long range wifi question

Need some help.
We joined a pool club that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We
currently have a wireless network in our house (linksys g). Trying to
come up with a long range wifi solution, so my wife can use her laptop
at the pool club. Suggestions?? Thanks much.

abc wrote:
>
> Need some help.
> We joined a pool club that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We
> currently have a wireless network in our house (linksys g). Trying to
> come up with a long range wifi solution, so my wife can use her laptop
> at the pool club. Suggestions?? Thanks much.

How can you swim with a laptop? Is it some new kind of floating,
waterproof laptop? And couldn't the user get shocked or electrocuted?


I "don't get it!"

On Sat, 22 May 2004 20:36:59 -0600, Valentin Guillen
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>> Need some help.
>> We joined a pool club that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We
>> currently have a wireless network in our house (linksys g). Trying to
>> come up with a long range wifi solution, so my wife can use her laptop
>> at the pool club. Suggestions?? Thanks much.
>
>How can you swim with a laptop? Is it some new kind of floating,
>waterproof laptop? And couldn't the user get shocked or electrocuted?
Maybe it's billiards......

But seriously, if it's only 1/4 mi and there are no obstacles get a
directional antenna. 9db or so would probably work, more if possible.
Connect it to an access point like an SMC or a Linksys that has
removable antennas. Keep the feedline short, put the antenna up as
high as you can get it and you should be in.

And put some 128 bit WEP on it (at least, or WPA), and pull the
electric plug from it when it is not in use to keep the thing from
screwing up all the phones and networks in town, and to keep the
hackers out of yours.

"(E-Mail Removed)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>. ..
> On Sat, 22 May 2004 20:36:59 -0600, Valentin Guillen
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >> Need some help.
> >> We joined a pool club that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We
> >> currently have a wireless network in our house (linksys g). Trying to
> >> come up with a long range wifi solution, so my wife can use her laptop
> >> at the pool club. Suggestions?? Thanks much.
> >
> >How can you swim with a laptop? Is it some new kind of floating,
> >waterproof laptop? And couldn't the user get shocked or electrocuted?
> Maybe it's billiards......
>
> But seriously, if it's only 1/4 mi and there are no obstacles get a
> directional antenna. 9db or so would probably work, more if possible.
> Connect it to an access point like an SMC or a Linksys that has
> removable antennas. Keep the feedline short, put the antenna up as
> high as you can get it and you should be in.
>
> And put some 128 bit WEP on it (at least, or WPA), and pull the
> electric plug from it when it is not in use to keep the thing from
> screwing up all the phones and networks in town, and to keep the
> hackers out of yours.

Here's the problem. I don't have a clean line of sight. I have a few
trees in the way. Can I still blast through? This is new territory
for me, but it seems that if my cordless phone can get a signal
through trees, why not my wifi? Would I be better off using an
omnidirectional antenna? would it make a difference, instead of using
a directional antenna?
Thanks again for your help.

"abc" <(E-Mail Removed)> schreef in bericht
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> "(E-Mail Removed)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:<(E-Mail Removed)>. ..
> > On Sat, 22 May 2004 20:36:59 -0600, Valentin Guillen
> > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> >
> > >> Need some help.
> > >> We joined a pool club that is about 1/4 mile from our house. We
> > >> currently have a wireless network in our house (linksys g). Trying
to
> > >> come up with a long range wifi solution, so my wife can use her
laptop
> > >> at the pool club. Suggestions?? Thanks much.
> > >
> > >How can you swim with a laptop? Is it some new kind of floating,
> > >waterproof laptop? And couldn't the user get shocked or electrocuted?
> > Maybe it's billiards......
> >
> > But seriously, if it's only 1/4 mi and there are no obstacles get a
> > directional antenna. 9db or so would probably work, more if possible.
> > Connect it to an access point like an SMC or a Linksys that has
> > removable antennas. Keep the feedline short, put the antenna up as
> > high as you can get it and you should be in.
> >
> > And put some 128 bit WEP on it (at least, or WPA), and pull the
> > electric plug from it when it is not in use to keep the thing from
> > screwing up all the phones and networks in town, and to keep the
> > hackers out of yours.
>
> Here's the problem. I don't have a clean line of sight. I have a few
> trees in the way. Can I still blast through? This is new territory
> for me, but it seems that if my cordless phone can get a signal
> through trees, why not my wifi? Would I be better off using an
> omnidirectional antenna? would it make a difference, instead of using
> a directional antenna?
> Thanks again for your help.

A directional antenna is what you need. It helps you cover the distance and
it will keep
signal levels down off the main path. GHz signals don't bend much so an
omni-directional
antenna isn't going to help you. A liberal dose of Agent Orange might help
or wait for the
autumn :-)

Hans

On Sun, 23 May 2004 06:08:25 -0700, abc wrote
(in article <(E-Mail Removed)>) :

> Here's the problem. I don't have a clean line of sight. I have a few
> trees in the way. Can I still blast through?

With enough increase signal strength from a high-gain antenna. Probably 8-10
dB gain is enough.

> This is new territory
> for me, but it seems that if my cordless phone can get a signal
> through trees, why not my wifi?

Try changing channels on your access point (the "base station") There should
be a utility program that came with it. It might require only a web browser
to configure it. There are 11 channels in the US (how many in the UK?) Try
different channels and see if reception doesn't improve. It's a real
"hit-and-miss" proposition...

> Would I be better off using an
> omnidirectional antenna? would it make a difference, instead of using
> a directional antenna?

An 8 dB omni antenna would have to be physically larger than an 8 dB
directional one. You *might* succeed with an omni. If you need to get
reception in other directions, as well, you may have no choice other than an
omni.

The problem is that claims for antenna gain from some brands are as wild as
those from "get rich" spam e-mails.

Good luck,
--
DaveC
(E-Mail Removed)
This is an invalid return address
Please reply in the news group

I had much the same problem; we've got a large house and my wi-fi access
point is at the other end. Got poor signal until I used the highest channel
(11). Seemed to clear up the poor signal. Also (I saw this on the
ScreenSavers, so don't shoot the messenger please) go to the TechTv website.
They've got the plans for using aluminium foil to make a directional dish.
Honest, I saw them do it on the show.

Max

"Repairman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<M72dnYrN-(E-Mail Removed)>...
> I had much the same problem; we've got a large house and my wi-fi access
> point is at the other end. Got poor signal until I used the highest channel
> (11). Seemed to clear up the poor signal. Also (I saw this on the
> ScreenSavers, so don't shoot the messenger please) go to the TechTv website.
> They've got the plans for using aluminium foil to make a directional dish.
> Honest, I saw them do it on the show.
>
> Max

If there are just a few trees in the way and not a complete forest you
have a good chance of blasting a signal right through. After all a 1/4
mile is not much distance to send a signal. My signal is about 1.5
miles going through a few trees as well. I am using 13 dbi directional
antennas and it works great.

"Repairman" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<M72dnYrN-(E-Mail Removed)>...
> I had much the same problem; we've got a large house and my wi-fi access
> point is at the other end. Got poor signal until I used the highest channel
> (11). Seemed to clear up the poor signal. Also (I saw this on the
> ScreenSavers, so don't shoot the messenger please) go to the TechTv website.
> They've got the plans for using aluminium foil to make a directional dish.
> Honest, I saw them do it on the show.
>
> Max

http://www.freeantennas.com

> They've got the plans for using aluminium foil to make a directional dish.
> Honest, I saw them do it on the show.

Walls and trees no problem.

http://www.nodomainname.co.uk/Antenn...ith%20conical%
20horn

(within limits 200m range through a few trees and a wall)