Number of users, bandwidth rule of thumb?

[Barry]

We wpa2'd the wireless bridges. Even though there were only two possible network addresses on the links, it cut down on the morons trying to associate with them.

[streaker69]

You said that a couple of sites have their own internet connections, if they're beefy enough connections, why not just setup a VPN between the two sites instead of going wireless, it would be more reliable than having to deal with Fresnel Zone, weather conditions and pigeon crap.

I currently have a VPN mesh setup between 6 different sites and am expanding it to more sites this summer. It has been rock solid, and I'm using 256Bit AES encryption across all the tunnels, each tunnel has a different key.

If you're doing this all in theory and not actually implementing it, that would be a better solution than wireless.

[Barry]

You said that a couple of sites have their own internet connections, if they're beefy enough connections, why not just setup a VPN between the two sites instead of going wireless, it would be more reliable than having to deal with Fresnel Zone, weather conditions and pigeon crap.

I currently have a VPN mesh setup between 6 different sites and am expanding it to more sites this summer. It has been rock solid, and I'm using 256Bit AES encryption across all the tunnels, each tunnel has a different key.

If you're doing this all in theory and not actually implementing it, that would be a better solution than wireless.

That's how my current employer does it. Vpn connections between sites around the world.

[yoof30]

Thanks for the links to IPSec.

I have to use wireless as my paper is trying to prove or disprove that ptp wireless links are able to replace leased lines within a city.

Oh if only i'd thought about so many unknowns before i started. lol

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Marc.

[Barry]

Thanks for the links to IPSec.

I have to use wireless as my paper is trying to prove or disprove that ptp wireless links are able to replace leased lines within a city.

Oh if only i'd thought about so many unknowns before i started. lol

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Marc.

I know for a fact that wireless can replace point to point within a city.... As long as you have proper line of sight. The school district's main office is a 5 story building with a tower on the roof. We have a tower up on a hill that is on the NW side of the city. There's then a tower on top of the library at the University, which is on a hill on the NE side of town. We shoot wireless straight to schools or bounce a shot off either tower back down to schools. There's also a few shots between them for redundancy. One of the shots go from the top or the main office in Fairbanks, to the high school in North Pole, that then shoots to the roof of the power plant on Eielson AFB, which then gets relayed wirelessly to the elementary school, the two middle schools and the high school. The shortest link is maybe a half mile, the longest is around 14 miles.

[streaker69]

Thanks for the links to IPSec.

I have to use wireless as my paper is trying to prove or disprove that ptp wireless links are able to replace leased lines within a city.

Oh if only i'd thought about so many unknowns before i started. lol

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Marc.

They are possible as Barry stated, I suggest you do some research into proper calculation of Fresnel zone, link budget and such and include that into your paper. If you're actually using real buildings for your study, you should try to get a topographical map of the area so you can determine if you'd need towers, what angles you'd need to place your antenna's and such.

I'd think you'd want to be as detailed as possible.

[radioraiders]

I have to use wireless as my paper is trying to prove or disprove that ptp wireless links are able to replace leased lines within a city.

For sure PTP links can replace leased lines, no question (assuming you have LOS). Cellular operators worldwide use microwave links as trasnport from base stations to the core network. The up-front cost of microwaves is more than a leased line, but they pay themselves back in usually about 5 years when compared to continual monthly costs of leased lines.

Is your paper restricted to 802.11 links? Or can you use PDH/SDH links? Because PDH/SDH equipment is alot more powerful compared to 802.11 stuff which is crippled by power limitations, among other things.

Ericsson Mini-Links are the widest deployed microwave equipment, you can have a look here: http://www.ericsson.com/solutions/op.../transmission/