Can a wireless bridge be used for multiple connections

... or stated otherwise, can a network support more than one wireless bridge?

Hello everyone.  I'm brand new to this site and have very limited experience with networks.  My property is in a rural location and has two outbuildings - an ADU and a shop.  I'm looking to extend wifi service to both.  I've tried repeaters and mesh systems, but neither reach with a sufficient signal.  Running a cable is also not an option. The ADU is 200 ft from the home and the shop is around 250 ft away.  Unfortunately, they're not in the same direction (the angle between the two from the house is approximately 120 degrees).

I've read up a little on wireless bridges and this seems like a solution for one of the two destinations.  I just can't seem to find anything referencing sending signals in two different directions.  Does anyone know if this can be done, what equipment is necessary, and would it require any special configuration?

A little more information:

* LIne-of-site to both outbuildings is unencumbered.

* I would need sufficient bandwidth to stream video at both locations.

* Budget wise, I'm willing to spend what is necessary to have a reliable set-up, up to maybe $2000 at the extreme.

* Being a rural property, I have very few options in the way of internet providers.  At the moment I'm using a line-of-site provider.  Fortunately that is also unencumbered and consistent as I can see their transmitter around a mile away.  I only get 15 Mbps, but there are faster packages available from them and I'm also not adverse to switching to StarLink if needed.

Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Edited by stavo, 28 August 2023 - 07:49 PM.

Can the transmitter be seen from the outbuildings?

Rather than try and link them to the house service then why not get them their own service from the transmitter?
OK it's an ongoing cost, but may be the easier. better, solution.

Can the transmitter be seen from the outbuildings?

 

Rather than try and link them to the house service then why not get them their own service from the transmitter?
OK it's an ongoing cost, but may be the easier. better, solution.

Sure, that's an option and has always been my fallback if all else fails, but I'd rather have a one time cost than pay extra for perpetuity. 

What brand/model gear are you currently using?

Do your individual mesh units have (external) antenna jacks?

When you tested for range between the two buildings, did you have the 2.4GHz radios enabled, as those will get you better range than the 5 GHz radio.

What I would suggest here is:

1. Something with a solid chipset that handles a signal well

and

2. External antenna jacks, so you can replace the cheap junky stock antennas with decent ones.

Do you have a spare router sitting around, at least with an external antenna? If so, there is free open source firmware replacements that might support it. I use FreshTomato, but there is DD-WRT and Merlin and more. I know the first two allow you to switch your router into Wireless Bridge mode, or even use it like a client adapter (Wireless client mode) but with much more power.

You could buy a couple of bridges, but it would be much much cheaper to experiment with a good router with external antenna jack(s).

I use Asus models running FreshTomato and they work great for such things.

If you do decide to fork out the money for bridges instead, this is a good article

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/08/point-to-point-wi-fi-bridging-between-buildings-the-cheap-and-easy-way/

Ars Technica is a highly reputed website with a lot of great writers/technologists.

What brand/model gear are you currently using?

 

Do your individual mesh units have (external) antenna jacks?

 

When you tested for range between the two buildings, did you have the 2.4GHz radios enabled, as those will get you better range than the 5 GHz radio.

 

What I would suggest here is:

 

1. Something with a solid chipset that handles a signal well

and

2. External antenna jacks, so you can replace the cheap junky stock antennas with decent ones.

 

Do you have a spare router sitting around, at least with an external antenna? If so, there is free open source firmware replacements that might support it. I use FreshTomato, but there is DD-WRT and Merlin and more. I know the first two allow you to switch your router into Wireless Bridge mode, or even use it like a client adapter (Wireless client mode) but with much more power.

 

You could buy a couple of bridges, but it would be much much cheaper to experiment with a good router with external antenna jack(s).

I use Asus models running FreshTomato and they work great for such things.

 

If you do decide to fork out the money for bridges instead, this is a good article

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/08/point-to-point-wi-fi-bridging-between-buildings-the-cheap-and-easy-way/

 

Ars Technica is a highly reputed website with a lot of great writers/technologists.

I'm currently using a Nighthawk router, but I'm away for a couple days and don't know the model offhand.  The mesh units have been returned so I no longer have them.  Not sure about external antenna jacks.  Lastly, yes I had tested them at 2.4GHz.

The product in the article you linked is exactly what I'm looking for, and I don't mind the one-time cost.  Reading the article reinforces for me that this would be an ideal solution.

However, it still doesn't answer my original question.  Can I have two of these going at the same time, directed in different directions?  Now I'm wondering if the answer is that one has to be set at 2.4 and the other at 5.

If you have a base station with an antenna that can cover both clients (outbuildings) then yes

This base station will cover 360 degrees. It needs line of sight to both outbuildings, preferably not near any metal roofs
https://mikrotik.com/product/rbomnitikg_5hacd

Then use this as a client on the outbuildings
https://mikrotik.com/product/sxtsq_5_ac

If you are a client of a wireless ISP they could probably also set up a solution for you. Just be sure that you are not breaking any of their policies like sharing with other people stealing a subscription from them


If you have 100% free line of sight to the buildings you could also go for a 60GHz solution. These can be finicky with multiple clients so then i would use a separate link for each building.
Your wireless ISP will also like if you go with 60GHz because it doesnt interfere with their systems as much

Examples here are kits of these:
https://mikrotik.com/product/cube_60pro_ac

Or these:
https://eu.store.ui.com/eu/en/collections/unifi-wifi-building-bridge-gigabit

Both of them have a 5GHz backup radio so if heavy rain takes down the 60GHz link the 5GHz will provide connection

I will suggest you get them installed and set up by someone who knows what they are doing. So easy to do things that are not wise, eg lightning protection, cable runs etc

Hth

tfn