In article ,
"Skip Gundlach" wrote:

Starting a new thread as the old one led to dead ends.

For a précis on the background, see the thread "Antennas, again, sorta" -
but I'm trying to find an up-the-mast single-item (or single box, anyway)
which will see my wifi connection in my laptop as well as shore points. To
emphasize the point, I don't want to have to connect either a laptop or
permanently mounted computer to a bridge (which would get the job done) via
anything, ethernet, USB active cable, coax or otherwise. Even allowing a
wireless AP/router below would not solve the problem, as I haven't found a
pair which will talk to each other, and I don't want the complexity/extra
wiring that would entail, either, if it would (work). Some sort of
arrangement which would require proprietary eqiupment (Part A will talk to
Part B only if they're both the same manufacturer, e.g, as I can't assure
that any shoreside point would have that manufacturer) likewise isn't
satisfactory. Amplification is a good thing (i.e. 200-1000mw) but the
antennas are what most likely will get the job done, and I have that part
handled.

The problem so far has been that I can't find an AP and Bridge which will
talk to each other. Surely there's something which will work, and can take
common DC power up the mast?

Since nobody here (or, at least, apparently so) knows of such a beast, can
anyone point me to better forums on usenet, or websites, devoted to the
subject? Perhaps some sites devoted to wardriving or the equivalent? It's
a bit of a recursive loop, as not knowing what will actually accomplish the
job makes looking other places for other solutions more challenging.

Thanks for suggestions on other venues...

L8R

Skip, passive rehabbing, active to start in a couple of weeks, so I can get
back to refitting!

You are not likely to find such a box that has universal connectivity,
due to the fact that the "WPA Standard" is not very well defined, and
each OEM tends to extend the Spec with it's own proprietary code.
Also note, that most WPA type Extenders require MAC Address information
of the remote Access Point, which may, or may not, be part of the SSID
Beacon String of the remote Access Point. Seems to "Me" that your
asking for hardware that is 'Not Invented Yet". You could hire a
Development Outfit to write you some really cool code to do what you
want, but it would be expensive, and beyond the capabilities of most
coders, and they would have to have a hardware platform to work with.

Me