The quickest and easiest way to get help is to scan the articles and Frequently-Asked-Questions on this page. A wealth of information here helps you determine what you need to order and build your AyrMesh network, successfully install and operate it, and troubleshoot it if needed.
If you don't find the information you need here, please contact us:
The first AyrMesh Hub you install in your network is called the "Gateway" - this is the Hub that is connected to your router. See the installation instruction slideshow or our YouTube video to see how it all gets set up. All you need to get started is an AyrMesh Hub and, usually, a long Ethernet (Cat 5 or Cat 6) cable to run from your router to the Hub.
An Ayrstone AyrMesh Remote Hub extends the range of the network, without a direct connection to the Internet. Since the data connection comes from the nearest AyrMesh Hub, connecting and installing the unit is simple.
The AyrMesh Hub is a sturdy, solid-state device with no moving parts, designed to provide years of reliable service. However, if you have trouble, this guide will help you get it fixed fast.
The AyrMesh system creates a separate, secure network for your wireless devices, which is usually all you need. However, additional configuration of your router can be helpful to (1) turn off the wireless feature (so it does not interfere with your AyrMesh system) and (2) enable wired devices connected to your router to access devices on the AyrMesh network. Here are some directions to help you do that - we have also supplied specific instructions for a few popular brands of consumer routers: Linksys, NetGear, and D-Link.
Looking for quick run-down on what all this Wi-Fi network stuff means and does? Learn a little more about networking in general and the AyrMesh network in particular here.
The Ayrstone AyrMesh system can be used for providing safe, reliable public Wi-Fi access for inns, campgrounds, lodges, marinas, and other facilities. Although most homeowners, farmers, and ranchers will not want to do this, AyrMesh users in the hospitality business will find this a very convenient and affordable way to provide internet access to their customers.
Putting any antenna into the air, especially if it is mounted on a metallic pole, can invite lightning in areas prone to thunderstorms. Grounding and protecting your AyrMesh hubs can help them perform better and protect your property from lightning damage.
The AyrMesh wireless network is a Wi-Fi access point/router that provides an Internet connection for your entire operation and makes it easy to use web-enabled devices on the network. The AyrMesh Hubs are rugged and powerful and use meshing technology to expand the wireless network, potentially across many acres. The AyrMesh Hub is 40 times as powerful as a normal Wi-Fi access point – the most powerful Wi-Fi device allowable under U.S. regulations - and provides extraordinary range. The first AyrMesh Hub in your network is called the "Gateway Hub" and connects to your internet access router and can broadcast that internet connectivity up to a half-mile. To extend the range even further, additional AyrMesh Hubs can be deployed as Remote Hubs and repeat the signal from the Gateway Hub up to a quarter-mile. The Remote Hubs also provide additional ethernet ports for wired devices (network devices without a Wi-Fi interface such as a computer). Position the AyrMesh Hubs to cover the area you need for access to the internet with your computer, phone, or PDA; or to use networking devices such as IP cameras, weather stations, and control systems.
The short answer is, "yes." We have not yet found a router with which AyrMesh won't work - all it requires is an "always on" internet connection and a DHCP address. To make it easier, most of the "Customer Premises Equipment" (CPE) that companies install with high-speed internet include a router, making the AyrMesh installation as simple as "plug-and-go." We have also tested AyrMesh with a wide variety of Wi-Fi devices, and have not found a modern device (less than 5 years oldl) that does not work on AyrMesh.
Yes – links to the AyrMesh Hubs are encrypted using WPA encryption, and all traffic between the AyrMesh network and the AyrMesh portal is encrypted using 256-bit AES SSL encryption (the gold standard, the same as is probably used by your bank). Even with the aid of a supercomputer, it is impossible to break these encryption algorithms.
You start with a single AyrMesh Hub to cover your house, yard, and surrounding area for $279.95. From there, deploy additional AyrMesh Hubs to extend the range of the network to outbuildings, offices, houses, and workshops; and add networking devices like cameras, media servers, and storage devices.
The AyrMesh Portal is a central, secure server on the Internet where the configuration information for your AyrMesh Network is saved. You have to have an account on the AyrMesh Portal so you can control and monitor your AyrMesh network. When you sign up for your account on the AyrMesh Portal, it remembers your IP address - your location on the Internet - and uses that to automatically detect new AyrMesh Hubs on your network. This way you don't have to manually enter the "MAC Address" of the Hubs you add. NOTE: this works smoothly most of the time, especially if you sign up for your account just before you install your Gateway Hub. If the Gateway Hub is not recognized within half an hour of being plugged in to your router, you may have to add the Gateway Hub manually.
Category 5 and 6 Ethernet cables (Cat5 or Cat6) are limited to 100 meters (328 feet) in length. We recommend using no longer than a 200' cable for the AyrMesh Hub, because the Power over Ethernet voltage will be reduced on longer runs.
The best answer we can give is, "it depends." It depends on how far your buildings are from the AyrMesh Hub and what the buildings are made of. Glass lets a lot of the radio signal through, so a building with a lot of windows may work very well. Trees, wooden walls, and even fences can block a significant amount of the signal; bricks, cinder blocks, and concrete (especially reinforced concrete) will block a lot more of the signal. Metal (even metal mesh) will block the signal almost completely - the best hope for getting signal into a metal building is through a window or door. But it's hard to tell how it's going to work until you try it. This is one of the reasons we decided to offer our 90-day money-back guarantee - so you can try the system yourself and see how it works.
Incredibly popular Wi-Fi connects to a huge number of different devices; from laptops to cameras, soil sensors, weather stations and the trendy iPod Touch and iPad. Wi-Fi offers outstanding data rates (up to 54 Mbps) and integrates perfectly with your existing LAN or any Internet access point. Wi-Fi signals require line-of-sight connections; hills and trees tend to hinder Wi-Fi. Being an unlicensed signal, Wi-Fi devices must remain limited to relatively short ranges. Ayrstone AyrMesh™ Hubs provide the longest, most powerful signal of its type on the market. A single Ayrstone AyrMesh Hub blasts a half-mile of Wi-Fi and additional Hubs can increase that range several times. The meshing capability provided by the Ayrstone AyrMesh system allows users to position Remote Hubs to direct a Wi-Fi signal around just about any obstacle.
Signal distance depends on many factors: transmitter power, receiver sensitivity, antenna configuration and type, antenna height above ground, terrain and obstructions, atmospheric conditions, and the type of Wi-Fi (802.11a, b, g, or n). Ayrstone AyrMesh uses 802.11g, which provides excellent range and is the most popular of the Wi-Fi types. The AyrMesh Hub generally connects to Wi-Fi devices up to half-mile away. An AyrMesh Hub mounted inside a building may only reach an effective Wi-Fi range of a hundred yards or less outside; depending on the construction of the building. For best performance we recommend mounting AyrMesh Hubs outside and above any obstructions like roofs, fences, and trees.
The AyrMesh Hub will connect to another AyrMesh Hub at even greater
distances (up to a mile) if both Hubs remain free of any obstructions; generally greater heights offer fewer
obstructions.
You can connect any equipment compatible with any other TCP/IP network via either Wi-Fi or ethernet, including computers, PDAs, Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones, cameras, data storage devices, home entertainment systems, and a growing variety of other devices. All the AyrMesh Hubs connect Wi-Fi devices, and AyrMesh Remote Hubs include a free ethernet connector for wired network devices.
DHCP stands for "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol" - it is the protocol by which a device on a network automatically obtains an address and other information necessary for it to join the network.
Four primary differences separate Wi-Fi range-extenders and repeaters from the Ayrstone AyMesh Wi-Fi network. First off, we are not aware of any range-extenders or repeaters with reach remotely close to the half-mile blast from the Ayrstone AyrMesh Wi-Fi system.Second, extenders and repeaters are not suitable for placement outdoors. The Ayrstone AyrMesh system, on the other hand, uses high-quality, high-power, outdoor-ready units built to withstand weather.
Third, a range extender or repeater is oblivious to any other repeaters. Using more than one repeater creates a closed loop and destroys your network range. Ayrstone AyrMesh deploys a mesh routing protocol so Hubs recognize each other and work together, actively adjusting routing to ensure the highest reliability and throughput on a network.
Finally, repeaters “stand-alone” and require individual configuration for each device. Each AyrMesh Hub receives configuration directly from the AyrMesh Internet Portal, freeing the user from the chore of reconfiguring. Administrative adjustments like changing a broadcast channel or password require a single entry from the AyrMesh Portal and all the AyrMesh Hubs automatically reconfigure.
There is no actual difference - the Hubs configure themselves according to the role in which they find themselves. If they can "see" the internet on their Ethernet ports, they configure themselves as Gateways; if not, they configure themselves as Remotes.
Yes, across a moderate distance (up to a mile with clear line-of-sight). To share your Internet connection, you need two items:
Two Ayrstone AyrMesh Hubs
A broadband Internet connection that can be legally shared (some Internet Service Providers do not allow the sharing of internet connections – check your ISP's terms of service).
Connect one AyrMesh Hub to a router connected to the Internet (this is the Gateway) and mount it outside, as high as practical. Then mount the other Hub (Remote) as high as practical in the location where you want Internet access. You can also connect an Ethernet switch to the Remote Hub so you can use Ethernet (non-wireless) devices there, and both locations will have strong, wide-ranging wi-fi access.
The 802.11n used by Wireless N offers somewhat better range than an 802.11g router at the same power. MIMO antennas commonly used for 802.11n routers maximize indoor performance, but do not improve outdoor line-of-sight performance. Consumer-grade routers currently on the market generally output 60 mW of power to a 2 dB antenna. The Ayrstone AyrMesh Hub blasts up to 1000 mW of power to a 6 dB antenna, up to 40 times more power, increasing range several times.
Yes, it can, but it may not be the best solution. The Ayrstone AyrMesh network design delivers consistent connectivity for a small number of people over a relatively large area per node, which can also work well for campgrounds, small resorts and lodges, marinas, and similar businesses. Most in-town or larger hotel Wi-Fi systems deliver consistent connectivity for a relatively large number of people across a fairly small area (per node). There may be other, better solutions, especially for a municipal setting - for instance, AyrMesh does not have any bandwidth throttling, MAC address whitelisting/blacklisting, or a Captive Portal. However, we do offer basic features (including client isolation) for small-scale public wi-fi access - see the article at left about configuring AyrMesh for public wi-fi access.
