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A pair of Tranzeo radios would easy work of this provided you have near line of sight. A few trees should be ok. http://www.tranzeo.com/ If you are more adventurous you could buy a couple of used Cisco 1200 APs with the older 802.11b cards in them. These can be had for as little as $60 on Ebay. These have bridging capability as well as AP functionality. A couple of panel antennas (12db to 16db should fine). You will need a couple of cables with reverse TNC on one end a N connectors on the other.

https://tranzeo.com/

For 500 meters, you can use the 802.11a or 802.11bg ( TR-5a series and TR-6000 series respectively ) without too many problems, as long as you have good line of sight. If there are a few trees, then the 900MHz stuff might be a better idea, but if there's a forest or a lot of buildings between your friend and your dad, you're boned. Just make sure that regardless of what kind of radio you get ( and regardless of what manufacturer you buy from ), use an antenna with as narrow beamwidth as you can get, ESPECIALLY for the 900MHz. For a point-to-point install, omni antennas are not your friend. Yagi or dish antennas might be a bitch to setup, but you'll have very little noise or interference.

Disclaimer: yes, I work for this company, but I really don't give two hoots if you use our stuff. Just make sure you get the right equipment ( ie: NO OMNI ANTENNAS ). I can't believe how many people think that omni antennas are a good idea ( especially for 900Mhz, ouch ).

That's funny, because the company I work for ( reason I'm posting AC ), Tranzeo Wireless has a product that runs just fine off the little solar detector on the top of most light poles. Well, it doesn't hook straight in, it kind of replaces the light detector with a solar cell that the access point runs off of during the day, and at night it draws power from the light power circut. Fun stuff.

I'm posting anonymously because this is kind of an ad. I work for a company called Tranzeo Wireless. They make radios that transmit over long distances. Several miles, if you have them set up right. They've got radios that work at 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz, and 5.7Ghz. They're not exactly cheap, they're kind of meant to be bought and setup by WISPs. It's always an option though, if you don't want to do the internet over your cell, or through satillite.

First try and find out if there is a Wireless-ISP providing service in your area. You can check with people on the ISP-Wireless list:
http://isp-lists.isp-planet.com/isp-wireless/

You may have to be willing to pay for your own equipment to get the signal that you need through the trees to your house. The lower the frequency the better it will go through trees. You will also want to have directional antennas on both sides of the system (grid or Yagi for 900Mhz). There are a lot of options for equipment to do this with.

Canopy, Trango, and Tranzeo are just a few, Here is a link to one from Tranzeo:
http://www.tranzeo.com/products/radios/TR-902-Series

This one is from Trango, probably a good choice:
http://www.trangobroadband.com/wireless_products/m900s.shtml

You will want to get good antennas, here is a 15dBi 900Mhz grid:
http://wisp-router.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=GD9-15P-NF&eq=&Tp=
Wisp-Router can also sell you a coax jumper that you will need to connect the radio to the antenna.

You will want as much elevation as you can reasonably get to install the radio and antenna. Put the radios outside next to the antennas and run quality CAT5 to the inside for your connection.

Now you need to find someone to connect up to. Either an ISP or another person who you can get a broadband connection setup at their location and link to with wireless. Maybe you can get a second Internet connection installed at their location or increase their service level so you both can share it.

If you use the equipment above I think it is quite possible you will be able to get access. This depends on how far you have to go to find someone who has access and is willing to work with you of course.

Good luck!

No, it's not an acomplishment at all (unless you count making a pointless press release as an accomplishment).

5km is nothing, total cake.

Off the shelf, cheap, WiFi gear that can easily do twice that -> http://www.tranzeo.com/

Big bad antennas that do much, much, more -> http://www.tessco.com/

Both are plenty "Commercial"

--e

WTF?

I install several POE repeaters every day, it's cake.

Clearest example: http://www.tranzeo.com/ (look for the 6000 series)

But you can do it with WRAPs, RBs, or even soekris boards (and many, many more).

I don't understand how this is news for a number of reasons:

1> The math behind antenna design theory leaves little room for innovation. Two things determine how far your single is going to go a)the output power and b) the efficiency of your antenna. I don't see where this antenna design is any more efficient than many that are already on the market.. which leads me to..

2> There are already products on the market that can push WiFi signals well over 4 miles. Check out Motorola Canopy for their solution (it's geared more towards commercial enterprises, but for $2500 for an AP and two subscriber units, you can start a long-range WISP on pocket-change). Then there's companies like YDI, Wireless Central, and Tranzeo Wireless all selling long-range 802.11 products for cheap.

They might as well be putting out a press release saying they've invented a circular device that they're calling a "wheel".