antenna, the equipment can be two items connected with cables, or one integrated enclosure.
• A controller that manages public access to the Internet; a common procedure for public internet is to give vouchers with access codes that set limits on the use of the Internet service.
• An internet connection via a router; this can be one of several technologies, cable, satellite, or wireless. It is important that the Internet connection has a fast data speed to permit a group of people to connect to the Internet.

People can connect mobile devices to the wireless access point antenna over short distances. Homes can be connected to the central antenna over much longer distances when the home has wireless equipment installed, a radio receiver and antenna on the roof and a wireless router in the home.

The next diagram illustrates the equipment required to provide an outdoor public Internet WiFi service.

Limiting factors for the WiFi range

WiFi is a wireless data connection between two points. The weakest wireless unit determines the maximum distance between the two points. The weakest wireless unit means that the transmit power is low and the receiver sensitivity is poor. A strong wireless unit has a high transmission power and high receiver sensitivity.

WiFi products have limits imposed on them. A WiFi product can only be sold in the USA after being certified by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).  Each country has a government department that sets rules for wireless communications. The FCC regulations do not specify what the receiver sensitivity should be. However The FCC does specify the maximum transmission power for a WiFi unit that must not be exceeded. Indoor WiFi units are generally operate about one tenth of the maximum allowed transmission power so that the unit does not cause interference with other WiFi devices. Outdoor WiFi devices generally operate with the maximum transmission power permitted by the FCC. In technical terms the maximum WiFi transmission power permitted in the USA is +36dBm. Most other countries have a lower maximum transmission WiFi power limit. 

The most important factor for the range of the WiFi transmission is the type of antenna connected to the point to multipoint wireless unit. For example a directional antenna has a longer range than an omni-directional antenna for the same wireless power.

The WiFi range to a mobile device depends on the mobile device, not on the central point to multipoint antenna. An outdoor wireless access point antenna can radiate the WiFi signal over several Km. However a mobile device has a limited power and a basic antenna. The range from a central point to multipoint antenna is usually less than 100m to a mobile device. The range to a home with a receiver on the roof that has a directional antenna may be greater than 1 Km.

The distance between the central antenna and the mobile device or home must have line of sight. Any obstruction, such as a tree or building in the path, will block the WiFi signal.

WiFi point-to-multipoint antenna technology

When choosing a wireless access point for a Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) setup, the most important factors are the antenna gain and coverage pattern. The antenna affects how far the signal travels and the area of coverage.

There are two main types of antennas:

• Omni-directional: Sends signal in all directions.
• Directional: Focuses signal in a specific direction.

Many outdoor WiFi Internet installations have omni-directional antennas installed for the reason that they are low cost and easy to install. Omni-directional antennas radiate in all directions and the signal strength is spread over a large area and is therefore weaker at longer distances. 

Directional antennas are a better choice because they focus the signal where users are located—just like mobile phone towers do.

Antenna gain (measured in dB) describes how well the antenna focuses energy in one direction. It does not boost power like an amplifier. Instead, it concentrates the signal, allowing it to travel farther in a specific direction.

The total signal strength, called Effective Radiated Power (ERP), is calculated by combining the radio’s output power (in dBm) with the antenna gain (in dBi). In the U.S., ERP must not exceed +36 dBm. Always check local regulations for limits in your area.

Using directional antennas provides two key benefits:

• Aim the WiFi coverage exactly where the users are.
• The WiFi can reach longer distances with a stronger signal in the direction that the antenna is pointing.

Most modern systems use MIMO technology, which uses multiple antennas to improve speed and reliability. This is common in WiFi and cellular technologies like 4G LTE.

Economical outdoor WiFi with an omni-directional antenna

An omni-directional antenna sends signal in all directions (360°). It is popular for WiFi installations where devices are located around the WiFi antenna. With omni-directional antennas the signal radiates 360 degrees around the antenna, which limits performance in point-to-multipoint (PtMP) networks. The strongest signal is sent outward from the sides of the antenna, forming a shape similar to a “doughnut,” with most of the energy traveling towards the horizon. As antenna gain increases, this signal becomes more focused.

Omni-directional antenna RF radiation pattern.

In real-world environments, obstacles like buildings, trees, and terrain can block or absorb the signal—especially at common WiFi frequencies like 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz. This further reduces coverage and reliability. 

Omni-directional antenna RF radiation profile.

Because omni antennas broadcast 360 degrees around the antenna, much of the signal is wasted in areas where there are no users. The advantage of omni-directional antennas is that they are less expensive than better-performing alternatives. For public WiFi Internet applications, directional antennas are usually a better choice because they focus the signal where customers are located, improving both coverage and efficiency.

Omni-directional antenna radiation field strength.

Technology to extend the range

It is possible to extend the outdoor WiFi range of an omni-directional antenna by a factor of three times, however the cost to get the extended range is about 10 times higher than the omni-directional antenna installation. The additional range is achieved with the following equipment.

• Replace one omni-directional antenna and radio with three directional sector antennas and three radios. Each sector antenna covers an arc of 120 degrees, three antennas cover an arc of 360 degrees.
• A tall antenna tower is necessary with the antennas installed at the top so that they are visible at a greater distance.

Sector antenna configuration to extend the WiFi range

A sector antenna is a great choice for Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) wireless networks. It is widely used on mobile phone towers because it provides strong, focused coverage. Unlike omni antennas, a sector antenna covers a specific area instead of radiating in all directions. Common coverage angles are 90°, 120°, and 180°. To cover a full 360° area, multiple sector antennas are used—for example, three 120° antennas on a tower.

Sector antenna directional RF radiation pattern.

Sector antenna directional RF radiation profile.

Sector antennas are designed to focus the signal, which improves both range and performance. They usually have higher gain (about 10 to 20 dBi), allowing signals to travel farther with better strength. Their vertical coverage is narrow, so they work best when mounted high, with a clear line-of-sight to users. These antennas are also tilted downward to aim the signal directly at the coverage area, improving efficiency and reducing wasted signal. This is shown in the figure.

Sector directional antenna radiation field strength.

While sector antennas offer good RF radiation performance, they are typically more expensive and require separate radio equipment and cables. High-performance systems can support dual-band operation (2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz) and deliver high data speeds. For public WiFi Internet, sector antennas provide a reliable way to cover large areas with strong, targeted signals.

The next figure shows three 120degree sector antennas installed on a tower. The left figure is a photo of the installation. The right figure is a top view of the wireless radiation.

Three 120-degree sector antennas mounted on a tower, side and top view.

WiFi equipment with sector antennas

Several companies manufacture sector antennas with radio products for WiFi installations. These products are designed for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP’s) however they can be installed by any business that provides WiFi Internet over a large area. Ubiquiti manufactures one of the more economical configurations of a sector antenna with suitable radio (https://uisp.com/wireless).

The sector antennas have to be installed on a tower so that the antennas are above obstacles such as buildings or trees. Each sector antenna is also tilted down by 5 degrees so that the radio energy is pointing towards the area where people will be connecting to the service.

For community public WiFi Internet applications the users will connect to the service with mobile devices. The central antenna configuration operates on 2.4 GHz as all mobile devices, including older products, have WiFi at this frequency. Newer mobile devices can also operate at 5.8GHz. 

Ubiquiti also manufacturers 5.8GHz sector antennas and radios which provide excellent performance when connecting homes to the central antenna via a CPE radio on the home roof.

A Ubiquiti 2.4GHz radio and sector antenna are shown in the next figure. 

The biggest installation cost for a sector antenna configuration is the cost of building a tower, which requires a foundation that will support the tower height. The Rohn Company manufactures suitable towers for sector antenna installations (https://rohnnet.com/).

An access controller is required when providing a public Internet service

When sharing an Internet service with members of a community it is essential to put restrictions regarding how community members access the Internet service. If there is no control then eventually the ISP will terminate the service due to one or more abuses of the service. Abuses include sharing copyright files and exceeding monthly data limits.

The Guest Internet controller is frequently used to manage the Internet service for members of the community. There are several Guest Internet controllers, which are chosen according to the data speed of the Internet service.

The Guest Internet controller is a system that included a hardware device that is installed in the community network, as shown in the next diagram, and also a cloud management service where one cloud account is used to manage an unlimited number of controllers.

The Guest Internet access controller installation.

The basic features of the Guest Internet controller are listed below

• A login page (captive portal) that can be customized.
• Access codes are given to people who want to use the service.
• Print access codes onto customized vouchers for sale to users.
• Charge online for the use of the Internet service.
• Prevent a user who logs into the service from sharing with others.
• Block copyright file sharing methods.
• Prevent a computer with a virus from connecting to the public service.
• Log all users of the service.
• Monitor all parts of the system for failure; issue an alert if a failure occurs.
• When installing the service at multiple locations permit roaming between locations.
• Remotely monitor and manage the service via the cloud.

The Guest Internet controller and cloud have many other features. A comprehensive list of features can be obtained from Guest Internet on request.

 

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Guest Internet makes the best products for community WiFi, please contact:

support@guest-internet.com