Subject: RE: Tin Can Waveguide
From: Grant Stockly (grant@stockly.com)
Date: Wed Jul 24 2002 - 01:24:26 AKDT
> The one I wanted to do this to is one of those linksys brands that sits on
> the desk and plugs into the USB port. It has a little antenna....but there
> is some interference in the building or something, so I wanted to put one of
> those on the Access Point to where the machines are.
The biggest advice I could give you about antennas for 802.11 and similar
is to just spend the money. Its worth your time AND money.
For directional links, you can get something like this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2040816392
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2039688774
but you're going to want to setup an omni directional antenna (NOT a
directioanl pringes can) so...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2041570765
Don't get too caught up in db ratings on antennas. An antenna does NOT
amplify a signal, or provide any signal strength GAIN (it doesn't
generate something from nothing). WHat all that db
gain means is that a certain antenna will emit a signal 24db STRONGER than
an equiv isotropic (dbi) antenna. Its a way of indicating the efficiency
of an antenna. They could also rate it in dbd, dbu...but they would get a
lower gain number, not good for sales! :)
A 24dbi and 6dbi antenna will get different area coverages, but will still
be transmitting the 30ma from your card. Now you can get into db loss
from bad coax. : )
The unidirectional antenna I listed should be more than enough for you.
Grant
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2a23 : Fri Jul 26 2002 - 13:26:09 AKDT