Just wondering

Being an avid newsgroup reader, I decided to see if there was a group
dedicated to wireless - and I found you guys.

Just a quick question. I've read numerous articles concerning
building your own cantenna and really don't want to go through the
trouble if this commercial product is any good.

http://www.cantenna.com/

There are lots of these on eBay which would indicate one of 2 things:

1) They work real good and there's a large market for them.

2) They don't work worth a crap and the dealers are trying to unload
their stock on eBay.

Any thoughts?

My purpose is to extend my wireless access from my commercial metal
building to approx. 250 feet to my daughter's house. She wants to
take some online classes. I'm reasonably sure I would have to mount
the antenna outside. The current AP works well in the building (only
1 wall - rest of building is open), but the signal quickly dies
outside the building.

There is a road between the house and the building, thereby preventing
pulling Cat5. I have extended my access to my home by running cable
from the building to the barn where I installed a "switch" (which
boosts the signal) and then from the barn to my house to another
"switch". From the switch in my house I have several systems hard
wired plus an AP for roaming the house with my laptop.

Thanks
Lee

> building your own cantenna and really don't want to go through the
> trouble if this commercial product is any good.

> Any thoughts?

It's very expensive for a tin can that you can get anywhere.

You could go to www.fab-corp.com and pay in some cases half that price
and in many other cases less for a proper 2.4GHz designed antenna with
published figures. Some including wall mounting brackets for less than
the price of the cantenna.

David.

David Taylor wrote:
>>building your own cantenna and really don't want to go through the
>>trouble if this commercial product is any good.
>
>
>>Any thoughts?
>
>
> It's very expensive for a tin can that you can get anywhere.
>
> You could go to www.fab-corp.com and pay in some cases half that price
> and in many other cases less for a proper 2.4GHz designed antenna with
> published figures. Some including wall mounting brackets for less than
> the price of the cantenna.
>
> David.

One point he miss is perhaps they do work well and the people on ebay
are making a few bucks making them for people that can't or just don't
want to make on.

P.S. I have one and they do work very well.

> One point he miss is perhaps they do work well and the people on ebay
> are making a few bucks making them for people that can't or just don't
> want to make on.
>
> P.S. I have one and they do work very well.

But you'll get better for cheaper from the source I cited.

David.

You might try as well to build a USB adapter antenna.
Very simple to build and use.

link : http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

A standard 12 inch concave kitchen mixing bowl seems to work quite
well.

The only problem seems to be that the common utlities such as
Netstumbler do not seem to function well with these antennas.
Link strength is very low with a very high functional link quality.
These utilities seem to function on a power threshold rather than a
link quality one.
You can use the utility bundled with the adapter which often can be had
relatively cheaply.
Another advantage to this type of antenna is that you can run a length
of wire as the usb connection without signal strength loss along the
antenna wire leading to the computer from the remote adapter.

Thanks for the response will look into this.

Lee

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:53:54 GMT, David Taylor <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>> building your own cantenna and really don't want to go through the
>> trouble if this commercial product is any good.
>
>> Any thoughts?
>
>It's very expensive for a tin can that you can get anywhere.
>
>You could go to www.fab-corp.com and pay in some cases half that price
>and in many other cases less for a proper 2.4GHz designed antenna with
>published figures. Some including wall mounting brackets for less than
>the price of the cantenna.
>
>David.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> You might try as well to build a USB adapter antenna.
> Very simple to build and use.
>
> link : http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/
>
> A standard 12 inch concave kitchen mixing bowl seems to work quite
> well.
>
> The only problem seems to be that the common utlities such as
> Netstumbler do not seem to function well with these antennas.
> Link strength is very low with a very high functional link quality.
> These utilities seem to function on a power threshold rather than a
> link quality one.
> You can use the utility bundled with the adapter which often can be had
> relatively cheaply.
> Another advantage to this type of antenna is that you can run a length
> of wire as the usb connection without signal strength loss along the
> antenna wire leading to the computer from the remote adapter.
>
I just built an new one but I did not use a usb stick. I figure it cost
about $14.00 at the most. http://findmoore.net/homebrew_antenna

David Taylor wrote:
>>One point he miss is perhaps they do work well and the people on ebay
>>are making a few bucks making them for people that can't or just don't
>>want to make on.
>>
>>P.S. I have one and they do work very well.
>
>
> But you'll get better for cheaper from the source I cited.
>
> David.

I have bought from them before.

Lee Peedin wrote:

> Being an avid newsgroup reader, I decided to see if there was a group
> dedicated to wireless - and I found you guys.
>
> Just a quick question. I've read numerous articles concerning
> building your own cantenna and really don't want to go through the
> trouble if this commercial product is any good.
>
> http://www.cantenna.com/
>
> There are lots of these on eBay which would indicate one of 2 things:
>
> 1) They work real good and there's a large market for them.
>
> 2) They don't work worth a crap and the dealers are trying to unload
> their stock on eBay.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> My purpose is to extend my wireless access from my commercial metal
> building to approx. 250 feet to my daughter's house. She wants to
> take some online classes. I'm reasonably sure I would have to mount
> the antenna outside. The current AP works well in the building (only
> 1 wall - rest of building is open), but the signal quickly dies
> outside the building.
>
> There is a road between the house and the building, thereby preventing
> pulling Cat5. I have extended my access to my home by running cable
> from the building to the barn where I installed a "switch" (which
> boosts the signal) and then from the barn to my house to another
> "switch". From the switch in my house I have several systems hard
> wired plus an AP for roaming the house with my laptop.
>
> Thanks
> Lee

Hi,

Lee, around here we use 'JULIE' to locate anything in the way underground.
You didn't say what type of roadway. If it is just paved without curb and
you have easement rights. Then snaking a line under the roadway would be
possible.

You could use a simple water pipe to flush through to the other side. These
pipes are nothing more than a pipe with spike nose with a few holes in them
to spray a stream. Rotate the pipe at least 1/2 turns back and forth. This
will maximize the spray to open the hole. I've dug a small ditch/trench on
both sides to allow access. Use the water pipe to flush as you move the
pipe in and out of the hole. Sometimes I have to go to the other
trench(opposite side) and flush to meet the other. This is crude but works.
Works for sidewalks too!

Make sure you have easement rights and all utilities are located. If you
damage anything in the process of crossing under the road, it will be your
responsibility (costs). A dedicated line will be much faster and secure
than a wireless.



--
Regards and Godspeed,
Gary

The magic is in the Magician not the wand!

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