WiFi question

pmanton

pmanton

Final Approach
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Indian Hills Airpark Salome, AZ
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N1431A
Is there a wireless adapter available for a desk top that incorporates a remote antenna?

I'm going to put an older desk top in my hangar for Flight Simulator and just goofing off. Due to the steel sided hangar there isn't enough signal strength there to make a connection with the house WiFi. (tried it with my laptop).

If I could find an adapter card with an external antenna I think I'd be in like Flynn.

I do NOT want to do anything to increase the signal strength on the house end.

Thanks

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
www.indianhillsairpark.com
 
There are USB wireless adapters - I got one at (probably) Best Buy to avoid stringing wire to the back room - you could stick it through a hole in the hangar wall if you could keep it dry on the other side.
 
Most PCI cards have detachable antennae, and there are directional antennae that can be screwed to them.

There's also something called a "cantenna," but I think you should be able to find a pre-made directional antenna pretty easily.

When I get back later I'll see if I can find one online.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
Most PCI cards have detachable antennae, and there are directional antennae that can be screwed to them.

There's also something called a "cantenna," but I think you should be able to find a pre-made directional antenna pretty easily.

When I get back later I'll see if I can find one online.

-Rich
Click to expand...

Yeah. Some of the older internal WiFi cards were just (compact, formerly PCMCIA) PCCards with adapters to hold them.

I have an Orinoco card that I used in a laptop in the war driving days because it was commonly supported. It has an antenna jack.

Here ya go.

PCI cards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...031 50001015 1133510032&name=External Antenna
USB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ork+-+Wireless+Adapters-_-Rosewill-_-33166023

Antennas:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...E&N=2010410342+1572737784&name=Antenna&Page=2

Heh. Wal-Mart? http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hawking-T...0000003142050&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=12457362
 
An alternative would be a weatherproof "client router". This would be connected to your PC via a standard ethernet cable. Engenius makes several models, most of which can work over great distances (like 5-20 miles if you use two and there is a clear line of sight path). They're not too pricey either.

http://tinyurl.com/38267fb
 
gismo said:
An alternative would be a weatherproof "client router". This would be connected to your PC via a standard ethernet cable. Engenius makes several models, most of which can work over great distances (like 5-20 miles if you use two and there is a clear line of sight path). They're not too pricey either.

http://tinyurl.com/38267fb
Click to expand...

Looks like that's the key to Kent getting WiFi from the cabin to the Gaston's flight line!
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Looks like that's the key to Kent getting WiFi from the cabin to the Gaston's flight line!
Click to expand...

As long as he's got a tall enough mounting location on both ends it should work. I used to have one set up to connect with the free wireless in an FBO that was a couple hundred yards away. On my laptop I could barely connect right outside their door but the Engenius would work flawlessly from my hangar.
 
pmanton said:
Is there a wireless adapter available for a desk top that incorporates a remote antenna?

I'm going to put an older desk top in my hangar for Flight Simulator and just goofing off. Due to the steel sided hangar there isn't enough signal strength there to make a connection with the house WiFi. (tried it with my laptop).

If I could find an adapter card with an external antenna I think I'd be in like Flynn.

I do NOT want to do anything to increase the signal strength on the house end.

Thanks

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
www.indianhillsairpark.com
Click to expand...

Does you desktop have a USB connector? You can get a usb NIC that has a cable and if the base cable is not long enough get a extender. Your can use a 6 foot extender without a problem so you should be able to get the unit 7 or 8 feet into the air.
 
Perhaps a repeater? Then any wifi-enabled laptop or mobile device in your hangar would be able to benefit from it.

Something like this [$50].
 
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mikea said:
Yeah. Some of the older internal WiFi cards were just (compact, formerly PCMCIA) PCCards with adapters to hold them.

I have an Orinoco card that I used in a laptop in the war driving days because it was commonly supported. It has an antenna jack.
Click to expand...
i still have a couple of those cards and antennas for them laying around at work.
 
bqmassey said:
Perhaps a repeater? Then any wifi-enabled laptop or mobile device in your hangar would be able to benefit from it.

Something like this [$50].
Click to expand...

One problem with repeaters is that they consume significant bandwidth. Adding just one cuts the available bandwidth in half. Another issue in this case is that it would have to be located outside to receive from the house and then the signal might not get inside a metal hangar very well. Sometimes you can put a repeater in a window facing the WAP to get around that issue.
 
gismo said:
One problem with repeaters is that they consume significant bandwidth. Adding just one cuts the available bandwidth in half. Another issue in this case is that it would have to be located outside to receive from the house and then the signal might not get inside a metal hangar very well. Sometimes you can put a repeater in a window facing the WAP to get around that issue.
Click to expand...

I don't know a whole heck of a lot about wifi repeaters, but I'd guess that half the bandwidth of the router is still more than the bandwidth he's receiving from his ISP.

pmanton wants a card with an external antenna. Every repeater I've seen has an external antenna. If a Wifi card with an external antenna will work (as his post indicates), I'm sure a repeater will. Like you said, an external antenna can be run to/out a window pretty easily. That one I linked to has even has an ethernet port on it I believe.
 
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No experience with OEM wi-fi antenae but you could search for wireless antennae from your favorite search engine. I found a number on ebay; one professing to increase the range up to 10 miles!
There are also a few DIY instructions depending on how creative you are. Cantenna has a pseudo DIY.

 
mikea said:
We tried that already. The first need is to have the wired link feeding it to be capable of Wifi speeds.
Click to expand...
Jason had pretty good luck this year using a Verizon myfi and was providing decent internet on the flight line at one point.
 
Thanks one and all for some useful ideas. I do have one bar inside the hangar with my laptop, just not enough for a reliable connection. Since I do have a tiny bit of a signal in the hangar I wonder if I put a directional antenna inside the house pointing at the hangar if I would get enough signal. This would have the added advantage of reducing my radiated signal since it would be directed at the steel hangar.

Cheers:

Paul
N1431A
2AZ1
www.indianhillsairpark.com
 
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