laptop mini pci alternative antennae?

I've got several laptops with internal mini-PCI wifi cards (various brands).

I'm wondering if anyone's made some sort of switcher that'd allow selecting
between the internal antenna and on attached externally? I realize this
would be a hack, to say the least, since the plastics on most laptops aren't
setup to allow adding something like this. But given that the gauge of coax
used is so eff'ing tiny it's not something I'd want to cobble together
myself.

It'd be useful in situations where connectivity is found to be marginal
using the internal, so plugging in an external alternative might help. But
for the vast majority of other situations it'd be burdensome to have to use
the external antenna all the time. Not to mention other things needing to
use the PCMCIA slots.

Anything like that out there?

-Bill Kearney

"Bill Kearney" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
> I'm wondering if anyone's made some sort of switcher that'd allow selecting
> between the internal antenna and on attached externally? I realize this
> would be a hack, to say the least, since the plastics on most laptops aren't
> setup to allow adding something like this. But given that the gauge of coax
> used is so eff'ing tiny it's not something I'd want to cobble together
> myself.

I've got exactly that problem with my newish HP/Compaq v5000z. The
internal radio is good enough for around the house and back yard, but
on a recent car-camping trip across the southwest it had a hard time
hitting far-off public hotspots from the picnic tables. Screwing
around with the sub-miniature u.fl connectors scares me. I just can't
imagine they have that many plug/unplug cycles in them. (How the heck
do the assemply line folks plug those in, under a microscope???)

My solution was to get a top-end cardbus card that takes an mmcx
antenna. At least mmcx is meant to take a few plug/unplug cycles and
I can do that without tweezers and microscope. True to my motto,
"Anything worth doing is worth overdoing" I got a card that listed the
RX sensitivity at -96dbm (Ubiquiti SRC). I'm not sure how much of
that number is advertising hype and how much is fact, but the card
sure is sensitive. The card also advertises a higher power
transmitter, but one can of course turn down the tx power to anything
one wants. I certainly don't plan to run it in hight power mode when
on batteries.

For an antenna I have a 6" tall 5dbi "wire" antenna with a 1" magnetic
base for general use and an 18" long stamped steel lightweight yagi
with a claimed 15dbi gain. The yagi comes with a standard tripod
thread on the bottom of it. It will be interesting to see how easy it
is to point it and lock it onto a signal. Certainly a tripod is an
ideal device for aiming something precisely. I'm still waiting on a
pigtail so I can test this though.

-wolfgang
--
Wolfgang S. Rupprecht http://www.wsrcc.com/wolfgang/

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 07:18:39 -0400, "Bill Kearney"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed)> :

>I've got several laptops with internal mini-PCI wifi cards (various brands).
>
>I'm wondering if anyone's made some sort of switcher that'd allow selecting
>between the internal antenna and on attached externally? I realize this
>would be a hack, to say the least, since the plastics on most laptops aren't
>setup to allow adding something like this. But given that the gauge of coax
>used is so eff'ing tiny it's not something I'd want to cobble together
>myself.
>
>It'd be useful in situations where connectivity is found to be marginal
>using the internal, so plugging in an external alternative might help. But
>for the vast majority of other situations it'd be burdensome to have to use
>the external antenna all the time. Not to mention other things needing to
>use the PCMCIA slots.
>
>Anything like that out there?

I think a much better solution is to simply get something like the
Hawking HWU8DD
<http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=60&ProdID=280>

--
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_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

Hi, John, and group,

John Navas wrote:
(clip)
> I think a much better solution is to simply get something like the
> Hawking HWU8DD
> <http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=60&ProdID=280>

Agreed. Its little brother, without the look of the satellite dish,
but otherwise very similar, is what I use to successfully connect,
browse, etc.;googlegroups, mail, etc,. all the stuff I am doing on the
boat.

In my case, I have it connected via active USB cable (no loss; XP sees
it as a "USB hub"), run the cable behind my seat, out the door
(companionway hatch for maniners), and suspended under cover (dodger,
ibid), aimed at my preferred AP.

Cheap, effective, if wired and klutzy, for a fixed location. Now for a
*wireless*! solution...

L8R

Skip

On 28 Jun 2006 12:34:56 -0700, "Skip - Working on the boat"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
<(E-Mail Removed). com>:

>Hi, John, and group,
>
>John Navas wrote:
>(clip)
>> I think a much better solution is to simply get something like the
>> Hawking HWU8DD
>> <http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=60&ProdID=280>
>
>Agreed. Its little brother, without the look of the satellite dish,
>but otherwise very similar, is what I use to successfully connect,
>browse, etc.;googlegroups, mail, etc,. all the stuff I am doing on the
>boat.
>
>In my case, I have it connected via active USB cable (no loss; XP sees
>it as a "USB hub"), run the cable behind my seat, out the door
>(companionway hatch for maniners), and suspended under cover (dodger,
>ibid), aimed at my preferred AP.

Please, please, watch your terminology -- there's no such thing as an
"active" USB cables -- there are just USB cables (with different specs
and types of connectors). Yes a USB cable is different from a coax
antenna cable, but that doesn't make it "active".

As for what your (unnamed!) product looks like to Windows XP, unless
it's a separately configured wireless client bridge with USB networking
(unlike the HWU8DD, and I've never heard of such a beast), it should
appear as a Network Adapter, not a USB "hub".

Confusion from incorrect terminology can be a *big* problem! Please,
please use the correct terms.

--
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_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

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

> Please, please, watch your terminology -- there's no such thing as an
> "active" USB cables -- there are just USB cables (with different specs
> and types of connectors). Yes a USB cable is different from a coax
> antenna cable, but that doesn't make it "active".

Maybe a google search for active usb cable would be illuminating.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/406...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
I bought mine at Fry's, but I recall it being around $15.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5

(E-Mail Removed) writes:
> http://shop4.outpost.com/product/406...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
> I bought mine at Fry's, but I recall it being around $15.

Sounds like a one-port hub. Hmm, I wonder if this would solve the
problem with my keyboards that are on extender cables always acting
flaky.

-wolfgang
--
Wolfgang S. Rupprecht http://www.wsrcc.com/wolfgang/

Hi, John,

John Navas wrote:
> On 28 Jun 2006 12:34:56 -0700, "Skip - Working on the boat"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> <(E-Mail Removed). com>:
> >In my case, I have it connected via active USB cable (no loss; XP sees
> >it as a "USB hub"), run the cable behind my seat, out the door
> >(companionway hatch for maniners), and suspended under cover (dodger,
> >ibid), aimed at my preferred AP.
>
> Please, please, watch your terminology -- there's no such thing as an
> "active" USB cables -- there are just USB cables (with different specs
> and types of connectors). Yes a USB cable is different from a coax
> antenna cable, but that doesn't make it "active".
>
> As for what your (unnamed!) product looks like to Windows XP, unless
> it's a separately configured wireless client bridge with USB networking
> (unlike the HWU8DD, and I've never heard of such a beast), it should
> appear as a Network Adapter, not a USB "hub".
>
> Confusion from incorrect terminology can be a *big* problem! Please,
> please use the correct terms.

As ignorant as I've been proven to be, I rely on manufacturers and
vendors' labeling and descriptions.

While not the product I use, it's electrically identical to this:
http://sewelldirect.com/usb2extensio...FR00VAodxhdNvA

Which shows as its label

"USB 2.0 Active Extension Cable, 16 foot

Part No. SW-1202
Mfg. Part No. BF-3000 "

And which description includes

"The specification for USB states that the maximum length of a USB
cable is 5 meters (16 feet). As a result, you cannot extend the
distance of your USB device more than 16 feet without using a USB
"active" extension cable (also known as a USB repeater cable). This
cable contains active electronics which boost the USB signal for
maximum reliability and performance over extended distances."

So, perhaps I need to refer to this as a USB Repeater Cable?

This, of course, is compared to
http://sewelldirect.com/USB2PassiveE...Cable6Foot.asp

Which is

"USB 2.0 Passive Extension Cable, 6 foot

Part No. SW-1204-06
Mfg. Part No. CU156-06 "

and which description and commentary includes
"Our premium USB 2.0 passive extension cables come in lengths of 3, 6
and 10 feet. You can use them to extend the length of any USB device.

If you need to extend beyond 16 feet, you will need a USB 2.0 Active
Extension Cable.

The USB 2.0 passive extension cable allows for speeds of up to 480
Mbps. The device is compatible with older USB 1.1 devices, but will
work at the slower USB 1.1 speed (12 Mbps)."


When I connect my (whatever it is) cable, XP sez it's found a USB hub.
I don't argue, even when it tells me that I could get better speed if I
were to connect it to a higher speed USB port - but there are only 2.0
ports on this machine. I just say "ok" and go on.

Meanwhile, the Hawking unit comes on line when I plug it into the
(whatever it is) cable, or, if in a situation where i don't need the
(whatever it is) cable, directly to one of my USB portts, and if I've
not selected their configuration utility, the WZC does the job
seamlessly.

So, whatever Windoze sees this Hawking unit [HWU36D] as, it effectively
passes data to my computer from the AP I select, (the AP) assigning me
an address in the process. It's how I do this post, googletalk with my
son in Ireland, skype free call my wife in GA, and do web searches all
at the same time over about a 2mps connection download, 500k up.

I do get to see it in the configuration utility and it's a network
adapter, despite that it no longer shows as Hawking, for whatever
reason, in the Hawking configuration utility. Instead it is XPC
802.11b/g Wireless Kit #3 - but, whatever it is,it works, unlike all
the other exercises I have had to do with something else.

As in another post, I, the babe in the woods, will continue to regard
all vendors as wolves, as obviously they are misleading me into unwise
purchases.

Twenty lashes with a wet sheet (rope to landlubbers) for me...

Still all wet,

L8R

Skip

>
> --
> 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_How_To>
> Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

"Bill Kearney" <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

>I've got several laptops with internal mini-PCI wifi cards (various brands).
>
>I'm wondering if anyone's made some sort of switcher that'd allow selecting
>between the internal antenna and on attached externally? I realize this
>would be a hack, to say the least, since the plastics on most laptops aren't
>setup to allow adding something like this. But given that the gauge of coax
>used is so eff'ing tiny it's not something I'd want to cobble together
>myself.

I don't think anyone has produced a commercial version. If you can
get the antenna connector to the outside of the laptop, there's no
need for a switch as you can easily change from a dish to an omni
depending upon what you're doing. The catch is that you might have to
dill the laptop case if you can't find a convenient place to run the
cable (such as the fan vent grill).

Most MiniPCI cards use a u-FL connector. All you need is a u-FL to
SMA, TNC, or N connector pigtail. See:
http://www.wlanparts.com/category/cables/
at bottom of the page. Be careful when playing with the u-FL cables
as they do not survive many insertions or much abuse.

As for switching antennas, methinks you could leave the laptop AUX
antenna connected to the MiniPCI card, while the MAIN antenna
connector goes to the pigtail. Many wireless clients (i.e. Intel
Proset) allow you to specify whether you want diversity (both
antennas) or to select either antenna. However, most MiniPCI client
drivers do NOT have this feature.

>It'd be useful in situations where connectivity is found to be marginal
>using the internal, so plugging in an external alternative might help. But
>for the vast majority of other situations it'd be burdensome to have to use
>the external antenna all the time. Not to mention other things needing to
>use the PCMCIA slots.
>
>Anything like that out there?
>
>-Bill Kearney
--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:41:57 +0000 (UTC), (E-Mail Removed)
wrote in <e7ut35$dtn$(E-Mail Removed)>:

>John Navas <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Please, please, watch your terminology -- there's no such thing as an
>> "active" USB cables -- there are just USB cables (with different specs
>> and types of connectors). Yes a USB cable is different from a coax
>> antenna cable, but that doesn't make it "active".
>
>Maybe a google search for active usb cable would be illuminating.
>
>http://shop4.outpost.com/product/406...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
>I bought mine at Fry's, but I recall it being around $15.

Again, there's no such thing as an "active" USB cable, this marketing
fluff notwithstanding.

--
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_How_To>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>