May 28th, 2008
Wi-Fi bridge claims a range of 5 miles
I’d love to get my paws on this one: A wireless outdoor network bridge that can connect 802.11g devices over a range of up to five miles. Or so claims its manufacturer, HD Communications.
For $318, the HD26200 includes two high-performance Ubiquiti network radios with integrated 17dBi dual-polarity antennas that are configured in wireless bridge mode. You don’t even need power cables, since both the units are powered over Ethernet.
There’s just one gotcha: the 802.11g devices need line of sight of each other in order to work. HD Communications says it plans to launch a version that doesn’t require line of sight by summer’s end.
In a press release, the company claims that the HD26200 “works every time and outperforms other manufacturers’ $10,000 wireless bridge solutions.” Is there a money-back guarantee?
For the past 15 years, Rik Fairlie has covered technology and the business of technology for numerous publications and Web sites. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
