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    Buying antenna make any diff?

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by JohnNL, Apr 25, 2006.

  1. JohnNL

    JohnNL Notebook Geek

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    Hi all,

    I am very very curious into knowing if the following is possible.
    Am currently living in a building where they have Wifi internet in the lobby.
    The limit of the wifi is capped to a specific 'region'.
    So once you leave the lobby area, you loose connection.

    Problem is, i live on the second floor and dont want to walk up and down to the lobby all the time just so i can internet.

    So it would be perfect if i was able to pick up the signal downstairs (in the lobby) from my own room on the second floor with maybe just an antenna.

    They use a simple Asus router (wl-500g i believe)
    And i use a Buffalo G54 S pcmcia card in my laptop.

    Questions.

    Would it be possible to buy an antenna like this one http://www.netgear.com/products/details/ANT24D18.php, then put an adapter/converter for the cable so it fits my pcmcia card ?

    I cannot buy extenders or antenna's for the router as that thing is not mine.

    Would the above antenna go through walls/glass ?

    Besides trying to pick up the signal in the lobby, i would also like to pick up any other signals around.

    The other problem is that the antenna has to be somewhat portable.
    Not like i'm going to take the antenna with me every day, but i dont like to have a satellite dish or a big big cantenna type thing :)

    Thanks in advance !

    John
     
    JohnNL, Apr 25, 2006
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  2. yomister

    yomister Notebook Evangelist

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    yomister, Apr 25, 2006
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  3. JohnNL

    JohnNL Notebook Geek

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    JohnNL, Apr 25, 2006
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  4. JohnNL

    JohnNL Notebook Geek

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    any other ideas ?
     
    JohnNL, Apr 26, 2006
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  5. Chutsman

    Chutsman Notebook Evangelist

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    Well, if there is a jack for an antenna on your buffalo card then you can get and external antenna to attach to your card. But until you try it you will not know if it will pick up the signal from the lobby.

    There are some high power pcmcia wireless cards like the Engenius 200mW and Parker Vision Signal Max. Do a Google search for them. There is also a 300mW card but I don't recall the name.

    Engenius has two versions, one with its own internal antenna and another that has to have an external antenna.
     
    Chutsman, Apr 26, 2006
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