While many of you reading this have broadband in your home, there are still large areas with bit gain access to to the Internet. Ham radio operator [emmynet] discovered himself in just such a circumstance recently, as well as needed to get a wireless connection over 1 km from his home. WiFi wouldn’t get the task done, so he relied on a 433 MHz serial link instead. (Alternate link)

[emmynet] utilized an affordable telemetry set that operates in a frequency that travels long distances much much more quickly than WiFi can travel. The essential right here isn’t in the hardware, however, however in the software. He went old-school, implemending peer-to-peer TCP/IP connection utilizing slip — serial line Web protocol. all of the commands to set up the link are offered on his job page. With higher acquire antennas than came with the telemetry kit, a variety much higher than 1 km might be accomplished as well.

[Editor’s note: This is exactly how all of us got Internet, over phone lines, back in the early Nineties. Also, you youngsters get off my lawn! however also, seriously, slip is a great tool to have in your toolbox, particularly for low-power gadgets where WiFi would shed up your batteries.]

While it didn’t fit [emmynet]’s needs, it is possible to accomplish incredibly long variety with WiFi itself. nevertheless this typically needs directional antennas with extremely high acquire as well as may not be as dependable as a lower-frequency connection. On the other hand, a WiFi link will (in theory) get a higher throughput, so everything depends upon what your needs are. Also, be conscious that utilizing these frequencies outside of their meant utilize may need an amateur radio license.