Wifi questions *newbie*

(complete wifi noobie here)

Hey,

I'm doing an experiment (well not, really!)... I want to get free internet from a government provided hotspot (to keep it legal) not far...

anyway, we have line of site I got a 500mw booster and 16 dbi directional yagi antenna... well I have two questions,

How do I make/get a *cough* a more powerful wifi booster, like just say... 100W? Because when I bought the antenna it said the max output was 100Ws...

Oh.. what is the maxium booster you can buy anyway?

And is the higher always the better? I bought a 7ft pole, and it gets the singal about 10% better... so is higher the pole the better for wifi? And how high do you recommend not going over?

Thanks

The laws here in the U.S. deal with ERP, or radiated power. So a 500mw (one half watt) adapter into a 16dbi antenna increases it's true power output...yada yada yada.

If you bought a usb adapter that claims 500mw output, they lied.
7 mile connections have been made with true high power (400mw) access points and grid antennas. Nothing will make up for obstructions (Trees, foilage, earth, buildings.)

You need to have direct vision of the point you're trying to connect to. Anything less will be flakey at best. 7 foot pole? on top of what, the ground?
Try a 2nd floor window and see what happens.
Make sure you're not putting a low-e efficient window between you and any access point.
It's not magic. 2.4 ghz needs direct line of site with little in between. Amping up the power will just kill birds, animals, you, etc. It's the same wavelength as your microwave... get it?