# Hi-gain wireless for laptop

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 7, 2005, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493 "2005-09-07T10:31:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493/1 "2005-09-07T10:31:07Z")

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Augh! Once again I’m on the road and have a crappy wireless connection in my hotel room because the signal is too weak. I get around this problem at home by using a high gain directional antenna on my router to allow it to go through several walls to reach the back patio. Does anyone make a cardbus or USB adapter for 802.11b/g that will take a coaxial antenna connection?

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**Author:** ![St\_Ides](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@St\_Ides](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St_Ides)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493/2 "2005-09-07T11:00:09Z")

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Yeah, they exist.

I know Orinoco cardbus’ do it. I think their USB adaptors do it as well.

Of course, I’ve never seen an Orinoco in retail stores, or at least, not in Canada.  
Generally, with a USB adaptor and a long enough cable, you can generally find a better signal somewhere, and a long usb extension cable is much easier to find.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493/3 "2005-09-07T13:12:21Z")

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[Some hacks that appear to do this](http://www.tussh.com/angus/Hardware.html)

[Orinoco Cards at CDW](http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=634350)  
[This one is limited to B speeds but seems to do exactly what you want connection wise- 2511 CD PLUS EXT2 (200mW)](http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?products_id=43&osCsid=0bde4772ead49352e17a1c3f318f09ad)

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hi-gain-wireless-for-laptop/320493/4 "2005-09-07T13:30:21Z")

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As less expensive and involved solution it might be worthwhile simply to take along a USB port wireless adapter with external antenna wired in. Typically the much greater flexibility in placement vs the fixed PC card type antenna can give you a few extra dB of gain in difficult signal situations.

[Here’s an example](http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Linksys-Wireless-USB-Adapter-WUSB54G-/sem/rpsm/oid/86339/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do)