How To Get Better Wireless Reception? Usb G Or G+?

[Rainmon]

I can get wireless from the hotel a few meters away from my apt, but have to walk down a hall 20 feet away and hold my laptop next to a window. Was wondering if I should buy a USB wireless adapter, a long cord and try that. If so, would it make any difference if I go with regular wireless G or get G plus (which is twice as expensive). Also note, when you buy anything here, it can not be returned. Thanks...

[astral]

G+ will only help you if the router offering the wireless signal is of the same brand and also G+ enabled,

even then it is not quaranteed in your situation.

[cdnvic]

Wireless 'N' solves alot of problems in range and interference that plagued b, g, and earlier protocols. As that becomes standard, these troubles should ease.

You could also get your own internet hooked up too.

Edited December 31, 2006 by cdnvic

[tjo o tjim]

The "pre-N" equipment out there now is not likely to be compatible with future drafts of the standard (sometime around the middle of the year).

When mooching off someone else, there is little need for more than a b/g router or adapter.

For the situation you describe, I would hang an ethernet access point configured as a remote point in a place where you get good reception and run an ethernet cable to your room. The ethernet will give you better distance flexibility and is almost guaranteed to work.

USB won't work; the maximum (proper) cable length is 2m, although you can find 4m cables with some work.

Unfortunately, personally I have only had a low success rate trying to do this myself. I ended up getting a cell phone with gprs/edge and paying ~350B/month with the package deals. it's worth the money.

[cdnvic]

The "pre-N" equipment out there now is not likely to be compatible with future drafts of the standard (sometime around the middle of the year).

With companies like D-link, and Cisco already putting out N equipment in large numbers, ratification of the current N protocol is a certainty. Minor revisions will be handled by firmware updates.

[astral]

The OP is trying to connect to an existing network,

so all the talk of the N standard is academic.

[cdnvic]

The OP is trying to connect to an existing network,

so all the talk of the N standard is academic.

It was initially meant to point out that under G protocol, he was already reaching the practical limits of the signal. Only the owner of the network could really help him.

[ajarnmark]

I can get wireless from the hotel a few meters away from my apt, but have to walk down a hall 20 feet away and hold my laptop next to a window. Was wondering if I should buy a USB wireless adapter, a long cord and try that. If so, would it make any difference if I go with regular wireless G or get G plus (which is twice as expensive). Also note, when you buy anything here, it can not be returned. Thanks...

At first place why does the OP want to connect to the hotel wireless. I believe that they would be really upset if they come to know that people are trying to access their internet from outside of the hotel.

Secondly, why does not he get his own high speed internet, which is as cheap as 290 (+7% VAT) baht per month, rather then trying to connect to someone else's network.

[Rainmon]

I tried to get Internet thru TOT waited 5 weeks and all I got was hassled and double talk, then tried to return the equipment and was hassled again. Plus you have to own the property or have your landlord show the ownership papers.

Now, I may move soon and don't want to have to go thur the BS of setting up service twice, besides here in Jomtien, you can not get Internet that cheap, I think the only decent provider is TT&T and it would cost about 6 or 7000 baht to set up.

I just want to be able to log on in the middle of night if I am bored or whatever. If the hotel does not want others to use their wireless signal, why don't they put up a pass word protected system?

Give me a break...

[cdnvic]

You should set up your mobile phone to use as a modem. GPRS can move with you easily.

[Rainmon]

You should set up your mobile phone to use as a modem. GPRS can move with you easily.

way tooooo slow, my friend has it...

thanks!

[surfline]

Quote:

For the situation you describe, I would hang an ethernet access point configured as a remote point in a place where you get good reception and run an ethernet cable to your room. The ethernet will give you better distance flexibility and is almost guaranteed to work.

How does one configure an AP to act as a remote point?

[dsys]

Quote:

For the situation you describe, I would hang an ethernet access point configured as a remote point in a place where you get good reception and run an ethernet cable to your room. The ethernet will give you better distance flexibility and is almost guaranteed to work.

How does one configure an AP to act as a remote point?

I'm guessing the post was referring to a point-to-point bridge. As far as I can remember not all AP's support this. Also I can see issues setting it up, I would think most hotels have a MAC list for AP's and would not allow another AP on the network, but TIT so may work.

As for setting it up - depends on the AP, check your user manual.

For a good example of the setup go to cisco and look up doc ID 68087.

[zzSleepyJohn]

I can get wireless from the hotel a few meters away from my apt, but have to walk down a hall 20 feet away and hold my laptop next to a window. Was wondering if I should buy a USB wireless adapter, a long cord and try that. If so, would it make any difference if I go with regular wireless G or get G plus (which is twice as expensive). Also note, when you buy anything here, it can not be returned. Thanks...

I saw an intruiging report on BBC World (I think it was) recently about how entrepreneurial folk in South African villages are able to get wi-fi working at ranges of about 1km from the source by simply inserting a wi-fi dongle into the side of an empty metallic cocoa tin and pointing this kind of "dish" in the direction of the required signal. I suppose given the right diameter of cocoa tin, it could act like a waveguide and produce a very sharply focussed beam. I've seen professionally made dish-like wi-fi USB devices advertised at professional prices with gains of 9dB, but this cocoa tin idea seemed more in keeping with the way we do things here in LOS, and might have the potential to do a lot better than 9dB on a narrow beam.

'Fraid my waveguide theory isn't too hot, nor do I know what sort of radiation pattern a simple wifi dongle on it's own would produce. I did once try mounting my battery-powered wi-fi detector dongle at the focus of an 80cm KU-band sat tv dish to see if could get some gain that way, but ended up apparenly with loss rather than gain. Not sure why!

Anyone care to estimate what diameter of cocoa tin would suit wi-fi frequencies best, and how far from the bottom of the tin would be the best distance to mount it? The TV programme showed these tins mounted on poles on village huts, and they were apparently working well. We know it can work, so it would just be a matter of getting the dimensions right, I guess!

+ SJ

[warfie]

cheapest solution: directional antenna (you could even make one yourself! Google for "cantenna")

years ago I worked as a courier using 2-way radios, at the limit of their range I could get a better signal by using a metal reflector to focus more of the signal to/from the antenna in the right direction... same theory...

MY preferred choice solution would be a WiFi repeater / extender set-up down the hall where you get good signal... they're not expensive...

[zzSleepyJohn]

I saw an intruiging report on BBC World (I think it was) recently about how entrepreneurial folk in South African villages are able to get wi-fi working at ranges of about 1km from the source by simply inserting a wi-fi dongle into the side of an empty metallic cocoa tin and pointing this kind of "dish" in the direction of the required signal. I suppose given the right diameter of cocoa tin, it could act like a waveguide and produce a very sharply focussed beam. I've seen professionally made dish-like wi-fi USB devices advertised at professional prices with gains of 9dB, but this cocoa tin idea seemed more in keeping with the way we do things here in LOS, and might have the potential to do a lot better than 9dB on a narrow beam.

'Fraid my waveguide theory isn't too hot, nor do I know what sort of radiation pattern a simple wifi dongle on it's own would produce. I did once try mounting my battery-powered wi-fi detector dongle at the focus of an 80cm KU-band sat tv dish to see if could get some gain that way, but ended up apparenly with loss rather than gain. Not sure why!

Anyone care to estimate what diameter of cocoa tin would suit wi-fi frequencies best, and how far from the bottom of the tin would be the best distance to mount it? The TV programme showed these tins mounted on poles on village huts, and they were apparently working well. We know it can work, so it would just be a matter of getting the dimensions right, I guess!

+ SJ

Just measured the diameters of the waveguide on my satellite LNBs and come up with the following rough calculation:

KU band frequency = 10700. Diameter = 2.2cm

C band frequency = 3700 Diameter = 6.3cm

Then by extrapolation:

802.11g frequency = 2400 Diameter = 9.7cm

So it looks as if a tin can approx 10cm diameter ought to do the trick!

+ SJ

[Veazer]

The ARRL Antenna Guidebook is great for homebrew antennas designs. A lot of these designs have been modified and can be found on various websites.

I like helical antennas for point-to-point networks, but they should use the same antenna on both ends or there will be loss. I've seen some great antennas made from pringle cans as well.

BTW, the record for point-to-point wifi is now 382 Km.