Need advice starting wifi for multiple homes

[Nancy1]

I live in a mobile home community. We want to go wifi and be secure. I don't speak the language well enough to know what to search for online. (I use wifi- is the extent of my knowledge).

We need to buy equipment and find someone to set it up to the "shape" that allows any resident to use it. And, I assume, we need a provider (the park has basic cable).

If this isn't the right place to get this kind of advice, could you help me know where to start? I've scanned this forum. I don't speak acronym and am lost .

Thank you in advance.

 

[stevech]

what do individual residents do now for Internet access?
Do they use "DSL" provided by AT&T (or other named phone company or from a competitor to the phone company such as DSLextreme)?
Do residents have an option from the Cable TV company for "Cable Modems"?

In both of these cases, the resident can add WiFi for their own use in the home, on the patio, etc.

If you want WiFi (wireless Internet) in the common areas of the mobile home park, it will have to be a project of and funded by the homeowners association, paid for from dues. This gets complicated and, truthfully, brings no advantage. There may be a common club room or some such that needs WiFi, but this is simple.

It may also be that your community gets Cable TV as a part of your dues or fees and the association pays one bill. I've seen this in RV parks with seasonal residents.

So can you comment on the above? These need to be sorted out before worrying about technology.

In my experience, *replacing* existing Internet service from DSL or cable modem with a common-use WiFi system just does not work technically and managerially, and usually winds up costing more that individual-resident Internet connectivity.

 

[thiggins]

Doing what you propose is usually against the Terms and Conditions of any broadband service supplier. That said, it can be done. But as Stevech points out, it can be a hassle to manange.

It will be especially hard if you don't know the terms and have a basic understanding of the technology. The equipment you'd need to use is NOT plug and play.

The basic approach would be to put an omnidirectional access point (AP)
in a central location, as high up as possible. You must have a clear line of sight (no trees or vegetation) between this access point and the receivers.

Manufacturers of such equipment include Ubiquiti, EnGenius and PepWave.

 

[Nancy1]

Thanks

We have about $3000 to spend. We don't want to do as we are now, everyone buys their own individually. Some people don't use computers and might, if it were free. (It is a low income, senior community). Others may look at a home and be encouraged to buy with the offer of "free cable and free wifi".

I'm now told there are two, more knowledgeable people working on it. So, I'm thanking you and bowing out until something changes. I will give the equipment brand names to them, thanks Tim.

 

[stevech]

the cost of the Cable TV and the Internet service is never free. You can hide it in the HOA fees, but the cost is there.