I do classic motorcycle restorations and have an old desktop in my workshop that I use for reading service manuals, viewing the disassembly pictures I have taken as I reassemble the bikes, using a WP for logging the progress and other simple tasks.
I have an old microfiche reader that I use for parts assemblies but would like to set up the desktop for a wireless connection to my network that is in the house about 130 feet away.
My HP notebook or my Motorola Xoom will get a good signal at the door to the shop but it is not real stable inside the shop, which is a metal building.
The old XP home SP2 desktop has plenty of PCI slots open and I have been looking at some Linksys PCI cards.
My router is a Belkin F5D8233-4. It is very stable and supports two notebooks, an iPad2, a Motorola Xoom, a Kindle, a desktop and a couple of printers with no issues at all.
As I said with the notebook I get a good signal until I actually go in the shop. Then it will sometimes drop. I may be wrong but I’m thinking that a PCI card with a couple of external antennas would get a sufficient signal.
I don’t really want to go with a range extender unless that is my only option.
I would like to get a fairly decent PCI card and try that first.
I can get the Linksys WMP110 or WMP54G for about $22 or the WMP600 for about $43.
Speed is not really an issue as I will only be doing some web surfing and viewing online microfiche pages.
I would prefer to get a cheaper WMP54G or the WMP110 as I don’t have any use for the full features of the WMP600. However a $43 card that works is better than a $22 card that is unstable.
Any thoughts on these PCI cards or comparable models would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
FJ
D'link makes a great card. WDA2320. . I believe you are wanting the dual antennas, but this will work great for 20 bucks.
OR....... Depending on how ambitious you are, you can build a cantenna, that you can attach to your Belkin F5D8233-4 and point down towards your shop, which will directionalize the signal from your router more focused at your shop. the other antenna on your router can serve your house.
Instructions to build cantennas are all over the net, I personally prefer to use a can of bush's grillin beans, as that size can has almost an exact circumference for the wavelength of a 2.4ghz wifi signal.