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Wireless Dilemma at Newton's House?

Posted by Cliff on from the tricky-networking-techniques dept.

netean asks: "Woolsthorpe Manor, Lincolnshire, Uk (Birth place and Family Home of Sir Isaac Newton) has an interesting problem that may also be facing many historic buildings around the world. 4 Buildings less than 100 metres/yards apart. All are built from stone or brick and they need to be networked together, somehow. Ideally wireless looks the least disruptive and best option, but it is a Grade 1 listed building and that means no external antennae or high gain aerials are allowed anywhere visible. So will any wireless solution ever work in such situations?"

"The alternative approach just seems silly:

Proposed: Add another 128k ISDN line and 2 ordinary phone lines in one building (for office use) install 2 phone lines in another building (for other use) and continue using the existing 128k line in another building (used for free public internet access) - the network option would come from using the Internet and a VPN (the 4th building wouldn't be connected in this scenario). Hard line (cabled) ethernet cannot be used as it will be both be too expensive and involve digging underground which is not allowed.

Being a charity, The National Trust (the owners) aren't going to invest in some experimental wireless kit that might not work. But surely someone out there in the Slashdot community can help to ensure that it will. It must be possible, surely?"

2 of 287 comments (clear)

  1. Lasers... by FatRatBastard · · Score: 5, Interesting

    T'aint cheap, but maybe a laser to laser connection set up between buildings. You should only have to point the access points out the window at each other.

  2. Re:Dry Pair DSL by matt_wilts · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No need to dig underground. BT will probably have already done this.

    Ask BT to install an EPS-8 or EPS-9 circuit. (Someone's already mentioned "alarm circuit", which is what these are often used for). These are just 4 or 2-wire circuits with no amplification. They are only available when the two end points are on the same local exchange. Cost is approximately £500pa. Of course, you'll need something on the end, these people sell equipment from Tut Systems. Ask to speak to Hannah & tell her Matt sent you.
    Matt