Re: Campground nightmare, need help with Wi-fi signal

On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:19:45 -0400, dano11
<dano11.2wysga@no-mx.wirelessforums.org> wrote:

>
>We live in an RV, we have 3 computers, all laptops without an external
>antenna connector.
>
>We travel, and constantly find RV parks where the signal is week and
>fluxuating all the time. Sometimes to the point of no signal, it makes
>working the internet very difficult.
>
>My question, and what I'm thinking. To accomodate multpile laptops,
>get a high gain directional exterior antenna, mount it to the RV. Run a
>cable from there to a central interior location, then attach a short
>basic Wifi antenna like you might find on a wireless router or PCLAN
>card to the cable and mount it inside. I'm wondering if this would work
>to make our RV more of a "Hot spot" for our laptops.
>
>Yesterday I got fed up with getting cut off every 30 seconds, so I
>took a Linksys router antenna and a piece of my wife's jewelry wire to
>connect it to the bedroom TV coax cable. I know it is a complete
>wavelength mismatch and the impedence is probably wrong, but it seems to
>have improved my connection to the point of almost tolerable.
>
>I'm thinking if I can amplify the signal with a high gain antenna,
>and wire that signal into the RV and focus that through a typical Wifi
>antenna, we should get a stronger and cleaner signal that our built in
>laptop antenna's can get happy with. I need to know if this will work
>before spending the money on parts.
>
>Am I wrong here, or will this work for our needs?
>
>Thank You for any input,
>Dan
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
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If you Google 'usb antenna' you will find a number of off-the shelf
and do-it yourself solutions.

My favorite is the WaveRV -- an omnidirectional antenna / usb adapter
/ amplifier combination. It's a bit expensive, but it really seems to
work. Look at:

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/wireless/waverv.php

for more information.

Ken