Wireless connection between points using a bridge technology
Wireless connection between points using a bridge technology
I considered two poles, one on each structure to clear the tree height, but given their size a larger opening would be necessary, rendering my initial plan less practical. Mounting it to a tree is possible if you can shield the cable with a pipe and have the right tools for safe installation. A POE injector seems more suitable, as he likely uses it only for APs at each end, and a POE switch could be costly. POE is clearly the better option.
Also regarding POE, verify whether the AP you receive contains an injector; if not, you must locate one that matches the appropriate standard and voltage.
I need to caution folks against attempting this DIY approach. I invested years using this method, but the results were consistently poor in performance and dependability. Even with a Yagi antenna outside and one end inside, connectivity was hindered by obstacles like tree branches and windows or walls. The biggest issue was the lack of a stable 5GHz signal, which worsened as interference became more pronounced. I transitioned to Ubiquiti LiteBeam 5AC 23 units at both locations (still with one end inside a thick double wall). While speeds varied, it proved much more stable, maintaining at least 50Mbit without significant drops. If I had installed both units outdoors, I’d likely achieve 200Mbit or higher.
When the range requires a directional antenna, you must install one at each end. Having just one won’t work well.
The distance was very short, a Yagi shouldn't really have been necessary (in fact prior to it, I had run the link with just a router either side, but this got less reliable as crosstalk increased). As I recall I tried with two and it didn't make a massive difference surprisingly, presumably as the signal was being scattered anyway so it was pure luck that I got any reception. OpenWRT is just not optimised for outdoor use, heck WiFi itself isn't, which is why Ubiquiti use their own protocol. But the default opinion of everyone when you ask is, you can't do WiFi through trees, because there are no guarantees it will work.