On Thu, 8 Apr 2010 10:38:59 -0700, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:23:26 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:47:15 -0500, wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:25 -0400, John H
wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of these? Do they do any good?

http://blog.rv.net/2010/02/wi-fi-a-b...GSC_Cyber Sam

or: http://tinyurl.com/ylbh98k



John, I use the Linksys Wireless-G USB adapter on a couple of my
systems, and each comes with a 6' cable. The Linksys USB adapter
works well and it's well supported (other than the fact that support
for legacy adapters with Windows 7 is pitiful). I've worked with a
couple of other USB Wireless adapters, though, I favor Linksys. If
you really want to have some fun, though, make a cantenna. The
results can be more than satisfying.

Thanks, J. Now, what's a cantenna? Is that the 'coffee can' referred to
earlier?

Since Harry contributed absolutely nothing of positive value or
substance, I'll answer by saying that a cantenna can be made from
coffee cans, which is what I've done in the past. But, I've read
cases in which they've been made from Pringles cans, among other
things. But a cantenna generically can also refer to any home-made
directional device that picks up wireless signals. To make a cantenna
function correctly, though, you need to have specific data for the
build, though not always comprehensible, and that's easily available
on the web.


The Pringles can is too narrow. It makes it hard to align properly... never
tried it. I used a humongous can... worked fine.

Did you build yours using the trial-and-error method, Em, or did you
have a detailed build-plan with specs? Too, how long of a cable did
you use, if you don't mind my asking?

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:25 -0400, John H
wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of these? Do they do any good?

http://blog.rv.net/2010/02/wi-fi-a-b...GSC_Cyber Sam

or: http://tinyurl.com/ylbh98k



John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:55:14 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:25 -0400, John H
wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of these? Do they do any good?

http://blog.rv.net/2010/02/wi-fi-a-b...GSC_Cyber Sam

or: http://tinyurl.com/ylbh98k



John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

Wow. I can see where you would need that, but that may be overkill for my use.
Thanks for the info though.

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:25:12 -0400, John H
wrote:

John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

Wow. I can see where you would need that, but that may be overkill for my use.
Thanks for the info though.

Trust me on this, if you'e serious about WiFi at a distance, that is
the one you want. I'm connected to an access point two miles away
across the water as we speak, and have very good signal strength.
There are other advantages in addition to long range. The interface
to your computer is an ethernet cable for example, so no special
software driver installation is required. A lot of WiFi drivers are
buggy in my experience. You can also connect the ethernet interface
to your own router allowing you to share the connection locally if you
choose, just like a home WiFi installation.

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:10:31 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:25:12 -0400, John H
wrote:

John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

Wow. I can see where you would need that, but that may be overkill for my use.
Thanks for the info though.

Trust me on this, if you'e serious about WiFi at a distance, that is
the one you want. I'm connected to an access point two miles away
across the water as we speak, and have very good signal strength.
There are other advantages in addition to long range. The interface
to your computer is an ethernet cable for example, so no special
software driver installation is required. A lot of WiFi drivers are
buggy in my experience. You can also connect the ethernet interface
to your own router allowing you to share the connection locally if you
choose, just like a home WiFi installation.

Another good option for remote internet connectivity is Verizon's Mifi
that uses the underlying 3G network. It serves as a hotpoint for
various local wireless devices, such as multiple devices on a boat,
and can work at high bandwidth speeds nearly anywhere there is cell
phone access. Probably the largest disadvantage to using the Mifi
device is the 60 dollars a month for the service for a maximum of 5gig
of traffic per month.

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:10:31 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:25:12 -0400, John H
wrote:

John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

Wow. I can see where you would need that, but that may be overkill for my use.
Thanks for the info though.

Trust me on this, if you'e serious about WiFi at a distance, that is
the one you want. I'm connected to an access point two miles away
across the water as we speak, and have very good signal strength.
There are other advantages in addition to long range. The interface
to your computer is an ethernet cable for example, so no special
software driver installation is required. A lot of WiFi drivers are
buggy in my experience. You can also connect the ethernet interface
to your own router allowing you to share the connection locally if you
choose, just like a home WiFi installation.

Right now, the distance is usually in the few hundred yard range, as found in
campgrounds. I don't take the laptop on my 18'er. Once I move up to my Monk 36',
then I'll invest in the heavy stuff.

Thanks for the help, Wayne. Much appreciated.

On 4/8/10 12:50 PM, wrote:
On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:10:31 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:25:12 -0400, John
wrote:

John, I have tried a lot of different long range WiFi solutions over
the last 5 years but the very best is the one I have now from these
guys:

http://islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html

It is truly outstanding and it doesn't cost all that much compared to
some of the other systems that are out there. They are also very good
at providing support via EMAIL or telephone.

Wow. I can see where you would need that, but that may be overkill for my use.
Thanks for the info though.

Trust me on this, if you'e serious about WiFi at a distance, that is
the one you want. I'm connected to an access point two miles away
across the water as we speak, and have very good signal strength.
There are other advantages in addition to long range. The interface
to your computer is an ethernet cable for example, so no special
software driver installation is required. A lot of WiFi drivers are
buggy in my experience. You can also connect the ethernet interface
to your own router allowing you to share the connection locally if you
choose, just like a home WiFi installation.

I like wire but when my son in law was over here he had his laptop
near the front window and saw 3 networks with the built in antenna.
One was unsecured.
It looks like wireless is good for at least 100 yards without even
trying. (just guessing about who was a network near me)



When you say networks, are you referring to the individual networks
folks set up in their homes with routers?

If so, I think you are right on the money, maybe conservative. I helped
a near-neighbor set up his windows home server on his computer and
router, and I brought my apple laptop with me because I have a lot of
*.PDFs stored on it with network documentation. While we were messing
about setting up his new hardware, I checked whether I could get a
signal from my cisco wireless-n router. I could. His house is more than
100 yards from ours.

I have no trouble finding the wireless networks of closer neighbors, but
their wireless networks, like mine, require a bit more than "discovery"
to gain entre.

In the house, we have hardwired access in five different rooms,
but once in a while either my wife or I or a guest are in a room where
the choice is wireless or nothing. Speed from the net is about the same
through the router, wired or wireless but file transfers and backups to
our server via the wired network are much faster.

--
http://tinyurl.com/ykxp2ym

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:25 -0400, John H
wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of these? Do they do any good?

http://blog.rv.net/2010/02/wi-fi-a-b...GSC_Cyber Sam

or: http://tinyurl.com/ylbh98k



I don't know about that particular antenna but an antenna can
certainly get you amazing performance from WiFi. I was doing some
research when the community assn. was thinking about WiFi and stumbled
on a web page for WiFi DXers who have run close to 10 miles with clean
line of sight.
Various schemes use coffee can antennas or something based on a DSS
satellite dish.


I was going to say... why not just make one. I was fiddling around with that
last year... probably total cost would be under $20. It took me about a day
of fiddling after I got the parts. It was cool that I could get onto my
neighbor's wifi when I put the homebrew on the upper deck... can just barely
see his house from there. He gave me his login and it worked until the wind
finally took it. I never bothered to replace it. Now I have a wired
situation with my own internal wifi. Before, I couldn't get anything with
just the built-in laptop wifi.

--
Nom=de=Plume

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:09:34 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:25 -0400, John H
wrote:

Has anyone ever used one of these? Do they do any good?

http://blog.rv.net/2010/02/wi-fi-a-b...GSC_Cyber Sam

or: http://tinyurl.com/ylbh98k



I don't know about that particular antenna but an antenna can
certainly get you amazing performance from WiFi. I was doing some
research when the community assn. was thinking about WiFi and stumbled
on a web page for WiFi DXers who have run close to 10 miles with clean
line of sight.
Various schemes use coffee can antennas or something based on a DSS
satellite dish.

Thanks for the help. I don't use a laptop much, but my wife has become addicted
to hers.