Guide · long-range wireless explained
Long-range wireless internet, explained.
A plain guide to getting a fast, stable connection across real distance: what long-range WiFi is, how far it reaches, the different kinds of link, and how to work out which one your place needs.
Last updated 20 June 2026 · by Alien IT Solutions
What is long-range WiFi?
Long-range WiFi is a fixed wireless link that carries an internet connection across distance, from a few hundred metres to around 20 kilometres, using directional antennas with a clear line of sight. It extends a connection you already have, such as Starlink, NBN, fibre or 4G, to buildings that ordinary WiFi cannot reach, without trenching cable.
The connection still comes from one source. A long-range link does not add a second internet plan or a second bill. It takes the signal from the building it lands in and relays it to the shed, the office, the second dwelling or the far paddock, on the one network.
How far can a wireless link reach?
Range is set by line of sight, not by the length of the hop. The limit is what is in the way, not the distance itself.
The numbers that matter
With a clear path and directional antennas, the distances are larger than most people expect, and the gear is rated well beyond a typical property.
The link types compared
There is no single kind of long-range link. The right one depends on how many places you are connecting, how far, and how much capacity you need.
Covering an area rather than linking points is a separate job: wide-area mesh and outdoor access points spread the connection across a yard, park or event once a link has brought it in.
The building blocks
A long-range network is made of a few standard parts. Most jobs use two or three of them.
Site survey
The make-or-break first step. Line of sight, Fresnel clearance, antenna heights, band choice and interference, worked out before anything is quoted.
Point-to-point link
A directional bridge that carries one connection from one building to another over a clear path.
Point-to-multipoint
One base station with sector antennas feeding many buildings or subscribers from a single high point.
Microwave links
Carrier-grade, high-capacity hops, licensed or unlicensed, for backhaul that needs high availability.
Fibre backhaul
The high-capacity spine that carries aggregated traffic to the upstream, blending fibre and wireless with redundancy.
Masts and relays
Height and relay points that clear the trees, sheds and hills that block the path.
Wide-area mesh
Outdoor access points and mesh that blanket a property, park or event on one roaming network.
Off-grid and solar
Links and relays powered by solar and battery where there is no mains to plug into.
How to choose the right link
Four questions decide most of it.
How many places?
Two points means a point-to-point bridge. Several sites around one high point means point-to-multipoint. A whole area to cover means mesh fed from a link.
How far, and what is in the way?
A clear path is straightforward. Trees, sheds or a hill in the line of sight mean a mast or a relay, which the survey identifies.
How much capacity?
General use suits a standard wireless link. High-capacity or critical backhaul steps up to microwave, often paired with fibre.
Is there power out there?
Mains where it reaches; solar and battery where it does not, so a remote relay or far end still runs.
Who builds it
Long Range WiFi is the long-range wireless arm of Alien IT Solutions, an Australian IT, networks and connectivity company with more than 15 years of experience in the places other installers will not drive to. Alien IT is vendor-agnostic: it fits the antenna that suits your distance and terrain, not the one it is told to sell. It designs, integrates, installs and monitors the link, and brings in licensed electrical and rigging trades where a job needs them.
For property-scale rural networking across paddocks, gates and multiple buildings, see the sister service Paddock Networks. For satellite internet, Starlink Rural; for remote sensing, Rural IoT; for event and temporary coverage, Event Networks. All are services of Alien IT Solutions.
Questions people ask
What is long-range WiFi?
Long-range WiFi is a fixed wireless link that carries an internet connection across distance, from a few hundred metres to around 20 kilometres, using directional antennas with a clear line of sight. It extends a connection you already have, such as Starlink, NBN, fibre or 4G, to buildings that ordinary WiFi cannot reach, without trenching cable.
Is long-range WiFi the same as Starlink?
No. Starlink is a satellite internet connection. Long-range WiFi is the link that carries a connection like Starlink from the building it lands in to the other buildings on a property. The two work together: Starlink provides the internet, and a long-range wireless link shares it across the place.
Do you need line of sight for a long-range wireless link?
Yes. A clear line of sight between the two antennas is the single biggest factor in whether a link works. Where trees or terrain block the path, the fix is usually a mast to gain height or a relay point that can see both ends. A site survey works this out before anything is installed.
How much does a long-range wireless link cost?
It depends on the distance, the terrain and whether masts or relays are needed, so every link is quoted after a survey. A short, clear point-to-point hop between two buildings is the simplest and cheapest; long, obstructed or high-capacity links cost more. There is no second internet bill, because the link carries the connection you already have.
Who installs and supports the link?
Long Range WiFi is the long-range wireless service of Alien IT Solutions, an Australian IT and networks company with more than 15 years of experience. Alien IT designs, integrates, installs and monitors the link, and brings in licensed electrical and rigging trades where a job needs them.
Work out the link your place needs.
Tell us what is online, what isn't, and roughly how far apart they are. Alien IT will survey the path and come back with a plan and a price.
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