Anyone have experience with wireless WANs?

I guess that's what it would be called.
We may have a line of site to our highspeed access at the business (it's cable). We have nothing where the house is, It's about 6.5 miles as the crow flies.
Anyone try to do a wireless set up? I've seen links about it but the info is usually a couple years old.
Can you help me?

[DVNT1]

KWebb would be a good person to ask. I could explain one way that can work, but I don't know how it compares to others.

For example, you could get two directional antennas, a couple Cisco wireless bridges, some connecting cables, and perhaps a small tower.

But, you should really ask him about this. I'll just get you in trouble.

[kwebb]

if we assume both sites are at sea level and neither is a high rise, then you'll need more than a small tower. You'll need two moderately high towers. It would really depend on the topography and the actual GPS numbers of each side including in relation to sea level. 6 and a half miles is not an easy link to do unless one side is exceptional higher than the other, like on the side of a mountain or something. The distance itself isnt' that much of an obstacle. A couple of decent yagi's or parabolics, say 15 or so dBi would be plenty, but not only do you need solid line of sight, but you'd also need fresnel zone clearance. Radio fresnel zone is something akin to a football if you were to look at it from the side. Obstacles within that football, even if it doesn't block your line of sight, affect signal propagation. I couldnt' really tell you anything concrete without doing at least a site survey and I would recommend a complete path analysis for that distance. Homebrew Wireless WAN's get done at that distance pretty frequently, but the variables (of which there are many) would have to be in your favor. If towers aren't a problem for you, then good low loss cable, LMR400 or even LMR600, depending on your transmission run, arrestors and properly grounded, coax connectors, usually N connectors for a job like that, good antennas, and a climber. As mentioned though, lotsa variables in a link of that distance.

The antenna's aren't a problem, we're way out in the sticks that's why we need wireless. Anyway to really determine your odds of it working before you cough up the cash and time to put it together? What is a moderately high tower? And off the top of your head how much do you think the equipment would cost?

[kwebb]

Path analysis is a bit beyond the scope of my expertise. Guys will actually walk the path, then use GPS and sea level topography software to calculate how high you need to be, but assuming you have unobstructed line of sight (no trees, buildings etc..) and both sites are at sea level (never happens), your looking at 50 foot towers on each side at least.
As to cost, depends on many variables. I couldn't really even give you ballpark without looking at it. As little as 500 per side without towers or many thousands per with.

YOu keep mentioning sea level. Are you saying both places have to be the same height?

[kwebb]

not at all. in fact it's better to have on side higher than the other, but given the fact I haven't seen your site, and you haven't offered any detailed info, you can only make educated guesses based on both sides being at sea level. the bottom line is, if you want to do a wireless WAN link of that distance, the chances are very good you'll need someone with some experience to help you out, and not in a forum post. An on-site visit. Most companies should eat the cost of the survey if the job is big enough.