Anyone ever use a WLAN antenna to boost signal?

[SmokeyDP]

I was looking at picking up at 5dbm antenna for my d-link because I get a real weak signal in the basement and outside. It connects, but drops when you try to do anything outside.

Has anyone bought an antenna for their router? How did it work out? I see ones ranging from 5dbm up to 11dbm. Any downfalls of using one?

[zero2dash]

(From my limited WiFi experience) -
Downfall would be that it could be easier for someone to sniff the signal and try to hack your network.

BTW which D-Link do you have? Check your router settings...when I had my DI-524, I tweaked the setting (I think it's under the Tools -> System page) to change the signal strength. You may be able to boost that (if it's not already 100%) and maybe fix your problem without having to purchase a booster. Just a heads up...

[SmokeyDP]

(From my limited WiFi experience) -
Downfall would be that it could be easier for someone to sniff the signal and try to hack your network.

BTW which D-Link do you have? Check your router settings...when I had my DI-524, I tweaked the setting (I think it's under the Tools -> System page) to change the signal strength. You may be able to boost that (if it's not already 100%) and maybe fix your problem without having to purchase a booster. Just a heads up...
Yeah I thought of that. I might turn my SSID broadcasting off, but none of my neighbors would know how to hack it. They are mostly older and dont use computers.

I am not sure off hand, but I do know that its already at 100%

[zero2dash]

Using a booster shouldn't do much harm, again, other than making your signal stronger. You could always get a booster antenna and then weaken the signal the router puts out (say, 50 or 75%) and maybe get your range outside ok without it going 'too far' out. :)

[Daversinger]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=SCB10&cat=NET

you can actually make one of these your self (pringle can...) did some one actually pat. that?

[azares]

Fry Electronics frequently have the Airlink 8dBI antena on sale for $5.00.This directional antenna will boost your router wireless signal by more than six times.

Point the antenna toward your wireless card and those outside of the beamwidth of the signal will not receive the wireless signal.

[Jeffbx]

Have you considered that the problem might lie with your card, and not with the WAP? If you have an older card in your laptop it might not be powerful enough to pick up the signal cleanly.

Older cards only have about 35mW of transmit/receive power & you'll get a crappy signal no matter how good your WAP antenna is. You want to have a card with at 100mW or more - you'll be shocked at the difference in range you can get.

Cisco, 3Com, Proxim, Netgear, etc. all make higher powered cards. If you have some cash to burn, Demarc (http://www.demarctech.com/products/reliawave-rwz/reliawave-rwz-100mw-prism2-5-pcmcia-card.html) makes the most powerful card out there - 100, 200 and 300mW. They're expensive, though - $95-120.

[GilbertsGrape]

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/
I have heard this is a real good place to get antennas for WiFi

[johnnymk]

Have you considered that the problem might lie with your card, and not with the WAP? If you have an older card in your laptop it might not be powerful enough to pick up the signal cleanly.

Older cards only have about 35mW of transmit/receive power & you'll get a crappy signal no matter how good your WAP antenna is. You want to have a card with at 100mW or more - you'll be shocked at the difference in range you can get.

Cisco, 3Com, Proxim, Netgear, etc. all make higher powered cards. If you have some cash to burn, Demarc (http://www.demarctech.com/products/reliawave-rwz/reliawave-rwz-100mw-prism2-5-pcmcia-card.html) makes the most powerful card out there - 100, 200 and 300mW. They're expensive, though - $95-120.

Even with the nore expensive cards: 100, 200 and 300 mW which equates to .10--.30 watts, are they powerful enough to transmit a signal outside of your house, much less to a neigbor or someone driving by?

[SmokeyDP]

We have 5 wireless laptops on the network. My parents both have IBM T43's with the built in 802.11g and can't install a PCMCIA one because its a locked out company laptop. The other two are sporting 802.11b, but they are just for the office. Mine is a T40 with a Microsoft by Cisco 802.11g and it also bearly gets a signal outside, but it does get a better one than the T43's with the built in. I have to stick with what I have.

[Jeffbx]

Even with the nore expensive cards: 100, 200 and 300 mW which equates to .10--.30 watts, are they powerful enough to transmit a signal outside of your house, much less to a neigbor or someone driving by?

Actually, the compelling thing about these high power cards is their receive sensitivity... so you're relying more on the receiving end than the transmitter. If you have a weak signal, this is a good solution to use without having to mess with the antennas on the WAP (or maybe your WAP doesn't have removeable antennas).

Comparison of receive sensitivity in PC cards:
http://freenetworks.org/moin/index.cgi/ReceiveSensitivity


We have 5 wireless laptops on the network. My parents both have IBM T43's with the built in 802.11g and can't install a PCMCIA one because its a locked out company laptop. The other two are sporting 802.11b, but they are just for the office. Mine is a T40 with a Microsoft by Cisco 802.11g and it also bearly gets a signal outside, but it does get a better one than the T43's with the built in. I have to stick with what I have.

Sounds like you have pretty recent equipment anyway, so in this case a better antenna on the WAP is probably what you need. If you're only planning on covering a specific area outside (like a deck or patio), I'd recommend a panel antenna rather than an omnidirectional one. That way you can concentrate the signal just to the area you're using it.

[doolittle]

zero2dash(From my limited WiFi experience) -
Downfall would be that it could be easier for someone to sniff the signal and try to hack your network


I dont trust my nieghbors not to hack in my wireless system, so I use mac filtering. as far as I know this is a good way to lock out sniffers, most routers support mac filtering.

[djjazzman]

Check out http://www.freeantennas.com/ before you buy anything. They are directional but work great.

[brainsmile]

I use a booster for my linksys and it works so much better

[Trigun]

Try this one. It worked for a client of mine. And it's free

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/Ez-10/

[zero2dash]

I dont trust my nieghbors not to hack in my wireless system, so I use mac filtering. as far as I know this is a good way to lock out sniffers, most routers support mac filtering.

Absolutely.
Or you could go nuts (like me) and don't stop there. :heh:

Change default SSID name
Disable SSID broadcast
Enable MAC filtering
Disable DHCP and use static TCP/IP
Change the router's IP Address from a 0.1 or 1.1 string (192.168.0.1/192.168.1.1)
Change the router's administrator password


You might trust your neighbors, but lord only knows how many people drive by your house with open laptops sniffing for a wireless signal... :shrug:

[SmokeyDP]

Well I bought a Dlink one for $38. It is nice because it contained a cord so you can put the antenna somewhere else. It seemed to have increased the range by 50ft or so which is just what I needed. In the room I used to get a poor signal in I now get a good one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833127063