Re: getting good range .. - ditching USB wireless adaptor. What PCI one?

Going back to the orginal post, here's a smorgasboard of suggestions:

1) what are the materials between your AP and your PC? Do you have
something blocking the signal so that it just won't work? A chimney?,
concrete floors? If so, then use powerline ethernet adapters and work
around the reception issue. You can even get sets that put an mini AP
on the upstairs end so that you are still on WIFI if you need it for a
laptop

2) Is your USB dongle on an extension? Have you tried other
positions? Get a USB extension- 15 feet max and try that ! Really,
finding the right location could make a world of difference.

3) Have you checked out the "USB cookware" idea? Google it. There is
a group of people promoting this, where you put the usb dongle's
antenna inside some commonly availible parabolic reflector (wok,
chinese fry basket, etc) and it's supposed to increase gain. Your
mileage may vary, but it's a cheap and easy solution to try.

A homemade relector could also do the job for your usb dongle. Google
"EZ-12 reflector" Somebody on this forum has had good success with
those and USB adapters. I've had success with those on rubber duck
antennas. You could try it on your router too.

4) If you must buy something, I'm currently most excited about this
device:
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/SUB-362EXT

It has increased sensitivity and transmit power over typical USB
adapters.

And unlike PCI, it can be used on a laptop as well as desktop. Also
more powerful than most pci cards it won't require lossy coax cable to
get your antenna(s) out from behind the computer shield and, best of
all, it has an EXTERNAL antenna connector with a 2dbi antenna
included.

With probably 2-4X the power of a typical usb, plus an included
antenna with typically > 2dbi over the built-in antenna in most usb
adapters, this one should make a significant difference.

Oncue you get it, first try finding it's best location (using that 15'
usb extension! ), then, if still not good enough, you can put an EZ-12
reflector on it's antenna, then it that's not acceptable, you can
always put a cantenna, panel, yagi or grid antenna, whatever you want
on it.

This baby looks like a great universal problem-solving tool for
reception issues. And if you want to help a friend, you can take over
this guy, along with a reflector and apply some fire-power to any poor
reception issue on any computer with USB.

Steve


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Relevant Pages

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