Can you install on a metal roof or a metal shop building?

Shops, barns and metal-roofed homes are common in rural Nevada, so this question comes up. The company has not published mounting details, so this page separates what is general from what you must ask.

What about the outdoor antenna?

The antenna needs a clear path to the tower, not a particular roof material. A metal roof is a surface to mount on, and the technician chooses a position that sees the tower. The company has not published how it mounts on metal, so ask how it will be fixed and sealed, especially on a standing seam roof where holes are unwelcome.

A tall metal building can also block the path, if it stands between the antenna and the tower. The technician checks that on site. See what blocks a wireless link.

Why is the inside harder?

Wi-Fi is radio too, and a metal shell reflects and absorbs much of it. A router in the middle of a steel shop may reach only part of the building, and a router in the house may not reach a shop at all. The guide on Wi-Fi to a shop, barn or guest house covers the fixes, and stucco, adobe and metal walls explains the physics.

The simplest fix is a wired run. An Ethernet cable from the injector to a router or access point placed where the people are works better than trying to push Wi-Fi through steel.

What should I tell the office?

When you send your address, say what the building is made of, which building should have the connection and whether a second building is wanted later. The article on adding a second building says what the office needs to know.

Ask the technician to show you the plan for the cable run before work begins. Send the address through the address check or call 775-575-9593.