I have a very low signal in my hotel. Is there an aerial I can buy to boost it?

I've asked around the computer stores with no luck.

I'm not entirely sure, but when I last had my tech guy come round for my home wifi, he only gave me options for boosting the access point (base thingie) and there didn't seem to be a single mention of boosting the Laptop's wifi receptor thingie.

You can get better receptors for the laptop though.

Others may contradict my first statement. I'm not entirely sure.

Unless the hotel wants to cooperate there is little you can do...

On your side, the only option would be to buy a pcmciaa wireless card with a connector for an external antenna, but unfortunately they seem to be hard to find in Thailand, and it will be an expensive thing to do...

Possibly some tips here.

Laptop Antenna's

or here

Improve Wifi

Naka.

I have a very low signal in my hotel. Is there an aerial I can buy to boost it?

I've asked around the computer stores with no luck.

use a USB wireless on a short cable,

get a wok (or wok-shaped strainer),

point wok at signal source,

place wireless device about 3" out from center of work,

fine-tune to taste.

Much more on this at http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

Long term, also consider the Pringles antenna:

http://www.seattlewireless.net/PringlesCantenna

I'm not entirely sure, but when I last had my tech guy come round for my home wifi, he only gave me options for boosting the access point (base thingie) and there didn't seem to be a single mention of boosting the Laptop's wifi receptor thingie.

You can get better receptors for the laptop though.

Others may contradict my first statement. I'm not entirely sure.

It's not a receptor - the laptop has to send _and_ receive, like anybody else on the WiFi.

There are some laptop antenna solutions, but they all require some hacking.

Your easiest choice is to get an external USB wireless that has a good antenna / strong signal. Then turn off your laptop's built-in wireless and use the USB wireless instead.

There are also ones with longer USB cables so you could try different locations for the antenna.

Use Netstumbler to determine the best location for the antenna. The important characteristics are - decent signal/noise ratio (>30) and no dropouts. Netstumbler has a display that shows a graph with signal strength over time where you can see if there are any dropouts.

It's pretty hard to get a PCMCIA wireless card with external antenna connectors in Bangkok. I spent a lot of time looking and the only one I could find was the Orinoco gold card which I recently saw in on sale in the TOT shop in IT Square. I'm not sure what kind of antenna connector it has though.

Basic antennas are fairly easy to get but they are not usually obvious in shop displays, so best to ask (there are some 12db omnis in Fortune). Problem is all of them (as far as I am aware) have a reverse SMA connector so even if you got a card with external antenna connectors you would still need to get a pigtail adapter to connect the two.

I eventually got a friend to pick up a Senao 200mW long range card with external MMCX connectors in Singapore, and I found two antennas by SMC in Fortune (a 4db omni and 6db 'directional') that came with MMCX pigtail adapter in the box. Works pretty well, definitely a lot more sensitive than my 'normal' card, but overall its been a pain in the arse to get all this stuff together.

I saw a new ASUS card on sale in fortune last week, which has a small omni built into its side that can swivel up and down. Not sure how sensitive it is but might be an easier option (if it works well!).

I assume you have tried different location in the room,

nearer the window, door etc.

The signal may be better in the hotel lobby or coffee shop.............

NetStumbler is neat little programme for sniffing out wireless signals.

I think that is the right url, but cannot check at the moment as the net is so slow.

If not Google NetStumbler and you will find it.

Hi All,

I think this may be relevant. It is a posting from a another BB submitted 14/10/2004 17:56

The mop, bucket and transceiver

A friend of mine bought a Wireless Network Transceiver for about 2,000 baht, set it up on my desktop and could access the internet on his portable using a plug-in Transceiver. The speed between computers is about 11 mega-bytes per sec! There does not appear to be any appreciable loss in my ADSL connection.

Unfortunately I am on 8th floor, my friend on the 5th and he could only connect to my computer/internet if he was on the same floor so.....

..... a trip to Pantip Plaza

..... purchase a 5 meter USB extension cord

..... moved the transceiver to my balcony

.... but it would still not work:(

.... so ....

..... fastened the transceiver on the end of my mop

..... stuck the mop out of the balcony

..... prevented mop from toppling over by using a bucket full of water and ...

YIPPEE ? 100% connection to my friend?s computer on the fifth floor.

Click to here to see the contraption:

Only left now to price the equipment and negotiate the reduction on the rent if I allow my apartment manager to access to the ADSL connection:)

This reminds me of that lady who used to right to the Bangkok Post on how to receive satellite tv signals with an upturned umbrella.

While the USB WiFi adapters are pretty easy to use, a slightly more elegant solution is to get a small access point that can act as a wireless bridge. Your laptop connects to it, and it connects to the hotel.

I forget if you must have access to the hotel's base station settings or not, I seem to remember being able to do either way, but you might need to use a cable between your router and laptop.

A benefit of this is the battery consumption on your laptop goes down.

I have a 14dB panel antenna lying around somewhere thinking that would be an easier approach. Now they make units the same size that have a built-in router/access point. Never used the thing...