[gentoo-user] Re: {OT} Laptop wifi find more than external antenna
On 2010-01-08, Stroller strol...@stellar.eclipse.co.uk wrote: On 8 Jan 2010, at 15:49, Grant wrote: ... That's a good idea, but I'm actually able to pick up the difficult AP's with the same dongle when its normal omnidirectional antenna is attached instead of the strong directional one. Could a failing antenna exhibit this behavior? I'm extremely sceptical of these cheap external aerials. The one to which the OP provided a link isn't that cheap ($50) and gets universally excellent reviews. My testing indicates that it does indeed provide something on the order of the claimed 15dBi gain. It's performance is very close to that of a well-built double-biquad reflector: both show 10-12dB increases over a stock 3dB whip when I tested them with various bits of HW (a USB WiFi dongle, two different brands of WAP). That said, the cable on the Hawking unit is pretty flimsy -- and hence probably is rather vulnerable to both electrical noise or physical abuse. It probably wouldn't take much of a pinch or kink to cause problems. -- Grant Edwards grante Yow! Here I am in 53 at B.C. and all I want is a visi.comdill pickle!!
Re: [gentoo-user] Re: {OT} Laptop wifi find more than external antenna
That's a good idea, but I'm actually able to pick up the difficult AP's with the same dongle when its normal omnidirectional antenna is attached instead of the strong directional one. Could a failing antenna exhibit this behavior? I'm extremely sceptical of these cheap external aerials. The one to which the OP provided a link isn't that cheap ($50) and gets universally excellent reviews. My testing indicates that it does indeed provide something on the order of the claimed 15dBi gain. It's performance is very close to that of a well-built double-biquad reflector: both show 10-12dB increases over a stock 3dB whip when I tested them with various bits of HW (a USB WiFi dongle, two different brands of WAP). That said, the cable on the Hawking unit is pretty flimsy -- and hence probably is rather vulnerable to both electrical noise or physical abuse. It probably wouldn't take much of a pinch or kink to cause problems. That could definitely be the case. This thing has traveled. - Grant
