USB wifi adapters

#1 (**permalink**) 08-23-2005, 05:20 AM

I've seen a number of little USB adapters that resemble thumb-drives. What
I'm wondering is whether you can use a male-to-female USB extender and
dangle the USB adapter a few feet away from your laptop so it can pick up a
signal that your pcmcia card can't.

Is there a limit in the length of the cable?

Thanks!

#2 (**permalink**) 08-23-2005, 07:09 AM

On Mon, 22 Aug 2005 21:20:43 -0700, "Spassvogel" <nospam@nospam.org>
wrote:

>I've seen a number of little USB adapters that resemble thumb-drives. What
>I'm wondering is whether you can use a male-to-female USB extender and
>dangle the USB adapter a few feet away from your laptop so it can pick up a
>signal that your pcmcia card can't.
>
>Is there a limit in the length of the cable?

Yes. 16ft total is the official limit for USB cables.

However, there are amplfied USB extension cables that can go much
furthur.
http://www.usbgear.com/USB2_extensio...ion-cable.html

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

#3 (**permalink**) 08-23-2005, 01:20 PM

"Spassvogel" <nospam@nospam.org> wrote in message
news:mPednemTob6DOZfeRVn-1A@comcast.com...
> I've seen a number of little USB adapters that resemble thumb-drives.
> What I'm wondering is whether you can use a male-to-female USB extender
> and dangle the USB adapter a few feet away from your laptop so it can pick
> up a signal that your pcmcia card can't.
>
> Is there a limit in the length of the cable?
>
> Thanks!
>

yes - most USB adapters ship with extension leads...well at least the
Netgear ones Ive used do....and a little holder for them so you can mount
them near your pc

#4 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 11:46 AM

Why not buy a pcmcia version with an external aerial skt and an aerial.

"Spassvogel" <nospam@nospam.org> wrote in message
news:mPednemTob6DOZfeRVn-1A@comcast.com...
> I've seen a number of little USB adapters that resemble thumb-drives.
> What I'm wondering is whether you can use a male-to-female USB extender
> and dangle the USB adapter a few feet away from your laptop so it can pick
> up a signal that your pcmcia card can't.
>
> Is there a limit in the length of the cable?
>
> Thanks!
>

#5 (**permalink**) 08-24-2005, 02:00 PM

PJB wrote:
> Why not buy a pcmcia version with an external aerial skt and an aerial.

The problem with this is that there are significant losses in the cable
to the antenna.

If you want to locate the antenna far from the computer, then the best
option is to get a USB (5 meters), or Ethernet (100 meters, access
point, and use the internal antenna (or add an external antenna to the
access point with a very short antenna cable). With the Ethernet access
point you need to get power to it, but there are devices to send power
to it over the regular LAN cable if you want to locate it far from an
outlet.