Re: extending range of wireless net

[AZ Woody <reply@here>]

Update:

I found the $10 RatShack antennas - bad news is they were "discontinued"
last fall!, and while a few might be available, I'd have to drive to the
other end of the state! (not really, but a good hour each way...)

But the sales guy I finally called said "but there's another replacement
- same 7db gain (the guy must have missed his "talk cell phones and sat
TV only" training!)

They're $29, and I can pick them up (in stock) 5 minutes away, or spend
a couple hours driving to get the $10 ones...

I got to wonder why Linksys (now really cisco) doesn't just include the
better antennas!  It might cost them $.01 cent more per unit.

Heck, I think back when a nic card cost $300 (3C501), so I guess I
shouldn't complain about $19!  :)


AZ Woody wrote:
> I stopped by Best Buy, and they had a Linksys "range extender" for $70.
>  It looked like a repeater to me, as you just plugged it into the wall,
> and I figure it will also repeat the other 6 nets I see in the
> neighborhood! (why do people leave their wireless nets open anyway?)  I
> only paid $45 for the router!
>
> Do you happen to have the part number for the RatShack antennas?  I'll
> look online, and see if I can get one (well, two) tomorrow! (the sales
> folks at RatShack seem to know nothing outside of cell phone plans and
> sat TV plans these days.....).
>
> Thanks!
>
> Dave Petrone wrote:
>> There are sets of antenna available to improve the coverage.
>> Generally they offer 7db gain.  I got a set at Radio Shack for $10
>> recently that really improved the signal.  You will generally find a
>> set by Linksys that cost about as much as a wireless router.  The set
>> I got was made by Gigaware.
>>
>> Dave
>> "AZ Woody" <reply@here> wrote in message
>> news:4649f8bb$0$10301$815e3792@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> I got a Linksys wireless router-G
>>>
>>> Anyway, it's usable in the house, but a bit weak in parts of the back
>>> yard.
>>>
>>> I've moved it to a "high point" in the house (a plant shelf about 9'
>>> off the floor), and that helped a bit.
>>>
>>> I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to replace the antennas
>>> (there are two) on the router to help with the range, as the plant
>>> shelf is only a short term (and partial) fix.
>>
>>