I live and work in the Bay Area of California. My city already has downtown WiFi network albeit the range and bandwidth is rather limited. Therefore, what are the benefits of a Cambium network? Is it worth it for neighbors to start our own WiFi network? Or because we need to rent a Fiber PoP is it to expensive? Thank you.
Hello Sir,
public Wi-Fi is good depending on the users needs. What you cannot alway control with public Wi-Fi is coverage in all the corners of a neighbord inside and outside homes, offices, etc. And this impact the data throughput. Hence, using a customer tailored network allow to adapt the Wi-Fi access points location where users are closer to them and have any required wireless throughput. Moreover, if you the customer want a dedicted link or throughput (Speed), this can be then provided by this specific customer.
Again, what you can do is to test the public service and find out which customers type would need a dedicated service and proper Wi-Fi coverage, that is how you can complement instead of competing the public Wi-Fi.
Good luck!
Sincerely yours,
NIRAGIRA Olympe
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Hello Olympe - Thank you. Can you elaborate on your advice? For example, are you suggesting that I and my neighbors can link to the City Public WiFi through our own Access Point. I live about 1 mile from the center of the City. I like your idea of simply installing antennae or “repeaters” to relay the signal to our neighborhood versus starting our own WiFi. Thanks!
Hello Sir,
again, you have two choices:
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Extend the Wi-Fi from city center from a Point of distribution like a tower or a tall building and be able to have a microwave link or fiber link to your neighborhood and then buid up again your neighbor’s distribution network (Point to multipoint links) where you will have specific point like light poles with subscriber modules radios and Wi-Fi outdoor access points for internet access. Depending on the size of the area to be covered and capacity you want to provide, you will need a certain number of access points with a shared connection.
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Lease fiber, find in your neighborhood a tower/towers with clear visibility to the homes then have router and point to multipoint access points on the tower/towers. Then, homes will have subscriber modules connected to the access points (Not Wi-Fi, but Cambium Networks Canopy based radios) to deliver connectivity to the homes. Each home will also need a small home Wi-Fi router and if needed some wall mounted or ceilling mounted Wi-Fi access point to extend the signal in the home/compound). With this, you have better coverage in the homes/residences. And you have more control on the capacity. In this manner, you are acting like a Wireless Internet Service Provider or WISP.
What approach do you want to consider?
Sincerely yours,
NIRAGIRA Olympe
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Hello Olympe - Thanks again for the response. I am only a good neighbor not a commercial business. The downtown WiFi is very weak in my neighbor hood. I was considering using Cambium gear to get the signal to my neighborhood - about 1 mile away. I worked at Motorola and Motorola Canopy gear in 2005-2007 and set up WiFi systems for munis. We also extended fiber to rural areas. I learned a lot and refreshing my technical knowledge because now that it’s 2020 the technology has become more powerful and advanced. Thank you. Felix
Hello Mr. Felix,
if you worked at Motorola, that is great. Even for this good action, you might a little bit working as an ISP. You need a Point to Point link with line of sight and set us few Wi-Fi. Get to know if they use fiber or wireless to feed the Wi-Fi, if they use wireless, for sure there are some point to multipoint radios to feed the Wi-Fi APs. So, check if those point to multipoint radios if available they can cover your area and this sort your issue easily. Then, add Wi-Fi APs.
Sincerely yours,
NIRAGIRA Olympe
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Hello Again Olympe - The Public WiFi is connected to our City Fiber system (Fiber PoP). I like your suggestions. I plan to send an email letter (as a citizen) to the city’s technology manager. I imagine I would need to write a grant to obtain monies to purchase the equipment. OR, I can ask the city to fund if it meets a certain need in our neighborhood for better access. For example, many students work from home remotely due to the current pandemic. Thank you again. Felix
Why do you want to do this? I would imagine that there are great connectivity options all over the city, fiber, coax, DSL, I’ve even read there’s roof top mm wave networks bridging many buildings. Having the means to live in one of the most expensive cities in the country and wanting to save a few bucks on internet seems at odds.
If I were you, I’d work with other people in the apartment to go in on getting fiber dropped to the building or mm wave on the roof. At that point you could maybe use some of Cambium’s wifi products to distribute it throughout the building?
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Hi Eric - Good question and points. FYI, I didn’t say I wanted to “save a few bucks on the internet” , nor did I say we are constrained by getting signals through buildings. But good points on your part. We actually do not have big buildings in my city which is next to San Francisco. There are many smaller cities that make up the “Bay Area” that are next to San Francisco and full of single story or only 2-3 story lower rise buildings. And many of these buildings may or may not have WiFi access to our Public WiFi, especially for those locations further away from from our city center. Therefore, I agree with the advice from Niragira Olympe. (But good points).
Hello Mr. Felix,
do check with city’s technology manager on how you, together, you can extend the distribution network in your area. From there, you can decide on how to add Wi-Fi access points, either via public Wi-Fi hotspots or individual Wi-Fi access for each residence if you believe you need dedicated bandwidth in your area and pay for it.
I wish you best!
Sincerely yours,
Niragira Olympe
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Hello Niragira Olympe - Thank you and others (Eric Ozrelic) for the reply because it makes me think about solutions and re-educating myself on current advanced technology. (I departed from Motorola Canopy technologies in 2007 and lots of changes since that time). I believe we have a RF Map for our city that is on the public domain and I will be able to trace to different neighborhoods. This is a pilot project for now - everything on paper first. Thanks. Felix
Hello Mr. Felix,
you are most welcome.
I wish you best in your project.
Sincerely yours,
Niragira Olympe
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@Olympe and @Eric_Ozrelic - Thank you Olympe and Eric Ozrelic for taking the time to answer my questions and discussion about the benefits of Cambium Networks in relationship to the downtown city centre Public Wi system in my city. Thanks again. Felix
Hello Mr. Felix,
you are welcome.
Sincerely yours,
Niragira Olympe