Re: Laptop Antenna Booster

"Lee C. Carpenter" <lee@brew-master.com> hath wroth:

>I have a Dell laptop with Intel Pro Wireless 2200BG. While I'm very pleased
>with the reception I get, I was wondering if there was such a thing as an
>antenna booster for a laptop. I drive a lot and would like to be able to
>connect to, ahem, local unsecured networks while working in the field. Does
>a USB or minicard product such as this exist? I have been unable to find
>one.

No. However, you can install an external antenna on an Intel 2200BG
if you don't mind either drilling the case, or sneaking a pigtail
through the exhaust holes. The 2200BG and most MiniPCI cards use
Hirose u-FL connectors for the antenna.

Find a u-FL to SMA, TNC, or N connector pigtail.
http://www.pacwireless.com/outlet/ (CA178-RTNCB-UFL-6)
http://wlanparts.com/category/cables/ (near bottom)

The u-FL connector goes to the connector on the MiniPCI card labelled
"main" and not the one labelled "aux".

I'll leave it to your immagination as to the selection of antenna and
mounting arrangment.

If this is too much, external USB radios are probably a good option.
Also PCMCIA/CardBus radios with external antenna connectors.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558