# Wireless Cards **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131 "2003-11-03T11:05:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JohnJet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@JohnJet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnJet)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/1 "2003-11-03T11:05:24Z")
Pretty simple really. Set up a wireless network, with the basestation in the basement. I need to get the signel upstairs but the card i have now doesn’t quite have the ooph, can anyone recomend a good card? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/2 "2003-11-03T11:54:14Z")
I think most cards are the same wrt. sending/recieving signal strength… I suggest you either move your station, or get an antenna for either the card or the station. ---
**Author:** ![JohnJet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@JohnJet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnJet)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/3 "2003-11-03T12:21:28Z")
I imagine they’re pretty similar too, but I’d also imagine there are crappy ones, and more highend ones. I don’t need much more performance here, heck, i get a connection now, just not as good as it could be. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/4 "2003-11-03T14:36:27Z")
What card do you have? ‘b’ cards are only 10Mbs, compared to a wired connection which is 100Mbs. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/5 "2003-11-03T17:30:51Z")
What router do you have? Perhaps a simple wireless booster will do the trick. [random link from “wireless router booster” search](http://www.wkonline.com/a/Linksys_WSB24_WirelessB_Signal_Booster_B000085BD7.htm) ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/6 "2003-11-03T17:55:57Z")
Can you move the basestation around? If you’ve got the antennaes pointed at each other, you should have plenty of oomph to go straight up through the floor. But if the signal has to go on an angle (or through some pipes, or furniture, or …) you’re going to have more problems. -lv ---
**Author:** ![z28in813](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a587f6/32.png) [@z28in813](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/z28in813)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/7 "2003-11-03T18:03:16Z")
Your solution a wireless bridge. [http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=18](http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=18) Get one of those and set it up to repeat mode. Place it half the distance between your AP and PC. No wires to run to it other than power so it can be mounted discreetly. I have used these little puppies in larger homes to extend the range of the AP and they work great. ---
**Author:** ![pestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e5b9ba/32.png) [@pestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pestie)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wireless-cards/211131/8 "2003-11-03T18:25:38Z")
A wireless bridge in repeat mode is an expensive way to cut your data rate in half. It’s much cheaper to buy or build a higher-gain antenna, or to relocate the access point, and that won’t halve your data rate like a repeater will. Since the OP asked about a better wireless card, I’d recommend the Cisco Aironet 350 series. They put out 100mw transmit power (most wireless cards put out around 30mw) and they’re known for having more sensitive receivers than most other cards on the market these days. They’re widely considered top of the line wireless network cards, and they’re not all that expensive.