WIFI to barn 200' away?

[FirstCup]

Thanks everyone for looking! I set up this Orbi RBR50 with one satellite in my home last week, very good coverage around the house. I have a metal barn about 200' away where I would like to control a couple of switches (WEMO). I pickup a signal outside the barn but inside no go to be useful. I do not know a lot about what might work for this situation, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Terry

[FirstCup · Accepted solution]

Thank you, you have clearly shown me the light! Digging will not be an easy path but I had considered it a year or so ago, hense the 250' of cable in my closet. Thanks for the info on the outdoor satellite with no ethernet connection.

[FURRYe38]

That would be to far for wireless. 

You could try this;

https://www.netgear.com/business/wifi/wireless-bridges/wbc502/

Best option would be to put in a buried CAT6A lan cable from the home to the barn, then you could install either another RBS connected via eithernet or any kind of wireless AP. 

[CrimpOn]

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@FirstCup wrote:

Thanks everyone for looking! I set up this Orbi RBR50 with one satellite in my home last week, very good coverage around the house. I have a metal barn about 200' away where I would like to control a couple of switches (WEMO). I pickup a signal outside the barn but inside no go to be useful. I do not know a lot about what might work for this situation, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

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There was a post last week reporting covering a distance of 500' with an Orbi satellite, which is astounding. Typically, Orbi satellites will not sync over a distance of 200', especially if there is a metal wall in the path.

The most likely solution is a combination of:

• A pair of wireless bridge units:
  One inside the house, connected to whichever Orbi unit is closest to the barn.  It can be inside (unless the house has metal walls).
  The other mounted to the outside of the barn wall (or in a window facing the house).
• Power and ethernet (or PoE) cable to the inside of the barn.
• A really inexpensive (cheap) WiFi access point inside the barn.

Amazon has loads of wireless bridges, from name brands such as Ubiquii Nano Station to "no name" units which are much less costly. I'd suggest reading the user reviews. From my experience, many reviews of these products describe this exact situation (barn or outbuilding).  Wireless bridges are rated in terms of kilometers, so a distance of 200' is "no problem". Speed is also not an issue because smart plugs connect only at 2.4G and use practically no bandwidth.  Heck, most security cameras would be comfortable over what seems today like a slow WiFi link.  I would add a Wyze Cam pointed at the cow (horse? sheep?) just for the entertainment value.

Smart switches do not "move around", so there is no need for the WiFi network in the barn to have the same WiFi name (SSID) and password as the main network (although it probably would not cause any problems if it does).

Key issues are likely to be:

• Is there an electrical outlet conveniently located to power the wireles bridge and access point?
• How will the wireless bridge and access point be connected (wall penetration, weatherproofing)
• Where are the WEMO units placed at the barn (inside? outside? both?)

[FirstCup]

Thanks guys for responding. I have an option I am going to check out first. I will be installing orbi RBK50 at another location later this year, but I will purchase it now and use the satellite here on the outside wall of my barn to evaluate if I get an usable range of service. If that checks out good maybe go with an outdoor satellite. I do have 250' of cat6 bury cable to use if I go that route?? or a bridge?? My new satellite will arrive Monday so I'll see how that shakes out. Thanks again,

[CrimpOn]

250' of ethernet cable is the least costly and best solution.  Any WiFi access point (of any brand) can be mounted in the barn.

An inexpensive WiFi bridge, with any WiFi access point is the next least costly.

An Orbi outdoor satellite (RBS50Y) is the most costly solution (if it works).

The central issue is WiFi signals penetrating the metal barn wall.  An outdoor RBS50Y may sync with the house system, but will it penetrate the barn wall?  Running ethernet from the house inside the barn addresses this issue directly.

A WiFi bridge with one unit 'outside' at the barn with the ethernet cable penetrating the barn wall addresses the issue directly.

Orbi RBS50Y has no ethernet port.

[FirstCup · Accepted solution]

Thank you, you have clearly shown me the light! Digging will not be an easy path but I had considered it a year or so ago, hense the 250' of cable in my closet. Thanks for the info on the outdoor satellite with no ethernet connection.