Stumped - Need an inexpensive but elegant solution

[Oom Albert]

Hi guys .... got the spelling for ADSl off this website so now we all understand the level of expertise available very locally. Thus I really need some good advice:

I stay in Irene, Pretoria and run a Telkoms ADSL line with good coverage from I-Burst as backup. No problem so far.

I also have a plot in the Dewagondrif area about 38 kms on the Moloto road, 2kms after Zebra Lodge and some 20 kms from Moloto itself. It is on a hill so line of sight to somewhere in Pretoria does not appear to be a problem - until it is properly tested, that is.

I want to set this up as a backup and software support center (4 people) plus there are 5 houses also on the plot where the residents want Internet plus a reliable telephone service. The whole residential, office, arrangement is, of course, very cost effective being on a plot.


Telephone services work for about a week before the lines are stolen again and then it takes about 3 - 4 months for Telkom to get around to repairing them. Clearly Diginet etc is out of the question because of the distance to the nearest exchange (Hammanskraal, Cullinan??).

There is good Vodacom coverage in the area but costs are prohibitive (?) to do what I would like to. Security is obviously a consideration too.

I thought of some sort of transmitter/receiver arrangement between the plot and Irene or even an office/organisation in Centurion. Clearly I would need to consider ICASA licences too.

I need to be able to dial clients, email and down/upload software modules while residents would have to be able to make telephone calls and surf the internet too.

I also understand that the Irene bit would need upgrading.

I understand that the infrastructure could be prohibitive but is there an elegant technical solution at a reasonable cost?

I would appreciate all reasonable input. Thank you in advance!

[Thestealth]

Personally, I can't offer any valuable input regarding your dillema.

I do however welcome you to the forums! Enjoy it and I'm sure your question will be answered soon.

You will be ninja'd. Enjoy your stay.

[Oom Albert]

Tks for the welcome! I have gone as far as I can! It now needs some serious grandmaster digging

As for being 'ninja'd' : I'm impervious - having a very vicious 'polish' karate chop myself [says he rapidly lifting his arm and blowing the contents of his armpit onto the assailant, thus thoroughly distressing them!]
However, I welcome being welcomed! ??

[Voldemort]

Tks for the welcome! I have gone as far as I can! It now needs some serious grandmaster digging

As for being 'ninja'd' : I'm impervious - having a very vicious 'polish' karate chop myself [says he rapidly lifting his arm and blowing the contents of his armpit onto the assailant, thus thoroughly distressing them!]
However, I welcome being welcomed! ??

/Me Ninjas Oom Albert
/me greets the Ninja'ed Oom Albert
/ a hearty welcome to you Sir, welcome to the sssssssnakepit
/ me hands Oom Allbbert an antininja kit and flame retardent suite to protect from future attacksssssss from the Tial
(telkomisaloser)

[Syndyre]

How far is the plot from Irene? How much bandwidth do you need? If you could link it up to the Irene site via Wifi for instance you could use VOIP phones.

[The_Librarian]

How far is the plot from Irene? How much bandwidth do you need? If you could link it up to the Irene site via Wifi for instance you could use VOIP phones.

Was thinking that maybe a local WUG will be able to help here?

Will point protzkrog to this thread, maybe he'll be able to help

[Syndyre]

Was thinking that maybe a local WUG will be able to help here?

Will point protzkrog to this thread, maybe he'll be able to help

Maybe, if there's one around there. If you could link the 2 sites up to the WUG you could run a VPN over the WUG network and then break out on to the net via the Irene site's ADSL.

[The_Librarian]

Maybe, if there's one around there. If you could link the 2 sites up to the WUG you could run a VPN over the WUG network and then break out on to the net via the Irene site's ADSL.

Was thinking along the same line. Either one or the other will be able to help him.

[Oom Albert]

Firstly, what's a 'WUG' - I understand WiFi and typical transmit/receive principles. Also WANs, LANs and VANs but a 'WUG' - its like being ninja'd!

Irene is typically in a dip - hence it is so cold but well within horizon distance because horizon is about 32km before it dips. As I understand the problem with ADSL is that it may lack capacity on either end to handle the envisaged traffic/number of users etc, described in first post. Would I need multiple ADSL lines on the Irene end etc - this is the puzzling part. And what about cost of wi-fi transmission/reception equipment?

Thanks so far in trying to assist

[The_Librarian]

WUG - Wireless Users Group

[Syndyre]

Firstly, what's a 'WUG' - I understand WiFi and typical transmit/receive principles. Also WANs, LANs and VANs but a 'WUG' - its like being ninja'd!

Irene is typically in a dip - hence it is so cold but well within horizon distance because horizon is about 32km before it dips. As I understand the problem with ADSL is that it may lack capacity on either end to handle the envisaged traffic/number of users etc, described in first post. Would I need multiple ADSL lines on the Irene end etc - this is the puzzling part. And what about cost of wi-fi transmission/reception equipment?

Thanks so far in trying to assist

You could get a 4MB ADSL line which would be fine for people surfing etc. but the problem with that is that it only has a 384kbps upload, which wouldn't be enough for multipe VOIP lines etc. so you'd need multiple ADSL lines and then a load balancing router to combine them etc. Not sure about the cost of wi-fi kit but it shouldn't be that expensive I don't think, its just quite a distance to cover though which could be a problem. ADSL's your only real viable option though, Diginet would probably be far too expensive.

[Oom Albert]

Tks ... dont think I'll forget that one in a hurry!

[Oom Albert]

Tks ..... concurs with general advice received. Maybe there are some 'ISP' type services providers that would act as interim stations?

If this was a reasonable solution, who can put it 'together' into a practical design?

[Syndyre]

Tks ..... concurs with general advice received. Maybe there are some 'ISP' type services providers that would act as interim stations?

If this was a reasonable solution, who can put it 'together' into a practical design?

If there was some sort of WISP out there they'd probably connect you directly to the net rather than to your site in Irene although anything's possible, a WUG might be able to help though as Libs said.

Not sure who could sort it all out for you, but I'm some of the forumites based up there could recommend someone.

[HavocXphere]

The WUG people would probably be able to do everything you want, the question is whether it would fall into your definition of "reasonable cost".