Rangefire Wireless wrote:

> On 12 Nov 2007 21:32:55 +1050, "me here" <gloaming_agnet@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Nick - Surrey, BC wrote:
> >
> >> After reading some of Jeff's posts back to 2004, I decided to try
> the >> link he posted for http://www.freeantennas.com. I cut out the
> >> template and glued tin foil to the back side. I then glued a laser
> >> transparency to the backside of that. I took care to do it very
> >> accurately.
> >>
> >> My house is three stories. I have a rental suite in the basement
> >> (which is partially underground). My renter, Ed, is at the
> farthest >> point from my wireless router. I'm top north corner and
> he is bottom >> south corner. After placing the "Windsurfer" antenna
> on each of my >> linksys poles, my signal went from two bars on my
> laptop on the second >> floor to 5 bars. Ed phoned me around 7
> tonight and asked if I'd done >> anything to the internet. I told
> him about it. He says he has >> doubled his signal strength and is
> getting speeds of about 8 - 9 MB/ >> second. He says there is no
> fluctuation in signal as he would >> normally experience.
> >>
> >> This is the best 50 cent solution I've every had!
> >>
> >> Thanks to all who talked about it.
> >>
> >> Nick
> >
> > That reflector design by Michael Erskine really works well.
> >
> > I made up a free-standing variation for a PCI card antenna using the
> > EZ-10 template.
> >
> > http://users.picknowl.com.au/~gloaming_agnet/ant1.html
> >
> > I can easily detect usable signals from neighbouring houses as far
> > as 150 meters away - without putting the antenna anywhere near a
> > window in my double brick wall house.
> >
> > I'm not surprised at the results you achieved.
> >
> > I take it you had the antennas orientated downwards towards the
> > lower floors?
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Rob
>
> That is the strange part. I first oriented them downward but it had
> little or no effect. I ran back upstairs and oriented them straight
> ... ie... as I sit at my desk i can look straight at them and read
> "Windsurfer" left to right. With this config, the signal downstairs
> increased dramatically.
>
> I don't understand that part.
>
> N.

Seems a bit strange, unless the signal is reflecting off something else.

If you can put a similar reflector on the basement PC, Ed should see an
even bigger improvement in signal.

Cheers

Rob

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