How to get Wifi in the woods - DIY Solar Internet Station

Great Wi-Fi coverage outdoors can seem impossible. See how I fixed this problem simple DIY Solar Wi-Fi Station. These tips can also help teahc you how to get the best Wi-Fi coverage in your house too, I included a mini lesson on Range Extenders vs Mesh and what's best. These work very well when you are living off-grid/disconnected in a rural setting where cell coverage is poor or non-existent.
Battery & Power:
Li Time Battery: amzn.to/44xxZF3
Solar Controller: amzn.to/3pSIDqQ
Battery Box: amzn.to/43sGEXX
Solar Panel: amzn.to/44wKalE
Network:
TP Link Outdoor Access Point: amzn.to/3PXOYvS
Linovision 12V Network Switch: amzn.to/44RdUtL
Small Parts:
Bulkhead Connector: amzn.to/3XXmdBm
Project Box: amzn.to/3OkZUCw
Ferrule Kit: amzn.to/3q4ibL1
Duct Seal: amzn.to/3OnW3DJ
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases
Technical Info:
Wire sizing must match the power flowing through the system. This is determined by the solar panel, battery, load, etc. Mesh AP does have limitations that vary between manufacturer. Some have smaller limits. I chose a 100AH battery so that I could run for weeks without sun, which sometimes happens. You can use a smaller battery or a larger panel, this was just a simple design that has been working perfectly now for over a month. I am very pleased!
This video, description and comments contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support
Disclaimer:Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Silver Cymbal assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Silver Cymbal recommends safe practices when working on machines and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Silver Cymbal.

[@SilverCymbal]

Hope you found this video interesting. *All parts are in the description* Let me know what I could have done differently WHY? I could barely make phone calls outdoors & my kids and I like having music & often use the web even outdoor to check weather, etc. I also have a weather station that needs Wi-Fi (more on that in a future video) - There are some other technical details in the description since I know my fellow IT nuts will jump all over some of my statements.

[@marsdenbalaska3]

Please LMK if you know where I can dump those at my man? I subscribe on fire tv stick with another email so I am a subscriber my man! 💗 The Channel BRW😅

[@jimb8601]

Nice setup. I’d want to have that solar panel strapped down securely in the event of high winds. I’d also opt to put some kind of base under it such as pavers. And to finish it off I’d anchor the structure so it can’t blow over. I’m absolutely amazed at your versatility in figuring these things out and appreciate you sharing this info with everyone.

[@emailausdrucker]

Loved the video!!! Thank you. I am worried for the battery when we get cold weather again. These batteries don't like cold/freezing weather and will go defective. But I assume you won't need wifi in the winter. 😂

[@sociopathmercenary]

Cool video! I use a Google mesh system and have four access points. One is in the garage and the others are all near outside walls. I find that I can get good Wi-Fi signal almost 100 yards from my house. This is perfectly adequate for my uses where I do have a few security cameras outside... But we also have cellular towers nearby and no data limit which allows me to avoid more extreme measures like yours

[@sociopathmercenary]

If I was going to build a remote repeater, I think you'd benefit from putting it on one of those metal garden carts. Then it's actually completely mobile

[@157-40_T]

I recommend you use gravel or concrete pad vs bare ground to preserve the wood longer.

[@thisballcaplife9696]

Was going to say the same thing but he did say he was going to move it around. I’m sure we will see a follow up in a couple months.

[@jerbear7952]

Where is your sense of adventure.

[@WayneWisner]

Exactly my 1st thought too. The shed is going to get a lot of moisture coming up from the bare ground under it. Not only hurting the wooden shed but rusting any exposed electoral connections. Also, having the solar panel just hanging off the 3 screws might be a problem. A strong gust of wind could lift it off of there. Actually, the whole shed might be susceptible to wind unless it's bolted to a heavy base.

[@157-40_T]

@@jerbear7952 we had a storm last year and blew over 35+ 75’ tall + Pine Trees so that shed would last about 5 minutes here during any of our Pacific NW typical storms. Everything needs to be anchored down to concrete.

[@ronb6182]

Bare ground is better. For grounding.73

[@aronmedders4353]

Great set up! One point, always connect the charge controller to the battery before connecting the solar panel. If the panel is pumping power into the controller and it doesn't have anywhere to go, it could burn up the controller.

[@erikjohnson960]

Yeah, I kinda cringed when he did that, but it in the end all was well. :)

[@meh8099]

Put a outdoor light switch between the controller and the panel. Normally I just glue it in place behind the panel next to the controller but in this case it's better to just put that switch inside the little shed. It's handy to have, whenever you need to reattach the battery, just flip the switch. In my case, it was a portable setup so it made sense :)

[@gjheydon]

If you are using home assistant I would add a esp32 and a shunt type device to monitor the batter level and usage. You should even be able to see how much solar is going into the battery. Then you can monitor the level and make sure the battery is large enough. Also should be able to keep an eye on the battery health as well.

[@sygad1]

you could also use bluetooth presence detection to turn the wifi off and on depending if any devices are close enough to it, this should preserve the battery for longer

[@silveragnes8256]

Excellent video. I did similar project to run Starlink over DC instead of AC. That switch is a very interesting solution. I used 12v - 56v step up converter combined with a POE injector to do the same ($40 for both). Overall your solution seems very cost effective. I can't believe how cheap 100ah batteries are getting - mine are over 2x the price. From 'IT nut' perspective, TP Link? I'm going Ubiquiti. :).

[@willfixthingsfordonuts]

Plus you could do Ubi with native 24v and not need any conversion, a decent controller and a higher voltage solar panel. Ubiquiti rocks.

[@leifhietala8074]

To get the most bang for your buck, I can't help but notice that the little shed is underutilized. You could: 1 - Build it taller and add at least a birdhouse to one side. But just one, unless you make it about 30' high and put up gourds for purple martins. 2 - Build a shed roof (one-sided) instead of gable, with the whole surface facing the sun for more solar panel if needed 3 - If you go taller, tuck the electronic bits up out of the way, and place long-handled tools in the bottom 4 - More solar panel + more storage = opportunity to add small, low-wattage landscape lighting if desired, or motion-activated. I have some solar motion lights, they are very convenient. If heat is an issue, you could install a heat block that conveys all the way to a heat sink on the outside of the shed, preferably on the shaded side of the shed. No need for a fan. DC-DC power converters are easy to come by.

[@Deveak]

Sometimes pricey but your videos always have solutions for rural home owners like me in a nice neat package. Do want to point out, the mini version of that battery your using does NOT have low temperature cut off. Lifepo4 can discharge down to -4 but under 32 degrees a charge can damage the battery. I have heard low C rates won’t hurt it though so you might be okay with that 50 watt panel. That’s under the c/20 rate that’s “safe.” You might want to consider a external low temp cut off or low volt heater pad on a dc thermostat. You could direct solar power the heating pads with a cheap 24/12 buck converter and a larger panel so it starts gently warming the battery as soon as the sun is up.

[@bkxc]

I’ve been kicking around this idea in my head for my off grid property so I can do more “live” game camera stuff. I think I’ll need a bit more power if I want to do continuous live streaming, but this gives me a pretty good framework. Thanks for showing it off!

[@stevenhu202]

It's always weird when 2 different KZbinrs come together. Like MTB and lawn and garden. Haha. Anyone else watch both?

[@GoonyMclinux]

There is pretty powerful routers that don't use alot of power, I have a similar setup with a smaller battery and smaller solar panel and it works great. A big hoss streaming setup wouldn't be a half bad idea.

[@danieli708]

@@GoonyMclinux Which router you recommend?

[@GoonyMclinux]

@@danieli708 whatever you can afford that can use openwrt, get something that has removable antennas so you can mount them wherever you want. I used one with non removable antennas (TP-LINK ac-1750) and modded my antennas for a little more gain. It only pulls 1.5 amps at 12 volt so a smaller battery works well with it. You don't need openwrt unless you want to use it as a repeater or range extender.

[@SouthWestIron]

what router are you referring to? @@GoonyMclinux

[@davidputt4638]

You should check out a system by Ubiquity. It can simply soooo much. They even have a solar system that can predict if there may be an outage due to the weather so you can take measures ahead of time. Pretty cool stuff.

[@daveclark6324]

Gotta love the free labor! 😆 Awesome solution to extend your Wi-Fi range 👍

[@grb2980363]

Well done video. I'm familiar with solar and use the panels & controller to operate a 12V DC water pump out in our garden. Now I'm looking to do exactly what you have built to get a wi-fi camera signal from our kidding barn back to the house 400 feet away. Thanks for the wi-fi explanation.

[@cousineddy811]

Would love to see a follow up video on how it performs after months being outside in the winter. Will the solar keep up?

[@kameljoe21]

Not likely. Those panels are quite tiny. What ever the energy draw is per hour which I heard him saw 16 watts at one time. Rounding up you need 500 watts of solar per day for 20 watts per hour all day long. This 500 watts needs an additional 25 or 50% to be safe. Which means you need 1kwh of power. A 12v 100ah battery is around 1.2kwh. You should have around 200 watts just to make the station a viable thing all year round. Might as well buy a 250 watt panel to be safe. This means that in just a short hour or 2 the battery will be charged and should never go dead. If you look for the battery that has an internal heater in it. This way it kick on if and when you start charging. Then summer time you can add a set of filtered and screened in fans to help keep the box cooler. If I was making this I would buy the panel first then build it based on that size. I would then also make sure that the panel is at the best overall angle and spaced several inches above the roof of the box. This way heat can be expelled with ease. I would then get a couple of sheets of 2 inch foam and then find the correct glue or contact cement and using a sheet of the wood siding and a sheet of osb on the inside build and make my own SIPs. This is small enough that it should be pretty easy. Also I would make sure the panel is a couple feet up off the ground to prevent tall grass to shading or anything else. Once the box is made you can set it all up really easy. Make sure you use the SIPs on the entire thing and caulk the inside and anything else to prevent even the tiniest gap. You can use computer type fans to vent using a simple 12v temp controller. ( amazon/ebay has them for like 10 bucks, I have used a number of them over the years ) Use a dryer vent cover to shield it from rain and then place a screen on the inside tightly sealed and then a box cavity several inches away from the wall to put in a small filter. I think you can find really nice 12x12 filters. Make sure you support the filter and a tight seal. You can then mount 1 or more fans to some plywood with the fans screwed to them. If you can see what I am talking about. I do not recall what the draw on those 12v temp controllers are. Yet they are super low. You can set up 1 fan with one and then another one with another temp controller setting them so that if the cabinet gets really hot you can turn on another set of fans. For example you might have 1 fan hooked up and then 3 hooked up for high temp things. You can read the spec sheets of the working temps for each unit that you put in it. You might find that they have pretty high working temps.

[@jabbajawz]

​@@kameljoe21You are overthinking things. I ran my whole wireless network off a 300wh solar power station hooked up to 100w solar panel for a year. Granted I had it inside, but it pulled a max of 20w each hour and fluctuated allow the way down to 4 or 5 watts. Even on cloudy days, the 100w panel was enough to keep the battery close to 100%. And the during the night the battery rarely went below 60%. If you just get a bigger battery, a smaller panel would work just fine as it's not drawing max wattage all the time.

[@kameljoe21]

@@jabbajawz I am not overthinking it. I give everything a chance to work and being safe is why equiment in the field that is solar works so well and has no problems. Yet people underestimate solar and their battery. With heat comes more power usage and heat also degrades electronics. As things age they use more power as well.

[@MrRvalentin]

Great video ! Remembered the days when I did a similar project on a little mountain river and a mill to power a mini motor (read generator) that was powering a wifi router in Client Mode :). Water was always present, so no need for battery at all. Hey, what about a higher level recipient on that pond, that have falling water that power a mini turbine that power a pump that put water again in the upper container for the turbine to have water to function. The rest of electricity goes to Mesh wifi repeater ! Sure, It is not as hidden as the presented solution. Wait, is this a perpetum mobile ! ;)

[@bmay8818]

Looks good, and a great idea! There are DC-DC converters available that can convert battery voltage into anything you want, so you could use standard equipment. Anyway, this is sweet!

[@Teknopottu]

This. Weird how many don't seem to use these boards. Never had any problems with my projects.

[@VillSid]

That regulating switch was the most interesting bit in this video. I would use similar setup to build a security cam system in remote location or add a lot PoE powered gear to a van/camper.

[@bonsukan]

Awesome idea! A couple of comments. Do you plan to have your wifi station out during the winter months? I’m not sure what zone you’re in but if you do plan on keeping it out through the winter, you may want to beef up the station with insulation because once the temps drop to freezing it could impact the battery performance. Also, if you do get strong winds occasionally or frequently, you might want to consider anchor the station to the ground. Just my 2 cents.

[@BruceMallett]

Careful sending current to an LiFePO4 battery in low temperatures (like we get here in NH during the winter). I bought one having low temp. cutoff (does LiTime?) and also added heat pads to the box with programmable temperature control switches.

[@Didgeridoo42]

Boy do I love watching your videos! I learn something new every time. Thank you for all the fantastic, non-clickbait videos.

[@harryfatcat]

Cool little shed! 😎I can't believe I randomly stumbled across this.

[@lens7859]

Your garage is beautiful! Good work!

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you, its all coming along here. I love the spot but when you pay it for it with past older owners who let everything go. See what it looked like 10 months ago here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2qWq3qtqsRoqK8

[@retsub3]

I have no need for this (atm) but your no-nonsense no-filler info-packed style hooks me every time lol. You got these HOWTO vids down to an art, my man. Respect.

[@omardude39]

What a fantastic documentation of this approach!! This was not only well planned and tidy in implementation, but the explanation and demonstration of all the kit and theory behind it was very well narrated and clear. Anyone could understand this. That's a great hallmark to have on a channel, you've got a new follower in me!

[@jamessharier7529]

Love your how to videos, they are so informative and entertaining. Keep up the great work.

[@claudenormandeau9211]

I had to assemble a TP-LINK system as well that ended up being very complicated to not only set up but to maintain. At 64 and retired I had time to do this but even my technologically advanced son told me the system was to complicated for most people to understand. So what I am saying is when your away and the system goes down the area will not be covered by wifi. With my system when the power goes out or flickers on and off it causes issues that many people that don't have the knowledge and patience will not want to struggle trying to figure out. Not knowing your property layout but understanding wifi signals it might have added even more distance and signal strength by elevating your antenna. I all ways really enjoy your very informative videos thank you for making them.

[@SilverCymbal]

What I like a lot about TPLink is once you get their interface and if you use their Omada devices it's really easy. I have been sup[er delayed doing a full network tour here to show my routers, wifi, etc. I wanted to get this project done first since is a critical part of my coverage. I hope to show the Omada system and devices in a lot more detail within the next month.

[@inspiringbuilds]

Good tips, a lot of research went into this video. I agree, mesh has been the way to go. 👍

[@SilverCymbal]

I really appreciate that. Mesh is such a game changer, especially now that its affordable. I have had so many issues with old range extenders it's great to finally have a cheap alternative.

[@inspiringbuilds]

@@SilverCymbal Agreed 💯

[@jefftown604]

@@SilverCymbalwhen is the video on the mule going to be here

[@SilverCymbal]

@@jefftown604 Ah, very good question. Honestly I wish I hadn't bought it. In short Kawasaki isn't what they once were, they cheapened this in every way possible. Is it good? yes Is it the old Mule, no. I really hate to make video when I feel this way, as maybe I am too picky but I am pretty furious at Kawasaki for doing this to this legendary product. They are backtracking a bit now. If I could do it again I would probably get a Honda ATV or the old style Mule which they still sell, thoud dealers hate to sell them. Maybe I will do the video but I feel that it will waste folks time but maybe I can jut do the pros and cons but a lot of it is historical since I have had 6 mules in the past. Real problem is products today are NOT meant to last and its a bigger problem. Let me see what I can do. I feel bad not to show it. I just want it to be worth your time to watch.

[@StephenWelch]

As always, very informative and great walk through. As I dream of living off rural land, these videos are great for me to think of future solutions to problems I don't have yet. I'll be very interested if you ever dabble in a self hosted LoRA network setup, for long range sensors/actuator kinda stuff.

[@kittygonzalez2827]

I loved the video, and I almost grasped the entire thing! Unfortunately, I’m one of those who totally freaks out and with electric and electronic hook ups! It stems from when I was a nurse with a coding patient, and they yelled clear while my leg tapped the metal bed frame when they zapped the patient! A very shocking situation, that’s kept me CLEAR of almost any power supply, Especially battery operated!

[@californigirl]

Perfect addition for my remote porta-potty!

[@Evan-lg1xp]

I love the networking videos! Your underground fiber video is what brought me to your channel a while back. Keep up the good work (:

[@N20Joe]

I love it! I tried the plug-in extenders and they work okay if you're still near a building but the main router is on the opposite side but it's a different network and you have to switch between that and the main, plus it won't work way out in a field. I love your full DC setup and eliminating the complexity of converting!

[@stoffmeister7095]

This is absolutely brilliant, I always had in my mind that I need to dig down a cable, being mindful not to dig in those areas in the future. A few sheds spread around like yours saves me that trouble. Thank you!

[@Leonardokite]

Awesome! I'll be needing something like this next spring. Thank you very much for your video.

[@TheTravelerMan]

A timely video for me. This week I am having a Fixed Wireless modem installed with a mesh router system - that I chose because I want to expand my coverage around my property.

[@huf67]

I'm impressed with this !! Good presentation.

[@HMNNO]

Thanks for making this! I have been racking my head to expand my wifi range

[@noahfigueroa3534]

Awesome video! Good job putting out a ton of info into a well edited package. This kind of content makes the world better!

[@ronb6182]

You said it doing things differently and they can be challenging as well. Thanks 73

[@GameAssetsGarden]

This is absolutely amazing! I need to make one of these for my backyard. 👏🏻👏🏻

[@mattakadanja]

Great video. Great ideas and execution. Glad it’s working out like you hoped. You got a sub.

[@majid_us]

Your setup is great, especially with the solar. I personally don't like wireless (which can be easily jammed). I ran a 250-foot outdoor gray 120V 12 gauge electrical cable (feeding light bulb, outlet, switch for POE IP cameras & AP), along with a 250-foot Ethernet cable. I could repeat it two more times if I needed to go 750 feet.

[@glennachten6515]

really with what you are doing you will want to make sure your equipment is all grounded and that you run multi-mode fiber those two things will save you next time lightning hits in the area

[@tomad4051]

Seriously ‘militarily hardened’ 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@paulj9587]

Yeah I'm sure you're at serious threat for having your Wireless network jammed lol😂

[@Beargawn]

Nice setup! Suggest getting the shed off the ground and place it on waterproof posts or flat bricks. same for the battery box.

[@kpbarbee]

I learned a lot watching this--thank you!

[@RedWood51]

Super cool setup. When I found out about mesh networks, that's basically the only router type I recommend to people nowadays

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you, yes Mesh is such a game changer and the tp-link stuff is cheap to buy and works awesome.

[@BenMitro]

Nice idea. Thanks for letting me know about mesh AP's - I had heard of them but didn't get what they did. I do now! You could mount the Mesh AP inside the shed. I doubt the wood panelling would have affected the signal much.

[@davidwilliams1060]

2 in 1 - I may or may not need to extend WiFi but I can definitely use the solar information for my shed. I found the “what for?” comments funny but I appreciate that you’re presenting useful information that can be applied to other applications.

[@TheWolfster001]

Nice tip.. A buddy of mine spent well over $1,000.00 to extend only his wi-fi signals on his property and the range around that spot is like 50 to maybe 75 feet.. I'm gonna share this with him.. I see by what you did if you wanted to you could just plug into it with a ethernet cable and have a hardline connection.. Love it... Thank you for sharing.. You just earned my subscription..

[@mybeachshack]

Outstanding bit of DIY. Very well done. Your attention to the details is very attractive. Thanks for posting.... Btw, I have a 3-piece EERO mesh in my concrete house in the Caribbean. It does struggle with the rebar in the walls. 😅

[@kgt9535]

This a great idea bro...once that enclosure is setup to withstand weather anomalies and roving creatures better....you've got a potential patent on your hands.

[@ter450]

Nice project. Planning on moving rural in the next few months and this will be on the list. I avoid TP Link products due to security concerns. Quick search will point these out, as well as a detailed reading of their TOS agreement. I use a Google mesh.

[@henrymorgan3982]

Nice setup. I like the cool battery box!

[@heyitsmeadam]

Super cool! I didn't know the load terminals would pull from the battery when the sun is down..

[@turtlos]

You came up with nice solution! To make it even better, you could easily protect those exposed cables with wrap or similar stuff to prevent animals biting them, but I don't know how like it is that wild animals would eat those exposed cables.

[@JasonsLabVideos]

Good video !! I like that POE unit !

[@firebird5029]

I really do appreciate this. I have 13 acres that I want to cover with Wi-Fi solar powered. Problem is is keep adding points for the internet. When I get back to work and start my bill to give you info on how it's going.

[@MikeOrazzi]

Nice project and ideas. Thanks.

[@JesseMSheridan]

Brilliant! Very curious to hear how the battery behaves in low temperatures.

[@TheTrento88]

This project is awesome!

[@TonyCecala]

Painting it-next level!

[@Audi_rings]

Interesting setup. Those are some solid speeds

[@SilverCymbal]

Thank you, the difference is very appreciated. As went down the hill it we be non-existent a lot. Now with wi-fi calling enable I dont miss calls and can call out too.

[@reviewatrandom]

Big fan of the TP-Link outdoor access points, I've been using a TP-Link Omada AC1200 for about 2-3 years and might upgrade to this one next. Great way to have a WiFi signal - especially in areas with spotty cellular coverage.

[@markkempton4579]

This is a cool setup. I've toyed around with the idea of building a shed and using it as an office. This is a great idea vs running fiber like you showed before. I like the 12V switch. I had not though of these. I'm currently looking for a switch to provide PoE for a new AP I'm installing.

[@mrmotofy]

Fiber is better in the long run. A trencher can be rented for about $60-100 and take maybe 1hr for hundreds of feet. Then lay cable or conduit in and shovel fill it in. Wireless has lots of failure potential, fiber in the ground has about 1 way it can fail. We still use fiber cables from 50-60's

[@mattosborne1233]

I really like your videos, have watched dozens, and have bought products based on your recommendations. All of it's great stuff. But I thought I should caution you about a danger. It looks like you hook up the solar panel to the controller without having a battery on the controller. From what I've gathered on Will Prowse's channel, that can burn up and controller very quickly. I think you're supposed to hook the battery up first. Thank you for your priceless work.

[@zubdub24]

Awesome project! Had me laughing with "enlisted some free labor"

[@sashkashurik]

really cool setup! Have to admit, as many have stated, that 1) a heated/insulated battery or a low temp cutoff is a nice improvement 2) using concrete pads or tiles to improve ventilation (combined with some waterproofing at the base of the shed) is to consider. 3) A mesh network is a commercial evolution of a range extender. In a config using a single Access Point(AP) in the remote location, it is the same thing: both increase latency, reduce bandwidth, etc.at the edge of the WiFi network. In your case, there is no magic and no difference between a well built commercial solution and a a well designed mass market residential product. The magic happens when there are multiple Ethernet connected APs in a range of a single/multiple meshed APs: in theory, meshed IPs will choose the path of least congestion and latency (by switching between Eth connected APs, and even routing traffic between themselves) and dynamically adapt to changing network load. That is often not the case of a regular range extender that simply has no logic (and often no way to obtain sufficient information about traffic) to do such things.

[@mitchellgarcia3532]

This is great thank you. This is what I need to do.

[@mrxenosith8023]

Wow! Excellent set-up. i believe since some surveillance cameras are IP based, you can connect as well to your new access point. if you do try that, do let me know how it turned out. i was planning on doing something similar later in the year when i would have time to research, but since you did the research, you saved me and others a ton of time researching.

[@SnackAttack77]

Thanks for this! I'm looking at doing something similar except having Mediacom's hardwired at street with solar and then AP'ing to my house. I have TMobile home internet as well but would like hardwired speeds again since I'm too far off the road.

[@zoefaith120]

So it's cool thing to have a outhouse out in the woods.

[@jtstacey83]

I probably would have used what I use now, and that is Google Mesh. Great video.

[@seewaage]

I really like your awesome project!

[@batterynerd8779]

Wow! Nice project. I have a starlink and am always struggling to get a good connection in the house. In europe we have really thick walls. I shall take a look at these tp-link products

[@kenhall2411]

Great Video I have 20 Acres would love to have some outdoor camara this would be a good why to get internet signal around my property thanks for listing all the parts to

[@GeoFry3]

Nice build. Put it on some patio blocks to keep the bottom from rotting. If mesh doesn't work for you, direct bury fiber optic is considerably cheaper these days. The SFPs they plug into are easy enough to find cheaply in 300-500 meter ranges. If you are way out there, they come in kilometer ranges as well. You'll need a big trailer for the spool of fiber.

[@SgtSkrog]

Great idea for my 10 acres. Would just add in battery heat option for my location. So probably a larger solar panel. Same shed for extra cameras out in the location as well. This will also come in handy for my storm cellar.

[@Keyboardletters]

Geez dude your awesome! Very good!

[@maxrunge7599]

I have built a few similar setups for a local collage to use in their test farms. The one thing i added was a "on" timer with an external momentary PB so that the battery would charge but nothing would be on until the button was pushed. Then I just program the timer to be on for 4 hours then it would shut everything off but the charging circuit. Since they normally dont use them every day the battery is always full.

[@johnarizona3820]

Beautiful property.

[@funstuffonthenet5573]

Some interesting ideas in this video. I might use some of your ideas to get some security cameras working.

[@landonferguson7282]

You can use the load port on the solar charge controller to turn the output on and off. Like for instance if you wanted the access point to only run in the daytime to conserve power.

[@NeilPBrooks]

Very interesting build! Why not add a floor to the shed to keep out all that ground humidity? Also, please add a link to the PoE switch, curious what makes it special? Shouldn’t the charge controller be outputting a steady voltage?

[@earld1403]

POE is not directly mentioned in the BOM but the device he is using for POE is the Linovision 12V Network Switch listed in the Description.

[@dtrout]

Seems like a lot of work and expense to create outdoor WiFi signal. Cute little “shed” but I just don’t see the need for WiFi to extend that far..... phone calls will drop to voicemail but if I am outside I don’t really want to be checking my phone. I realize a lot of people put high value on tech capabilities but I just cannot see much purpose to this. There are remote control on/off switches that are designed for outdoor applications, so one could manually turn something on and off that’s outside.... does your robot lawn mower need a WiFi signal ?

[@Teknopottu]

​@@dtroutThey are dropping down internet services everywhere so in rural areas working connections could be live and death situations. They drove down 3G in Finland this summer and already had first problems at my home with sending internet messages. 4G does not always work here in backwoods. When they drive down 2G in couple of years, I need my LA-phones or get an internet phone with me in case of an emergency.

[@dtrout]

Satellite connectivity…. iphone 14 or 15 has this capability…. Or get a Garmin in-reach ? I have to use WiFi at home because Verizon has no signal here in our town ….. technically we are a city but really a small to mid size town. Verizon signal is far better at my remote cabin. Go figure.

[@WontSeeReplies]

Most helpful as always.

[@JORLANDO93]

Awesome video!

[@SpeedUpThatComputer]

I'm glad i found this video because i'm looking for ways to improve the wifi coverage in the campground i work for. The layout of it isn't very great for wifi especially with all the metal walls and roofs around and i need to keep wires to a minimum considering there's 16 POE cameras already on the property and the owner doesn't want anymore wires.

[@mrmotofy]

Start running fiber cables in conduit to strategic locations then branch out from there. The wireless especially in crowded areas starts to have problems difficult to pinpoint. Fiber will also allow much higher bandwidth upgrades as we progress

[@Moroo1976]

Great video so much useful thanks

[@Blakehx]

Looks awesome! My sister is always preaching to me about WiFi, cell networks, etc and health effects of radiation… idk if she’s right or just paranoid!🤔

[@karljolley8346]

nice, well described too

[@suhailkhaan]

Great video 👍

[@Whytee-pe5dm]

I like it. Nice work.

[@matthewfarrell317]

I was wondering why you just didn't use a x50 outdoor, then I saw the other devices and it made since. Same company different ecosystem. I had thought of running a solar powered deco outside. Nice to know it works lol.

[@MirageCarbon2260]

I would put some step stones or pavers underneath the shed and put the battery on some bricks so they would avoid unnecessary moisture.

[@fmaz1952]

Awesome tutorial! I would have gone with Ubiquiti stuff but nothing wrong with TP link! Ego batteries are 56V, which is easy to lower to 48V. I'm sure you could rig up something with those too... :)

[@Rkcuddles]

Love how you have faster upload in your remote location and backyard. Meanwhile, xfinity’ s top tier service in my area is only 25mbps upload

[@graanco3446]

Okay, I never sign in YT or Google but you made me cause, I think you went over board here!!!!! Battery 12v, normal AP is 12v usually runs @1.5 amp being about 18w... The calculations bring me to needing a 30AH battery LIFEPO (w/BMS). The charger is great and water resistant box is too. Solar Panel... You need about 100w by my math, not sure where you are from but I will give 50w a go and get the mounting too (Will, update if this actually can get the battery back to 100%). So, what you need to do is open up a indoor TP-Link MESH and place inside the box with other gear. Then purchase extension antennas to attach outside of box. Attach the solar panel to door on the box,. mount box to a Tree and rock on with wifi. Update: oh yes the heat from any components will help keep the battery charging.

[@robertmeyer4744]

looks great. I use battery box like that for HAM/GMRS radio use. Tent camping as well . for me I have 4G/5G access point running from folding solar. up to 300 watts MPPT victron controller. some campgrounds do not have 5G coverage. Miss the 3G network. was slower but reached more places. for me where we go do not have WiFi . have to use hotspot over cell network. and one camp cite had to use WE boost for cell. works well but reduced speed. normally connect 4G cell network. nice project. I like camping on the go with my girlfriend so our use is different.

[@TheMchip]

great project ! really love it! if i made a similar project i wuld yuse mikorotik! much less power usage more range! but still awsome project!

[@s.o.s.exploration2412]

It's not a bad option. I'm not sure if a lot of snow congregates in your area, but I'm sure you plan to utilize a way to mount or ankor the shed in to prevent harsh weather, winds, & snow from toppling it over. Being next to trees wouldn't be a bad idea to utilize some form of plexiglass or clear protective cover over the cells to prevent tree branches, sap, and/or damage in general upon the panels. Other than consideration for those variables, looks pretty solid. Appreciate the idea.

[@mrmotofy]

Panels don't need protective covers. They're designed to BE outside and survive massive hail storms. Covering them will limit performance. Sometimes real world needs to rule over theoretical worlds

[@s.o.s.exploration2412]

@mrmotofy fair enough. Ive seen some that didn't fair too well even without hail.

[@MiniDevilDF]

@@mrmotofy With all due respect, you should definitely heed your own words. Hail is a massive issue for solar panels. On paper they're designed to be outside and survive hail storms, but in reality they are damaged by hail, falling branches, and even falling chestnuts quite easily.

[@mrmotofy]

@@MiniDevilDF They CAN be but rarely are.

[@AR-wz6yz]

Thanks for posting this video. For additional coverage and to create a mesh, what other product do I need. I am setting up for 5 additional extenders into the mesh. I have 6 Batteries and 6 solar panels with switches and the controllers already. I also have the tp 1800 already.

[@ba03111]

I really appreciate your videos. Perhaps a mobile mesh node 🤔Onboard/powered by your side-by-side to take advantage of the high gain AP antennas for greater distances.

[@mazharaltaf4899]

Very interesting and useful ❤

[@jadd6810]

I am collecting things to add wifi to my shed but I am planning on using an inverter to power the google mesh and some lights kinda like yours. Thanks!