hooking up a computer to an external cantenna - 20 foot away

I would like to hook up a PCI wireless network card ( external antenna
connector) or with a USB wireless adaptor to a Cantenna.
Problem is computer is in the basement approximately 20 feet away from
the cantenna.
can this be done without tremendous signal loss ?
Are there any alternatives ?

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I would like to hook up a PCI wireless network card ( external antenna
> connector) or with a USB wireless adaptor to a Cantenna.
> Problem is computer is in the basement approximately 20 feet away from
> the cantenna.
> can this be done without tremendous signal loss ?
> Are there any alternatives ?

Have you considered an external directional antenna with it's own USB thing
in it? They make off the shelf directional antennas with a built in USB
transceiver, and have used them with two 10 FT usb extension cables, + the
built in 6 FT one (total 26 FT).. Why in the heck would you even want to
consider a "cantenna"? That term is usually used by cheap people thinking
"pringles can antenna" that they can make cheap or free. Several
manufacturers make "external USB directional antennas", but about $100, not
free like a pringles can.

A USB adapter on the cantenna fed by a 20' USB cable should work fine with
no losses

Guy

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> I would like to hook up a PCI wireless network card ( external antenna
> connector) or with a USB wireless adaptor to a Cantenna.
> Problem is computer is in the basement approximately 20 feet away from
> the cantenna.
> can this be done without tremendous signal loss ?
> Are there any alternatives ?

"Bigguy" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>A USB adapter on the cantenna fed by a 20' USB cable should work fine with
>no losses

Can a USB adapter be used as the transmitting/receiving element in
a waveguide cantenna at all? I thought they used different mechanisms.
--
--Donald Davis

[To respond by e-mail, remove "blackhole." from the address.]

Donald G. Davis <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Can a USB adapter be used as the transmitting/receiving element in
> a waveguide cantenna at all? I thought they used different mechanisms.


Bob Alston <bobalston9NOS...@aol.com> wrote:
> OK. for your contest for "making the most practical, cheapest dongle
> antenna"
> this is my entry, my tin cantenna:
> http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/...tenna%20Made%2...
> --
> Bob Alston


A picture of Bob's is at:
http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/images/IMG_1571.JPG
I presume that Bob's looks like mine. An internal view of mine:
http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/u...42-800x600.jpg
And the folks that got me interested in USB dongle reflectors:
http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Cantenna was only meant as a generic term for an external antenna.
See a couple of people have used them as an example in their photos of
their answer.
Seems to work for them why insult the humble Cantenna.
Bought a Cantenna commercially out of laziness and a good reference
standard. Ypi ovrepaid at a $ 100. I paid around $ 50.
My son is still angry at me for being so stupid as to pay $ 50 for a
can.
Do you need any cans ? Still have some lying around.
Regarding the USB adaptor in the parabolic antenna is the adaptor just
stuck into the middle rear of the parabola or is somehow connected to
an antenna wire ?

(E-Mail Removed) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Bought a Cantenna commercially out of laziness and a good reference

I see no problem with buying a www.cantenna.com product.
I don't think the pretty can is worth $50, but it's certainly worth
something. I have suggested to them that they should also do a USB
version, but I didn't get the pleasure of a response.

> My son is still angry at me for being so stupid as to pay $ 50 for a
> can.

Would he pay someone to paint his fender after a crunch, or would he leave
the replacement fender primer? Did he build one for you for free?

> Regarding the USB adaptor in the parabolic antenna is the adaptor just
> stuck into the middle rear of the parabola or is somehow connected to
> an antenna wire ?

The new zealand solution, Bob's solution, and my solution use an unmodified
USB dongle, no new wires. The dongle should nominally be positioned at the
focal point of a parabola. The positioning for my can was up for debate,
and I haven't tried the suggested alternatives. I used the calculator at
http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

I can't tell what the commercial http://www.keybola.com/ uses.

Jeff and David both like the idea of tearing open the adapter and soldering
something to the adapter to use a standard cantenna.
(a pringles can is different from a cantenna waveguide.)

Jeff doesn't have a reference site, but David's makes nice reading.
http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/cantenna/cantenna.htm

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Thanks for your input.
I can see the USB pen type adapters could be positioned easily.
What about an external USB adaper such as Linksys /Network Everywhere
NWU11B network adaptor in such a situation.
There are screws on the bottom to open it up.
Antenna is on a pivot about 2 1/4 inches long.
What would you recommend to build the external antenna ( parabola shape
I assume) ?
Would a Dishnet satellite dish be of use as a good reflector for the
antenna ?


d...@XReXXhooki.usenet.us.com wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > Bought a Cantenna commercially out of laziness and a good reference
>
> I see no problem with buying a www.cantenna.com product.
> I don't think the pretty can is worth $50, but it's certainly worth
> something. I have suggested to them that they should also do a USB
> version, but I didn't get the pleasure of a response.
>
> > My son is still angry at me for being so stupid as to pay $ 50 for
a
> > can.
>
> Would he pay someone to paint his fender after a crunch, or would he
leave
> the replacement fender primer? Did he build one for you for free?
>
> > Regarding the USB adaptor in the parabolic antenna is the adaptor
just
> > stuck into the middle rear of the parabola or is somehow connected
to
> > an antenna wire ?
>
> The new zealand solution, Bob's solution, and my solution use an
unmodified
> USB dongle, no new wires. The dongle should nominally be positioned
at the
> focal point of a parabola. The positioning for my can was up for
debate,
> and I haven't tried the suggested alternatives. I used the
calculator at
> http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html
>
> I can't tell what the commercial http://www.keybola.com/ uses.
>
> Jeff and David both like the idea of tearing open the adapter and
soldering
> something to the adapter to use a standard cantenna.
> (a pringles can is different from a cantenna waveguide.)
>
> Jeff doesn't have a reference site, but David's makes nice reading.
> http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/cantenna/cantenna.htm
>
> --
> ---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Thanks for your input.
I can see the USB pen type adapters could be positioned easily.
What about an external USB adaper such as Linksys /Network Everywhere
NWU11B network adaptor in such a situation.
There are screws on the bottom to open it up.
Antenna is on a pivot about 2 1/4 inches long.
What would you recommend to build the external antenna ( parabola shape
I assume) ?
Would a Dishnet satellite dish be of use as a good reflector for the
antenna ?


d...@XReXXhooki.usenet.us.com wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > Bought a Cantenna commercially out of laziness and a good reference
>
> I see no problem with buying a www.cantenna.com product.
> I don't think the pretty can is worth $50, but it's certainly worth
> something. I have suggested to them that they should also do a USB
> version, but I didn't get the pleasure of a response.
>
> > My son is still angry at me for being so stupid as to pay $ 50 for
a
> > can.
>
> Would he pay someone to paint his fender after a crunch, or would he
leave
> the replacement fender primer? Did he build one for you for free?
>
> > Regarding the USB adaptor in the parabolic antenna is the adaptor
just
> > stuck into the middle rear of the parabola or is somehow connected
to
> > an antenna wire ?
>
> The new zealand solution, Bob's solution, and my solution use an
unmodified
> USB dongle, no new wires. The dongle should nominally be positioned
at the
> focal point of a parabola. The positioning for my can was up for
debate,
> and I haven't tried the suggested alternatives. I used the
calculator at
> http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html
>
> I can't tell what the commercial http://www.keybola.com/ uses.
>
> Jeff and David both like the idea of tearing open the adapter and
soldering
> something to the adapter to use a standard cantenna.
> (a pringles can is different from a cantenna waveguide.)
>
> Jeff doesn't have a reference site, but David's makes nice reading.
> http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/cantenna/cantenna.htm
>
> --
> ---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5

Thanks for your input.
I can see the USB pen type adapters could be positioned easily.
What about an external USB adaper such as Linksys /Network Everywhere
NWU11B network adaptor in such a situation.
There are screws on the bottom to open it up.
Antenna is on a pivot about 2 1/4 inches long.
What would you recommend to build the external antenna ( parabola shape
I assume) ?
Would a Dishnet satellite dish be of use as a good reflector for the
antenna ?


d...@XReXXhooki.usenet.us.com wrote:
> (E-Mail Removed) <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > Bought a Cantenna commercially out of laziness and a good reference
>
> I see no problem with buying a www.cantenna.com product.
> I don't think the pretty can is worth $50, but it's certainly worth
> something. I have suggested to them that they should also do a USB
> version, but I didn't get the pleasure of a response.
>
> > My son is still angry at me for being so stupid as to pay $ 50 for
a
> > can.
>
> Would he pay someone to paint his fender after a crunch, or would he
leave
> the replacement fender primer? Did he build one for you for free?
>
> > Regarding the USB adaptor in the parabolic antenna is the adaptor
just
> > stuck into the middle rear of the parabola or is somehow connected
to
> > an antenna wire ?
>
> The new zealand solution, Bob's solution, and my solution use an
unmodified
> USB dongle, no new wires. The dongle should nominally be positioned
at the
> focal point of a parabola. The positioning for my can was up for
debate,
> and I haven't tried the suggested alternatives. I used the
calculator at
> http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html
>
> I can't tell what the commercial http://www.keybola.com/ uses.
>
> Jeff and David both like the idea of tearing open the adapter and
soldering
> something to the adapter to use a standard cantenna.
> (a pringles can is different from a cantenna waveguide.)
>
> Jeff doesn't have a reference site, but David's makes nice reading.
> http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/cantenna/cantenna.htm
>
> --
> ---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5