[vox] Wireless antenna for 1-block radius

[Ryan]

On Fri, Oct 21, 2005 at 11:19:05AM -0500, Ken Bloom kbloom-at-gmail.com |lugod| wrote:
> One of the big reasons I've wanted a laptop for a while is so that I
> could get wifi in the sukkah[1] during sukkot[1].
> 
> Now that it's sukkot, I've been working in the sukkah with my laptop,
> and I find that the wi-fi from my apartment doesn't even reach a half
> a block to where I'm working.
>
> So I'd like to work out how to extend the wifi provided by my
> BEFW11S4, so that it has a radius of about a block. (In chicago, there
> are 4 blocks to 1/2 mile).

Does this actualy need to be a radius? If not, use a driectional
antenna.

> Any ideas? What kind of antenna should I be looking for. I'd like to
> do this pretty cheaply if possible.

For this specific application, you probably want a patch panel or yagi
antenna, with at least 12dBi gain, and you will have to aim it. You will
get better results if you get a high-end card for your laptop, with an
external antenna. A patch panel antanna for your AP should be around
$50, or you can attempt to make your own, possibly by building a
parabolic reflector for your APs existing antenna. Plans for these are
available online, and are almost free (foil works, wire mesh is better.)

> --Ken Bloom
> 
> [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot
> -- 
> I usually have a GPG digital signature included as an attachment.
> See http://www.gnupg.org/ for info about these digital signatures.



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