How can we pick up a weak wireless signal in a campground?

While camping in a small motorhome, we try to find campgrounds with
"wifi" for our computers. Many sites that advertise it have such a
weak signal that we can't pick it up from our site. Is there some
device that we could put on our roof or near a window that would pick
up the signal and relay it to the cards build into our computers?

I looked at the device suggested for the man who wanted to be able to
get his daughter's wireless, but that needs to be plugged into the USB
port so it would work for only 1 computer at a time.

Thanks for any help.

Kathy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> While camping in a small motorhome, we try to find campgrounds with
> "wifi" for our computers. Many sites that advertise it have such a
> weak signal that we can't pick it up from our site. Is there some
> device that we could put on our roof or near a window that would pick
> up the signal and relay it to the cards build into our computers?
>
> I looked at the device suggested for the man who wanted to be able to
> get his daughter's wireless, but that needs to be plugged into the USB
> port so it would work for only 1 computer at a time.

A wireless range extender like the D-Link DWL-G710 or the Linksys WRE54G
could. It still depends on how weak the signal is. An extender (or a
repeater, like the DWL-G700AP in repeater mode) can be positioned in
places where a laptop can't. Say in a window or high up inside your
camper.

On 2007-02-03 16:53:56 -0600, (E-Mail Removed) (Axel Hammerschmidt) said:

> Kathy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> While camping in a small motorhome, we try to find campgrounds with
>> "wifi" for our computers. Many sites that advertise it have such a
>> weak signal that we can't pick it up from our site. Is there some
>> device that we could put on our roof or near a window that would pick
>> up the signal and relay it to the cards build into our computers?
>>
>> I looked at the device suggested for the man who wanted to be able to
>> get his daughter's wireless, but that needs to be plugged into the USB
>> port so it would work for only 1 computer at a time.
>
> A wireless range extender like the D-Link DWL-G710 or the Linksys WRE54G
> could. It still depends on how weak the signal is. An extender (or a
> repeater, like the DWL-G700AP in repeater mode) can be positioned in
> places where a laptop can't. Say in a window or high up inside your
> camper.

Thank you for your reply, Axel. This gave me a few more questions:
1. Which of the ones you suggest will work with the weakest signal?
2. When I looked 2 of them up online, they talked about using a wizard
to install. Since I use a mac, a wizard doesn't do me any good, so my
second question is which can I set up through a browser. I currently
control our home router through the browser.
Thanks again.

On Sat, 3 Feb 2007 16:19:36 -0600, Kathy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<2007020316193616807-me@nowherecom>:

>While camping in a small motorhome, we try to find campgrounds with
>"wifi" for our computers. Many sites that advertise it have such a
>weak signal that we can't pick it up from our site. Is there some
>device that we could put on our roof or near a window that would pick
>up the signal and relay it to the cards build into our computers?
>
>I looked at the device suggested for the man who wanted to be able to
>get his daughter's wireless, but that needs to be plugged into the USB
>port so it would work for only 1 computer at a time.

True, but you could use ICS on that computer to share the connection
with other computers, either wired with an Ethernet switch or hub, or
wirelessly with a wireless access point.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Kathy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

<snip>

> Thank you for your reply, Axel. This gave me a few more questions:
> 1. Which of the ones you suggest will work with the weakest signal?

They all work the same. Because you will want something that works
everywhere, buying some "draft-n" device is not a good idea.

> 2. When I looked 2 of them up online, they talked about using a wizard
> to install. Since I use a mac, a wizard doesn't do me any good, so my
> second question is which can I set up through a browser. I currently
> control our home router through the browser.

The "wizard" runs in the web-server on the device, so you can use
anything that supports a browser. A Mac will be fine.

BTW what sort of Mac do you have? I ask, because the alu- and Ti
Powerbooks (and probably the Macbook Pros) have very bad wireless
reception with their metal casing. If you have a PB, you may consider
disabling the Airport card and using a PC Card instead.

On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:51:09 GMT, John Navas
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed)>:

>On Sat, 3 Feb 2007 16:19:36 -0600, Kathy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
><2007020316193616807-me@nowherecom>:
>
>>While camping in a small motorhome, we try to find campgrounds with
>>"wifi" for our computers. Many sites that advertise it have such a
>>weak signal that we can't pick it up from our site. Is there some
>>device that we could put on our roof or near a window that would pick
>>up the signal and relay it to the cards build into our computers?
>>
>>I looked at the device suggested for the man who wanted to be able to
>>get his daughter's wireless, but that needs to be plugged into the USB
>>port so it would work for only 1 computer at a time.
>
>True, but you could use ICS on that computer to share the connection
>with other computers, either wired with an Ethernet switch or hub, or
>wirelessly with a wireless access point.

I see in your later response that you use a Mac, so ICS isn't an option.
You could instead use (1) wireless Ethernet [client] bridge, cabled by
Ethernet to (2a) each computer through a switch/hub or (2b) wireless
access point.

Ideally (1) would be mounted on the roof, either temporarily (e.g., with
a magnetic mount) or permanently (in a weather proof housing). Power
(12 VDC) can be provided with a separate power cable or power over
Ethernet.

(2a) is the simplest and easiest way to connect clients if you can live
with the wires.

(2b) would be mounted inside, making wireless possible for your
computers. The tricky part is configuring your computers so you can
connect to both the wireless Ethernet client bridge [for management] and
the Internet [usually by DHCP].

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

<snip>

> I see in your later response that you use a Mac, so ICS isn't an option.

Yes it is. The OP will find it in the Network Preferences. Look for
Share your Internet connection with AirPort-equipped computers.

On Mon, 5 Feb 2007 18:53:49 +0100, (E-Mail Removed) (Axel
Hammerschmidt) wrote in <1ht2s9j.veys55gtcy0qN%(E-Mail Removed)>:

>John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> I see in your later response that you use a Mac, so ICS isn't an option.
>
>Yes it is. The OP will find it in the Network Preferences. Look for
>Share your Internet connection with AirPort-equipped computers.

[sigh] That's not "ICS", which is a Microsoft term of art. Of course
Macs can share an Internet connection, but the point of my follow-up was
to provide another option that doesn't depend on a particular computer
to be working.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> On Mon, 5 Feb 2007 18:53:49 +0100, (E-Mail Removed) (Axel
> Hammerschmidt) wrote in <1ht2s9j.veys55gtcy0qN%(E-Mail Removed)>:
>
> >John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> ><snip>
> >
> >> I see in your later response that you use a Mac, so ICS isn't an option.
> >
> >Yes it is. The OP will find it in the Network Preferences. Look for
> >Share your Internet connection with AirPort-equipped computers.
>
> [sigh] That's not "ICS", which is a Microsoft term of art.

Bull!

On Mon, 5 Feb 2007 19:39:28 +0100, (E-Mail Removed) (Axel
Hammerschmidt) wrote in <1ht2ufr.asl7791kvpkiqN%(E-Mail Removed)>:

>John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 5 Feb 2007 18:53:49 +0100, (E-Mail Removed) (Axel
>> Hammerschmidt) wrote in <1ht2s9j.veys55gtcy0qN%(E-Mail Removed)>:
>>
>> >John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> >
>> ><snip>
>> >
>> >> I see in your later response that you use a Mac, so ICS isn't an option.
>> >
>> >Yes it is. The OP will find it in the Network Preferences. Look for
>> >Share your Internet connection with AirPort-equipped computers.
>>
>> [sigh] That's not "ICS", which is a Microsoft term of art.
>
>Bull!

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICS>

"Internet Connection Sharing, a feature in Microsoft operating
systems since the advent of Windows 98"

Your turn.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>