High Gain Antenna

Im trying to get a wireless signal from my friends house that is in my neighborhood. I have a macbook and with just the wireless airport turned on it won't pick up any signal. Someone told me to get a high gain antenna and that would pick up the signal. How does a high gain antenna work and does it plug into a modem or right into the computer? Can It be in the house or do I have to mount it outside?

A high gain antenna would be external, and you'd have to open your laptop and connect it to the card. And you'd have to leave the wire hanging out if you didn't want to open it up each time.

If you really want to use your friends connection, you could try to get a wifi repeater, and using some high quality antennas.

2009-04-03 11:35:53 by kmac

I Have a channel on metacafe and I review DIY videos and make My Version and a longer more detailed video of how to build it. I have more videos ...

Is it possible to put a high gain antenna onto my PCI receiver rather than the router?

Yes, absolutely. you have to make sure you get an antenna with the correct connector or be able to get the right adapter...you also need to be sure to select an antenna that is for your wireless draft "ie. G or N" Also to note that in some cases you might need to have high gain antennas on both devices for a solid connection.

2009-02-01 02:10:09 by K

RP-SMA Male connector.
TP-LINK TL-ANT2408CL 2.4GHz Indoor Antenna, 8dBi Omni-directional gain boosts your signal to a higher range
Compatible with most access points routers devices, no configuration or software installation required.

Hi, Im interested in making my own high gain antenna to boost my laptop's Wi-Fi range. I want to make it as powerful as possible but also as portable as possible, Does anyone know of any sites or the like where I can get plans or how to's on building one??
Also where would it connect to if my laptop has its own built in wireless card with no external connector from what I can see??
Thanks in advance

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid= navclient&aq=0&oq=wifi+b&ie= UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enGB303GB303&q =wifi+booster



Please remember unlike radio the Communication has to be two way.

2009-06-06 03:04:43 by Danny D

Price: $19.99 $6.99

This Antenna is original Alfa brand - the most trusted nome in network range
Fits all routers access points VOIP devices and PCI cards with an RP-SMA connection
Replaces Factory Standard Antenna and Boosts the Range of your Router as much as 4x
No aiming required - Omni-directional with +9 dB gain

Specifically, I am looking for an antenna that will connect to a standard wireless card and is rated for outdoor use. I will most likely mount it on my roof.

This probably seems like a strange question, but I live in a very commercial area in a medium-sized city, and there are literally dozens of unsecured networks in range of my home, even without the extra range such an antenna would offer. I don't always get the greatest signal strength, though.

I have looked around online a bit, and have found a lot of options in the $150-$200 range, but have no idea which antenna might work better than another. Had no idea that they came in so many shapes and sizes!

Also, I do not have a wireless network card to which I can connect an external antenna. I am not sure if it makes a difference which card I use, as long as it has the standard mini-coax connection for the antenna.

Thanks!
It's ironic that one of the best answers so far also offended me quite as much as it did. Although there is no law against connecting to any unsecured wireless network, as far as I know, the one(s) I will be using are primarily businesses in the area which offer free WiFi. As I said, I live in a very commericial area.

Even if they were "home" networks, though, if they are not secured at all, I am not aware of any law whatsoever which would prohibit anyone from using them. It would be like having a radio station and then trying to say that only certain people were allowed to tune it in and listen to it.

Since you do not have a wireless card get an integrated antenna. Like Tranzeo or Defacto . These units build the radio into the antenna and all that has to be run into your house is ethernet. Makes for no cable loss which normal antennas will have.
http://tranzeo.com
http://defactowireless.com

Since you are going to be STEALING wifi and risking a jail term anyway why not get the best possible signal.

2007-05-19 01:08:26 by Misunderst00d

i need like a booster of some sort but i dont want to pay alot for it

There are a lot of factors that go into improving wireless network signal. One of the most overlooked is the fact that your antenna will perform MUCH better if it is away from other large objects such as walls, computers, etc. Any large object close to the actual antenna can actually affect the shape of the waveform and can have a HUGE effect on the signal pattern, distance and reliability. Other than that, www.sveasoft.com provides an upgrade firmware for several of the common wireless routers that you can buy at Best Buy, etc. With this firmware upgrade, you can up your output from 28mW to 251mW, and it's completely legal and still within FCC guidelines.

2006-01-27 13:51:43 by drucashes