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Solar Powered Wi-Fi
inkslinger77 writes "A small US startup has announced it has created a system for running Wi-Fi routers in remote places using only the power of the sun. Among the first round of products from Solis Energy is the Solar Power Plant, touted as being capable of supplying 12, 24 and 48 Volts DC for use in stand-alone applications such as surveillance cameras and outdoor Wi-Fi."
For once, I tried to read the article, but there's no link to it.
I think it's a great idea, assuming they can charge a battery to run all night.
I'd have read the article, but there isn't one.
Pulp Audio Weekly - Geek News and Reviews
warantee? Is that like a waranty?
If it weren't for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no songs.
More likely a warranty.
Terrorists can't threaten a country's freedom and democracy. Only lawmakers and voters can do that.
Sure there is a way to setup WiFi network with routers spread more than 500 meters away. Just use high output WiFi PCI cards ( or access point devices with high power output chips ) and high gain directional antennas ( 15+ dB ) and you are on track to success. There are a lot of commercially available high gain antennas, however most of them working little bit lower than the specified ( usually bad SWR at the band ends ). Hint: chose antenna by radiation angle both horizontal and vertical, not only by gain. Care for polarisation.
You can google for DIY antenna projects, however, 95% of them are crap or working far worse than specified. ( paperclip antenna anyone ? )
If You like the DIY stuff visit
http://www.yu1aw.ba-karlsruhe.de/vhf_ant.htm ( sorry no English files, but diagrams are readable ). I have made several antennas described on this site for the local wireless community
http://www.kvwireless.org/gallery/main.php?g2_item Id=168&g2_enterAlbum=1 and they performed very well.
We are switching links for hotspots to 5.6 GHz band for the following benefits: better throughput, more free channels, less noise.
Our routers are salvaged PC-s usually more than 7 years old. Most of them are standard PC-s at 200-533 MHz stripped out of unnecessary hardware. They use roughly 25 to 100 watt depending on CPU frequency, number of wireless PCI cards onboard and workload. At that power rate relaying only on solar power can be quite expensive and bulky. For the outdoor routers, far away from the wall outlet, PV solar + wind power + back-up battery might be more suitable and cheaper.