It's a common request in our area. Our approach: If < 300 Ft and the customer has or will bury a conduit, we will run a cat5 to a mesh AP in the outbuilding. If > 300 ft, we usually suggest a second service, or they can figure it out on their own. We just got a couple different outdoor mesh AP units from Calix, need to test but I expect we will offer these as a monthly charge add-on like we do with Mesh APs, just a higher cost. If the outdoor Mesh APs work well, I could see doing that instead of the cat5 option as there are maintenance concerns with that.
On Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM Steve Jones <[email protected]> wrote: > > Yeah, I had to use a dlink firmware updater to update the tplink. > The comtrend one has wifi remote end, but only gast Ethernet > > > On Mon, Nov 17, 2025, 4:51 PM Ken Hohhof <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I’ve used the TP-Link ones within a building and out to a construction >> trailer fed from the main building panel and they worked fine. I like the >> kits with the WiFi built into the far end. I’ve not had good luck going >> between different buildings on a farm or even to a garage or in one case a >> “she shed”. >> >> >> >> DLink is dead to me ever since they sold a bunch of routers with huge >> security vulnerabilities and refused to even do firmware fixes. I’m talking >> stuff like uPNP open on the WAN side. A Google search will show I’m not the >> only one with this opinion. >> >> >> >> The two main chipmakers for Homeplug AV2 are Qualcomm and Broadcom. So >> there shouldn’t be a huge difference in performance between equipment >> brands, I would expect the differences to be more in packaging, features and >> price. Unless one chipset is significantly superior to the other. >> >> >> >> From: AF <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Chuck >> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2025 4:34 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Cc: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] FTTH and outbuildings >> >> >> >> They send the signal on the neutral. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> >> >> On Nov 17, 2025, at 2:09 PM, Bill Prince <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> I have had good experiences with D-Link and Netgear powerline adapters. >> We've had our TV on a powerline adapter (D-Link) for several years because I >> was too lazy to run another drop behind the TV. >> >> The difficult thing to get across is that (1) outlets on different subpanels >> will probably not connect, and (2) that the distance measured is the sum of >> each outlet to the common point (usually the subpanel, but see #1). >> >> >> >> bp >> >> <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> >> >> On 11/17/2025 12:26 PM, Ken Hohhof wrote: >> >> Art* not science. I’ve had them work, more often I’ve had them not work**. >> >> >> >> * i.e. magic >> >> ** slow with packet loss >> >> >> >> From: AF <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Steve Jones >> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2025 2:18 PM >> To: AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected]> >> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] FTTH and outbuildings >> >> >> >> Im demoing different powerline adapters looking for one thats somewhat >> stable. I have a comtrend that did pretty well through 2 sub panels and a >> florescent fixture, but not handoff ready, if ever >> >> >> >> On Mon, Nov 17, 2025 at 12:19 PM Josh Luthman <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> I am looking at making my business scale. I'm not interested in any a) any >> copper or b) any PTP radios. We do not make money on making it easier for >> these people to get two services. I've had billions of issues with copper - >> 10/100/1000 rate issues, water, failures, etc. I'm not interested in 60 GHz >> because people will park an RV in front of it and then it's screwed, causing >> a truck roll (I avoid truck rolls like the plague!) Over the summer we've >> been mostly waiting on BEAD and just maintenance mode - basically 0 truck >> rolls. This is what I want to see over the next 10+ years. >> >> >> >> Our general steps are >> >> >> >> 1) see if our ONT (u6x) covers both buildings >> >> 2) add Mesh units (u4m) to try and extend it through houses/outbuildings >> >> 3) second service >> >> >> >> We tell the customer we will try the steps but if they want the best option >> they will need a second service. We waive all installation costs to the >> second building on their property. It's a 1x2 splitter from the original >> drop and then we Y it off. >> >> >> >> On Sun, Nov 16, 2025 at 5:52 PM Ken Hohhof <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Can I assume the bigger fiber ISP’s would not offer these options? Compared >> to local/regional providers that maybe started out as WISPs? >> >> >> >> I will say at least Illinois made an effort to hand out BEAD fiber awards to >> local companies. Comcast fiber did get one area by me, but there’s a >> consortium of small telcos, and a small WISP/FISP from a town west of >> Rockford. They also chose Amazon Kuiper (now renamed Amazon Leo) over >> Starlink, I don’t know if Amazon submitted a more attractive bid, or if it >> was just to poke a finger in Elon’s eye. >> >> >> >> From: AF <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Bill Prince >> Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2025 12:53 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [AFMUG] FTTH and outbuildings >> >> >> >> I think it depends on a mishmash of competition, distance, usage, and what >> your charity level is. >> >> If it's an outbuilding, then usage will probably be low, but if it's 1,000 >> feet away, then it's a significant upgrade. >> >> If the customer is running a business out there, then usage might be >> significant, which could justify a separate account. >> >> and... what would your competitors do? >> >> Burying a cable (fiber or copper) is probably a significant expense, and if >> it can be cast as an extension, the simplest thing is T&M for the extension. >> However, if the usage is that low, then a PTP link would be simpler, >> cheaper, and satisfy the usage requirement. >> >> >> >> bp >> >> <part15sbs{at}gmail{dot}com> >> >> On 11/16/2025 9:47 AM, Ken Hohhof wrote: >> >> Now that we’re seeing a lot of rural fiber going in (or will soon due to >> BEAD), what is the typical approach when customers have outbuildings? >> >> >> >> Run a second drop and sell them a second service? Give them a WiFi mesh >> extender and tell them to put it in the outbuilding and pray? Bury a fiber >> or Ethernet cable from the house to the outbuilding and charge them a >> one-time fee? Tell them it’s a home networking problem and call Geek Squad? >> Assume WiFi7 “whole home WiFi” is so amazing it will just work? >> >> >> >> Some people just have a shed or barn, but lots also use them for family >> gatherings or football watch parties and there are definitely TVs out there. >> I don’t think this is as common in the city and suburbs where fiber usually >> lives. >> >> >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > > -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com -- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
