Hello,
I am trying to decide on what the best set up would be. One of the counties that we serve has a grant for the purpose of setting up a 2 block hotspot for free public access to the internet. They have asked us to set up and maintain the system. We would like to do this for them and set up our own WISP service in order to provide a paid service to the rest of the same town.
I was thinking of using a wireless mesh throughout the entire town for a couple of reasons. First off, line of site is not such a problem with a good wireless mesh set up (so I hear). Secondly, there is no CPE involved if the customer’s laptop or pc already has a wireless card. Thirdly, this type of system is not “fixed” so ppl could drive or walk around anywhere in town and have access. Fourthly, redundancy is solved because it is a mesh network. I was looking at Nortel Wireless Mesh.
Now, I also would like to serve people who are further out and who are not in town. This is a rural environment. The Motorola Canopy system looks almost perfect for providing a long range, fixed service.
Would it be wise for me to simply use the Canopy system alone, or in combination with a wireless mesh system? I would also like to offer VOIP and online gaming over our wireless network so latency is a big issue. I am really stuck on what type(s) of set ups to do and what vendors to go with. If anyone has any input on this, I would love to hear it! To my knowledge, Motorola does not have a NLOS, not-fixed (portable) mesh system.
Thanks!
canopy is not wifi. laptops with centrino and such will not talk to a canopy AP.
Your third paragraph sounds like a perfect use for canopy equipment, but not for the “hot spot” as that is probably expected to be done with wifi so people can connect with their laptop in shops and stuff without having to plug in.
Now you could use the canopy equipment to deliver service to buildings and install a wifi device in certain shops. It really depends what a hot spot is to the person asking for it. It seems like local governments call anything wireless “hot spots” or “hot zones”.
I really like canopy equipment for outdoor fixed wireless links and wifi for indoor service. Neither really are mobile, but that can be fudged a bit.