I’ve had WiFi for about a year now and it works pretty well. I was cheap when I bought it and everything is “b” but it does the job for me (I don’t do much over-network file transfer).
I recently moved the wireless router out of the dining room and back into the office, because it looked pretty stupid sitting out there. All I did was move it behind one wall.
I also moved the computer with a wireless PCI card to the “far end” of the room it was in, which is at the opposite end of the house from the router. It’s about 70 feet away now, with several walls inbetween (one more than before)
It seems that my signal strength isn’t as good anymore. So I was checking our wireless antennas on the CompUSA site and they are reasonably priced so I figured I’d go get one (one of those $30 ones).
The ones I was looking at says I can attach the antenna either to my PCI card or router. Both have removeable antennas, so it’s possible.
Which would be more beneficial to hook the antenna to? I do have a laptop as well with a wireless card, but 99% of the time I’m using it in the family room, 15 feet from the router. My main concern is having the best connection possible for the desktop with the PCI card, across the house from the router.
Any suggestions beyond the antenna idea (other than “build your own”…no!) are appreciated, too. Like “boosters” or “repeaters”.
Try it on the stationary PC first. If it works, wonderful, if not, try it on the router. The connections are all pretty simple screw-on types, and a good antenna will come with an adapter - there are two primary kinds of connectors used - rather than making you go off and buy one.
FWIW, I’ve got one of the Hawking directional panel types here, and it does no more and no less than I expected it to - higher signal strength where I needed it.
Alternately, you can get another router - almost all of them can be configured as “dummy” repeaters. Just find a place to plug it in more or less midway between the main router and the far-off users.
I know you said you don’t want to build one, but perhaps someone else reading this might - with just some cardboard, tinfoil and glue, you can create this directional antenna. (A nifty idea from http://www.freeantennas.com/ )
Note that none of these antennas really “boost” your signal - they just direct it to where you want it from where you don’t.
FWIW make sure you can return it easily. The set of Linksys omnidirectional booster antennas I bought were virtually useless. I think you may need a fairly directional unit for any significant kick up in signal.
Very true. The only legal way (in the USA) to “kick up” your signal is by a gain or directional antenna.
WiFi is considered a Part 15 device. In the FCC regulations a Part 15 device is a device that puts out 1/10 of a watt (100 milliwatts) or less, and does not interfere with other licensed devices. It also must accept interference from licensed devices. Part 15 devices do not require an FCC license to operate.
How do directional (beam) antennas work? Notice the pattern graph. Your signal is going almost all in two directions, front and back of the antenna. If you’re off to the side, you’re out of luck. You’re still limited to 6db of gain.
Or, if you really want to experiment, get your ham radio license. As a beginner class licensee (Technician) you have access to part of the 2.4 GHz band, which includes 6 of the WiFi channels. As a ham, you could legally run up to 100 watts of power on your WiFi network, and unlimited gain on your antenna! See this article for more info.
I haven’t done it - yet. One of these days I’d love to try it. Can you imagine, a 100W WiFi base station at your house with a 12db base antenna outside? You could take your laptop mobile all over town!
Now wait a minute- <astro eyes Rico the ham suspiciously>- I read the article you linked and it seemed to imply that the rights of ham license holders to play around with amped up wifi trumps the (apparently non-existent ) right of wifi users to be free of interfrence. That can’t be right! Some ham can swamp my home or office wifi network and the FCC can’t do anything about it?!
Exactly. I have good news and bad news for you regarding this. First the bad news:
Look at the Part 15 label on your WiFi card or router. It states:
A Part 15 user has NO protection whatsoever from any interference. And cannot cause any interference.
Now, the good news.
WiFi uses 11 channels, of which 6 fall in the ham bands. Which means you have 5 channels you can use that are outside of the ham bands. And not every channel in the ham bands will be used by hams at any one time. If you have interference, just change the channel.
And if you do get blasted off by the ham next door, simply go and talk to him/her. We are (for the most part) decent individuals who like to get along with our neighbors, and we can help you eliminate or minimize the interference - even if we are not the cause of it.
How unsavory! A mad rush down the hillside using a our vastly superior numbers to rout the amiable, but thinly populated, ham ranks is the only answer!
After reading your wonderful replies, and your rants, I actually took a look at the antennas on my WiFi setup and neither are removeable
I had been thinking about my original setup - a LinkSys that didn’t work. Forgot I replaced the PCI card with a USB thingy and I have no removeable antenna.
I will consider buying a second router, though, and placing it in the middle of the house. I suspect I can get a nice “b” one cheaply.
