First you need to understand the basic concepts of wifi signal strength and how it relates to range. The strength of your wifi signal is measured in dBm and is a negative number with zero being the strongest possible signal. The further away you are from the router, or the more obstacles there are between you and the router, the weaker the signal will be.
The range of your wifi signal is directly related to its signal strength. In general, the stronger the signal, the greater the range. However, there are other factors that can affect range such as:
Type of antenna: Omni-directional antennas provide equal coverage in all directions while directional antennas focus the signal in a specific direction.
Frequency: Wifi signals operate on different frequencies (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and the higher the frequency, the shorter the range.
Bandwidth: Wifi signals can be either 20 MHz or 40 MHz and the wider the bandwidth, the shorter the range.
So how far can wifi reach outdoors?
It really depends on all of these factors as well as others such as environmental conditions (e.g. trees, buildings, etc.). In general, though, you can expect a signal to travel anywhere from 100 to 300 feet (30 to 90 meters) indoors and up to 1000 feet (300 meters) outdoors in optimal conditions.
Keep in mind that obstacles such as walls, furniture, glass, metal, water, etc. will all reduce the range of the signal. But we have the solution
Below we are gonna discuss different types of devices and their coverage capability. So let’s move further
WiFi Extenders
Most routers have a maximum range of about 100 meters (328 feet). However, the range can be affected by interference from walls and other objects, so the actual range may be much less. To extend the range of your Wi-Fi network, you can use a wireless repeater or extender.
An outdoor extender basically consists of two wireless routers that are connected to each other. One of the routers is connected to your main router (via an Ethernet cable), and the other broadcast a Wi-Fi signal. There are a lot of wifi extenders available on the market right now that can offer theoretical speeds up to 5000 sq. ft. But according to me and plenty of users, they are not so reliable.
An extender may improve the signal by sending it through an intermediate device. Using an extender might help to extend the network range in areas where your main router’s signal is weak. An extender will function properly only if there is a clear line of sight between the main router and the extender. If there are any obstructions, they can reduce the strength of the signal.
Access Point
These are devices that are connected to your main router via an Ethernet cable. They act as a bridge, connecting wirelessly to your devices. The benefit of using an access point is that they are more reliable than extenders and can offer speeds up to 1.2 Gbps.
If we talk about range, for example, TP-Link EAP225 outdoor access point provides stable wireless coverage up to 200m plus range at 2.4GHz and 300m plus at 5GHz in outdoor settings. So if you want to cover 1000 feet outside, then it could be the best choice.
Mesh WiFi
Another DIY solution for you could be mesh wifi. It is the best and latest technology in the market nowadays. A mesh network consists of multiple devices that are connected wirelessly to each other. The benefit of using a mesh network is that it can cover a large area (up to 10,000 square feet).
The disadvantage of using a mesh network is that it can be expensive. If you want to cover a large area, you will need to buy multiple mesh nodes.
One popular mesh system is Netgear Orbi. It can cover up to 7,500 square feet and costs about $900 for three devices.
Point To Point Wireless Bridge
PTP a.k.a point-to-point wireless bridge is a type of networking device that connects two locations (usually two buildings) using unlicensed or licensed radio frequencies. The PTP links can be used for various purposes such as connecting LANs, extending the reach of Wi-Fi networks, and providing internet access to remote areas.
PTP bridges are typically used in cases where it is not possible or practical to lay down wired infrastructure such as fiber optic cables. They are also often used in disaster scenarios where regular communication channels have been disrupted.
By using point to point wireless bridge you can take your wifi coverage to great lengths. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about any type of wiring or cabling. All you need is a clear line of sight between the two locations that you want to connect.
If you want to know how far can wifi reaches outdoors, then we can say by using a PTP wireless bridge, it’s possible to extend your wireless signal up to 1800 meters. It’s a pretty huge range but that’s the maximum range you can take your signal up to effortlessly.
If you are looking for a point to point wireless bridge, then there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, you need to decide on the frequency band that you want to use. There are two main types of PTP links – unlicensed and licensed.
Unlicensed PTP links make use of the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies that are available for public use. These frequencies are congested and thus offer lower data rates and shorter ranges as compared to licensed frequencies.
Licensed PTP links make use of frequencies that are licensed by the government for exclusive use. These frequencies are typically in the VHF or UHF bands and offer much higher data rates and longer ranges as compared to unlicensed frequencies.
Another factor to consider is the power output of the PTP link. Higher power levels result in longer ranges but also require more expensive equipment.
Finally, you need to decide on the modulation scheme that you want to use. The most common modulation schemes used in point to point wireless bridges are OFDM and QAM.
OFDM offers higher data rates but is more susceptible to interference. QAM offers lower data rates but is less susceptible to interference.