Long range wifi aerials

399863 Views 526 Replies 122 Participants Last post by 5bells, Nov 10, 2012

zulu

Discussion Starter · Jun 6, 2009

Does anyone use or can recommend a long wifi aerial for use with laptop
in a motorhome? Recently we have returned from wintering in Spain
and met several Dutch and German motorhomers who had these devices
and getting good ranges on them, one claimed a range of 5km line of
site. They had bought them in their own country.

Thanks
James.

1 - 20 of 527 Posts

CliveMott

· #2 · Jun 6, 2009

Apparantely if you use an old satellite dish, remove the LNB and put the WiFi bit when the LNB was it works quite well. Anybody tried it?

C.

DABurleigh

· #3 · Jun 6, 2009

That's a bodger's answer (it strikes me that Clive and Vic would get on like a house on fire). Mine would be:
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=267
or
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=373

Just bear in mind that physics dictates the relationship between gain (range) and whether it is omni-directional. If you want maximum range, you have to aim it, whether in azimuth or elevation or both.

Dave

ThursdaysChild

· #4 · Jun 6, 2009

I can understand these devices gathering in and amplifying weak signals, but do they then re-transmit to my laptop, or is a hard connection needed ?

CliveMott

· #5 · Jun 6, 2009

Its a hard connection between your Laptop and the antenna system. You cannot increase the range of the built in WiFi antenna. It has to be external.

If you were stuck on a desert island that had an electronic scrap yard, who would you rather have with you? Dave or Clive & Vic?

But I picked up a working SKY dish with LNB from our local dump. Some of us have WiFi thingies that hand on the end of a USB extention cables left over from older laptops. Its worth having a play first surely. Money Money Money etc. Just think of the satisfaction when it actually works.

C.

Grizzly

· #6 · Jun 6, 2009

I have a Belkin USB network adapter with about 1 metre of cable ( and I also have another 50 cm connector).

If I put it in the centre of our stainless steel folding vegetable steamer then there is a significant gain in signal - often all it needs to tip the balance between being able to use the network or not.

A bit Heath Robinson but it works and confirms my opinion that receiving good wifi signals is more magic than science.

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CliveMott

· #7 · Jun 6, 2009

Now Howzat then!!
Brilliant.

Rocles

· #8 · Jun 6, 2009

There's always the legendary Pringle Cantenna

If nothing else, you can enjoy the contents

8O

Pusser

· #9 · Jun 6, 2009

It does work to a degree. I plugged into this with a usb lead and there was a noticable improvement in reception. 8)

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Grizzly

· #10 · Jun 6, 2009

Pusser said:
It does work to a degree. I plugged into this with a usb lead and there was a noticable improvement in reception. 8)

Pusser: the first man to Skype a Martian.

G

Pusser

· #11 · Jun 6, 2009

Grizzly said:
Pusser said:

It does work to a degree. I plugged into this with a usb lead and there was a noticable improvement in reception. 8)

Click to expand...

Pusser: the first man to Skype a Martian.

G

Some would say it's me ringing home.

But I think it more likely I may have come from Uranus. (Not yours specifically of course.

)

Grizzly

· #12 · Jun 6, 2009

Pusser said:
Grizzly said:

Pusser said:

It does work to a degree. I plugged into this with a usb lead and there was a noticable improvement in reception. 8)

Click to expand...

Pusser: the first man to Skype a Martian.

G

Click to expand...

But I think it more likely I may have come from Uranus. (Not yours specifically of course. )

Ouch !

G

gromett

· #13 · Jun 6, 2009

These are the guys I am dealing with to setup a large area wifi zone. I basically have free parking at a friends industrial unit. I am 60 Meters away from the building and the wifi is inside. Going to be a fun job...

http://www.panorama-antennas.com/

Karl

Addie

· #14 · Jun 6, 2009

One of the best units I've used is this:

http://www.faculty-x.net/su2410-usb.htm

Plugs straight into the USB, so no loss of power through a long antenna cable (you can buy a long usb extension to go with it). Just had it on a pole attached to the cycle rack and just use a program on the laptop called 'Netstumbler' to find open and unsecured wireless networks and adjust the antenna direction to suit.

There are lots of options for antennas:
http://www.faculty-x.net/direct-home.htm

barryd

· #15 · Jun 6, 2009

DABurleigh said:
That's a bodger's answer (it strikes me that Clive and Vic would get on like a house on fire). Mine would be:
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=267
or
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=373

Just bear in mind that physics dictates the relationship between gain (range) and whether it is omni-directional. If you want maximum range, you have to aim it, whether in azimuth or elevation or both.

Dave

Has anybody any experience of using these devices say in France or anywhere else in Europe? The look like they are designed to attached to a router rather than straight into your network port on a laptop although in theory you should be able to connect straight to it. I would consider one if someone came back and said, yep they are brilliant pick up loads of unsecure networks all over the place. I suspect however that this will not be the case. We tend to camp in remote places so lets say there are 20 buildings within a mile of where we are camped, probably half of them will have broadband perhaps. How many will it pick up and how many will be unsecured networks? None I suspect most of the time. I think they may be useful if your near Mcdonalds or on a wifi enabled campsites but I suspect for the sort of Wildcamping we do they wont be of much use. If someone tells me otherwise I will consider getting one though as internet connectivity is going to be a real issue for me overseas.

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inkey-2008

· #16 · Jun 6, 2009

Hi James

I have used at TP-Link Antenna model no TL-ANT2409A and can use it over about 1/4 of a mile with trees on site.
I mount it on a small stand on the roof of the van and down through the sky light. It is water proof and is directional.
It cost around £18 at Amazon you also need a wifi dongle with an antenna connector as well.
I use a Wisacom dongle that has a small removable antenna, this is just unscrewed and the lead from the TP-Link screwed on to it. I think you may be able to get this at Amazon as well.

I have picked signals up from a longer distance but as they where encrypted I am not sure if it would work both ways.

Andy

C7KEN

· #17 · Jun 6, 2009

I get on the internet generally by two methods. My vodafone es dongle or by linking to hotspots at repsol gas stations. I use the program "my hotspotter" from trustive .com and have a trustive account. I dont have one of these yet but am planning on getting one as I have seen them in use by many people here in spain and they do allow a much stronger signal from a greater range so will be handy when its harder to park close to the repsol gas station or other trustive hotspots (there are thousands)
http://www.faculty-x.net/su2410-usb.htm

miranda

· #18 · Jun 6, 2009

We use a Hawkins wifi amplifier, it is a small (approx 5cm diameter)plastic dish that plugs into a usb on the laptop.
It has worked well for amplifying signals, we can pick up wifi that we couldn't before and it certainly helps when you have a weak signal, we've picked up wifi upto 3 miles away, so not the range of some of the others, but it is very portable and easy to use. We ordered it from the States, not cheap though at about $80, not sure that it's worth that much to most people, but we were located at a site for 6 months and with it we could get into a local hotspot, so it paid for itself. When sites around Madrid are charging €4 for 1/2 hour or €8 for a day it doesn't seem a lot.

davesport

· #19 · Jun 6, 2009

Strewth...The Ozzies in the outback have been doing this for yonks.

Do a google for Tin cantenna Tin Cantenna

D.

Pusser

· #20 · Jun 6, 2009

davesport said:
Strewth...The Ozzies in the outback have been doing this for yonks.

Do a google for Tin cantenna Tin Cantenna

D.

When I was younger, I used to tell my girlfriends I can get Radio Luxumburg only using a bra strap, a pair of tights and a small piece of knicker elastic.

Never actually managed to tune into anything but I used to love trying. 8)

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