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Topic: Boosting wifi signal
Densetsu
NOT DRYSART
posted 09-06-2008 04:12:25 PM
I think the time since I last posed a question to everyone here can be measured in years, so please bear with me, and I appreciate your time.

My house currently has a linksys wireless router on one end. My room where I do most of my computing is on the other end. Obviously, I use the wireless function to connect to the internet with my laptop in here. However, my connection in wow and other things drops quite frequently due to a weak signal. Is there anyway to boost the signal without moving either the laptop or the router?

I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl, we ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over, and over?
Naimah
In a Fire
posted 09-06-2008 04:38:21 PM
You can get a high gain antenna, or make one for that matter. They are highly directional so don't expect to be able to walk around but it should buy you 6-10dB at least over an omni directional antenna.
Maradon!
posted 09-06-2008 04:40:29 PM
You could try a high gain antenna

cisco

linksys

this one looks neat

Anakha's PS3
Pancake
posted 09-06-2008 04:54:12 PM
quote:
Other Thoughts: Great idea! I put white paper towel tubes all over our warehouse and made about $318.00 in overtime!
Norim Stumpfighter
Milkmaid
posted 09-06-2008 06:12:31 PM
which linksys router are you using? I am in the same situation but I live in a brick, signal killing, building. I am using a Linksys WRT160N. The N series has a built in signal booster which is very noticeable. My signal has to get past/around some pretty solid walls and is almost as fast as being plugged directly into my cable modem.
Maradon!
posted 09-06-2008 06:30:46 PM
Wireless N is pretty much the god of wireless, but last I checked all the hardware was still at least double the cost of the G equivalent.
Norim Stumpfighter
Milkmaid
posted 09-06-2008 07:31:53 PM
Thisis what I use. I got it at Fry's for $30 off the list price. If you shop around, you can easily find it for cheaper than 100
Kaius
Pancake
posted 09-06-2008 08:27:49 PM
Or you could make one of these just to say you did it.

http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448

Maradon!
posted 09-06-2008 09:42:07 PM
Don't forget that cantennas are strictly unidirectional. Many high gain antennae are omnidirectional.

Also, if you buy a Wireless N router, you will need to have a Wireless N card in your laptop in order to get any extra range out of it, unless your laptop is extremely new and has built in wireless n.

Karnaj
Road Warrior Queef
posted 09-06-2008 10:58:28 PM
Did they ever issue a standard on N, or are we still pre-N?
That's the American Dream: to make your life into something you can sell. - Chuck Palahniuk, Haunted

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith



Beer.

Maradon!
posted 09-06-2008 11:05:28 PM
I'm pretty sure we have a standardized N now
Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-06-2008 11:35:24 PM
quote:
Maradon! thought this was the Ricky Martin Fan Club Forum and wrote:
I'm pretty sure we have a standardized N now

It doesn't appear to be finalized yet. Slated for November 2009.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Densetsu
NOT DRYSART
posted 09-07-2008 12:05:07 AM
quote:
Die, Norim Stumpfighter! You don't belong in this world!
which linksys router are you using?

An older b/g router. Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll see if the router nazi will allow me to try a better antenna!

Densetsu fucked around with this message on 09-07-2008 at 12:05 AM.

I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl, we ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over, and over?
Maradon!
posted 09-07-2008 01:11:28 AM
quote:
Peanut butter ass Shaq Damnati booooze lime pole over bench lick:
It doesn't appear to be finalized yet. Slated for November 2009.

I guess they just stopped calling it "draft n" on all the boxes, then

Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-07-2008 01:31:21 AM
quote:
So quoth Maradon!:
I guess they just stopped calling it "draft n" on all the boxes, then

It's still listed as draft on Newegg.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Maradon!
posted 09-07-2008 01:44:20 AM
New linksys and netgear N routers just say "wireless n"
Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-07-2008 02:20:01 AM
quote:
Maradon! had this to say about Cuba:
New linksys and netgear N routers just say "wireless n"

Erm, Maradon, both of those say "draft" in the product description.

Edit: also, the Netgear link is actually a D-Link router.

Damnati fucked around with this message on 09-07-2008 at 02:23 AM.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Maradon!
posted 09-07-2008 03:38:50 AM
It doesn't say "draft" anywhere on the box for either.
Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-08-2008 01:39:12 AM
quote:
Maradon!'s fortune cookie read:
It doesn't say "draft" anywhere on the box for either.

I dunno why I'm bothering with this because it's terribly silly but:

There's not box shown for the Linksys router and the writing on the manual is too small and blurry to be deciphered. D-Link router is as you see in the picture.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Nina
posted 09-08-2008 01:54:59 AM
quote:
This one time, at Damnati camp:
*hurfdurf*

N is for nigger.

Like you.

Nina fucked around with this message on 09-08-2008 at 01:55 AM.

Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-08-2008 02:02:41 AM
quote:
Nina thought this was the Ricky Martin Fan Club Forum and wrote:
N is for nigger.

Like you.


Get fucked, faggot.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

nem-x
posted 09-08-2008 02:23:01 AM
quote:
There was much rejoicing when Damnati said this:
Get fucked, faggot.

Damnati
Filthy
posted 09-08-2008 02:25:29 AM
quote:
nem-x impressed everyone with:


Damnati fucked around with this message on 09-08-2008 at 02:26 AM.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Khyron
Hello, my mushy friend...
posted 09-09-2008 08:49:58 AM
So in a related question...

My grandparents are connected to the internet using their neighbor's wireless ON PURPOSE. They are not stealing internet. The neighbor knows that they are connected. But the distance between the neighbor's house and my grandparents PC means that they routinely get a low-very low signal.

Said neighbor has about 6 computers in his home and cannot use a directional antenna, as they are all spread out. I am going to talk to the neighbor and see about getting a higher gain antenna. But I'm wondering if there isn't another option...

My grandparents closet is the closest we can get to the neighbor and the signal strength is OK in there, but it's not really ideal for a PC. Is there an way i could put a retransmitter of some kind in the closet, that will take the 'ok' signal and boost it enough for the PC to fucntion?

Greenlit
posted 09-09-2008 10:28:07 AM
quote:
We were all impressed when Khyron wrote:
My grandparents closet is the closest we can get to the neighbor and the signal strength is OK in there, but it's not really ideal for a PC. Is there an way i could put a retransmitter of some kind in the closet, that will take the 'ok' signal and boost it enough for the PC to fucntion?

Another wireless router, yes.

Batty
Doesn't Like You. Specifically you.
posted 09-09-2008 05:57:42 PM
Yeah, changing another wireless router to a repeater can solve most everything. Fairly easy to do with certain firmwares.
Naimah
In a Fire
posted 09-09-2008 07:00:11 PM
quote:
Khyron obviously shouldn't have said:
So in a related question...

My grandparents are connected to the internet using their neighbor's wireless ON PURPOSE. They are not stealing internet. The neighbor knows that they are connected. But the distance between the neighbor's house and my grandparents PC means that they routinely get a low-very low signal.

Said neighbor has about 6 computers in his home and cannot use a directional antenna, as they are all spread out. I am going to talk to the neighbor and see about getting a higher gain antenna. But I'm wondering if there isn't another option...

My grandparents closet is the closest we can get to the neighbor and the signal strength is OK in there, but it's not really ideal for a PC. Is there an way i could put a retransmitter of some kind in the closet, that will take the 'ok' signal and boost it enough for the PC to fucntion?


Either side can use a directional to get better gain. If you point a yagi at a dipole you're going to get better gain then if you hang a dipole out there to pick up off a dipole. You just need to play with it to the correct orientation and you should get better signals. Will it be enough, iuno.

All times are US/Eastern
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