Cheap antenna / signal strength increasing. [signal strength] [newegg]
Q: Hit the ENTER key and freaking ruined .: o
Anyways, looking for a cheap cheap cheap way to increase the signal strength. I wan to buy something and not looking for a antenna.
Newegg can a $ 25 antenna that gets me 4dbi. Is their anything else is cheaper there that I can buy to help this problem.
Best Answer: you wont boost strength those antenna simply allow you to put the antenna 3-6 feet from the router they will not make the strength stronger from one floor to another but on the 1st floor it would slightly improve range best way to increase the strength is to get a signal booster
The Manifesto Of Strength
Re:Sorry, I didn't mean the client card doesn't have an antenna – it has a connector for one but there isn't one in my notebook. So I added a tiny little loop type, but there is virtually no gain as far as I can tell on it. I have a new antenna on the way, supposedly about 4dbi gain on that one – I'll see if I can mount it inside the notebook and how well it does once it's installed.
By outside wall I mean that it's atually on my desk, but the room is the last in my apartment, and the desk is against the outside wall. So it's not right up against the wall but it's towards on that side of things.
Avc Signals
Re:Mounted on a wall? That could very well be a big problem for you if that is true. Antennas butted up against objects can cause severe multipath, which is a signal killer.
Your dell client card almost certainly has an antenna. Might just be a clip on but I can't imagine it not having an antenna. That'd be a first for me for a consumer grade client device. I've seen cards shipped, intentionally with no clip antenna, so the user could handle that themselves, or the integrator selling the solution etc. Anyway, my guess would be your does in fact have at least a 2 dBi clip antenna.
To add to what's been said about signal strength vs. quality (SNR). Signal to Noise ratio is much more important when surveying, testing and real world applications. Strength is a factor, but quality is what you pay attention to.
The Signals Machine
Re:BTW – regarding the aluminum foil – does it have to be an exact parabola? or just a curve? My AP is also on an outside wall.
Volleyball Strength! – Strength and Conditioning the Right Way
Re:Hi all. First off, thanks for all the replies.
Scott:
Unfortunately, moving the router would be quite tricky for me at this point. I did do a temp, pretty messy move about 3 feet out (towards the room I want the signal) but I didn't notice any difference. Also don't have any other 2.4g devices near the router/AP. I experimented already with my 2.4g phones to find a channel that has the least interference and have been trying all channels for the heck of it as well – no dif. Doesn't mean a neighbour isn't interfering with me tho.
titan:
thanks for the aluminum foil suggestion. I tried it quickly and it upped my signal strength about 8%, but for about 5 minutes only. Then it went back to normal. Possibly the positioning of the foil, I can play around with it a bit more. I can tell that it does make a difference, though, because if I go to the line of sight of the foil is facing my signal strength does improve.
Jack:
I don't mean to say that I follow the signal strength meter to the T – I'm just using it as an indication. I'd be completely happy with 1% signal strength if I didn't have dropped packets! 
I actually have 2 utiliies, the dell truemobile util actually gives an SNR indicator as wel – don't know if it's accurate or not; have no antenna on that card.
I'm currently sitting at a 6x% signal strength as I type this, which seems to be okay for the most part right now. Haven't lost a con in a bit, but I'm sure file xfers will make my speed drop (currently connected at 54mbps). I just want my cake and be able to eat it too, and of course – am wondering if changing the antennas will get me there.
Safe Trading Signals
Re:Most people end up ?Living or Dying? by the ?Silly? Software Signal Strength Indicator in the Wireless Utility.
I measured few time the signal with real Signal Meter and found that the Computer representation is not accurate in many cases.
There are two important Variables in the measure of effective signal.
1. Signal Strength
2. Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR).
Many ?propagation engineers? will tell you that as far as they are concern the Signal to Noise Ratio is more important to ensure proper communication.
The thingie in the Wireless Utility does deal with the Noise, so a person might have very strong signal that is not coming from the Wireless source.
Strength Coach Basic Training
Re:About the Aluminum foil, that is what I do. My wireless router is located on an outside wall and there is no need to have signal energy waisted by going that direction, so I formed a parabolic mirror out of aluminum foil. Make sure that you use the shiny side pointing where you want it to go.
Ultimate Wrestling Strength
Re:Signal quality can be bad, even at ~100% … meaning a marginal connection.
You may want to check for other things that might interfere with the wireless signal …. like other wireless signals …. like a 2.4G wireless phone sitting next to your computer (or AP).
It also doesn't take much movement of one end of the connection or the other (~ 4" – 8 ") to make a big difference in reception and quality. Try moving either the AP or the computer a few inches in a couple directions and see if it changes the signal strength or quality.
Good Luck
Scott
10percentmonthly Forex Signals
Re:Well, in the next room I get about 70%, where it doesn't seem to drop connection. So I'd only be looking for a 10% gain in signal strength or so. I know the db gain is exponential so I'm thinking that 5.5 or 7dbi would do the trick. Maybe I'll just give it a try and see how it goes. Thanks for the info!
Home Made Strength Online Dvd
Re:Better Antenna on the Router should improve the signal (7dbi is better than 5dbi which is better than 2dbi).
How much? Depends on the envioroment and the positioning of the Router.
Maximum Strength Workout
Re:You guys seem pretty knowledgeable so I may as well ask my question
Right now I've got a USRobotics wireless router and when I'm in my bedroom, I get only about 60% signal strength. Which is enough for the most part, but every know and then I drop packets which is pretty annoying and the speeds decrease a lot if I transfer stuff. I want to replace the 2dbi antenna on the unit with either a 5.5dbi or a 7.0dbi, and am wondering if doing so would actually make a dif? Thanks!
Re:"Can I do anything with aluminum foil to make this work better? Someone in another forum suggest if I shield the signal on one direction it will direct it the other direction with much more strength"
The beauty of that suggestion is that it will cost you about a nickel. Won't hurt to try. May reflect some of the signal in the direction you want it.
There is no shortage of bad advice on BBS's, wireless included. At least that advice won't cost you anything. I've heard the same thing. Never tried it.
Re:What hardware you are using and how much distance you need to gain?
When you are in an open Office situation and the Antenna is on the ceiling upgrading to 4dBi from 2dbi can perform ?miracles?.
How ever in clattere home envioroment, with walls in between simple solution (like Aluminum Foil) or upgrading from one "puny" Antenna to another "puny"will result in few feet improvement.
Often by improving the positioning of the Wireless Router, or extending the CAT5 cable and move the Wireless Source to the hallway etc, you would gain more.
If you Wireless Client is equipped with PCI card and it stuck between the computer?s case and the wall. By removing it away from the wall you might improve the connection.
I can come with many more scenarios that are not mentioned in Cisco's books. However I do not know what is your physical setup.
Re:Can I do anything with aluminum foil to make this work better? Someone in another forum suggest if I shield the signal on one direction it will direct it the other direction with much more strength.
Re:Only thing I could find on Newegg (quick search) was a 30 dollar, 6 dBi patch. I assume when you say gain 4 dBi, you understand you'll lose whatever your using now, which is usually a 2 dB omni. If that's the case then the one I was looking at maybe the one you were looking at. It's a patch, with an 80 degree beamwidth but it is still directed pattern. Should be plenty. You probably would only "need" to put it on one side though buying one for each side of the link would be better. If your association is intermittant or just weak now with your default dipole's, then the newegg solution, at 6 dBi would clean you up. Doesn't have to be 8 dBi or better to be "decent" at all. Even if you have the same gain that you have already, if you direct the pattern your going to get better reception, so any "gain" in antenna "gain" is a plus. HD or fabcorp sell solutions with similar pricing. Last time I checked anyway. As far as omni or directional. If you only have the two devices, then directionalsis what you want. Might want to stay omni on the AP and just get the directional for your client side. That will give you 360 degree coverage at the AP and give you client addition options. Link the newegg link if you want but if it's a directional and even 4 dBI, as long as it's a directional, it will help.
Re:Omni directional Antenna emits all around. Directional Antenna works between two fixed points.
However no matter what, you will pay around $50 for any decent solution (8dbi and above).
You might save few $$ by using the Wireless Cable/DSL Router as an Access Point.
More about it: Extending the Distance of Entry Level Wireless Network. (http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html)
CompUSA sell this week a Belkin Wireless Router for $10 after rebate.
Re:I'm working with two computers around 50' apart from each other. Hell if I know, I'm new to this.
Re:4dbi is a waste of momey.
Do you need Omni or directioanl Antenna?
Re:Jesus that alot more than I'm willing to spend.
Could I wrap the antenna in aluminum foil or something? lol
Re:Reasonable prices here, you can call these guys and talk to a real tech. person.
Link to: A selection of aux. Antennae, Cables, and Hardware. (http://www.hdcom.com/2.4ghzantennas.html)
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Tags: newegg, signal strength