Computer help

Fast Eddy · Post by **Fast Eddy** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:12 am

I have an Asus PC that i want to be able to use at the shop where there is no phone line. There is meant to be a WiFi hotspot nearby but it still will not work.
I need to get this up and running asap.
Help please

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:32 am

Is it a public hotspot? the reason i ask is that public ones are usually visible to your computer and don't normally need a password to get on either, just your credit card if it isn't free.

Does your PC have a built in WiFi capability or do you use a card that you slot into the PCMCIA slot at the side, usually the left side.

The other thing you can do if your built in WiFi or WiFi card doesn't pick up the hotspot is get a WiFi card with an external WiFi antenna that will pick up those hard to reach hotspots. They usually have a built in PreAmp as well to raise the antenna's gain a bit.

Another thing you can try is to get a steel collander with foil on the outside of it to cover the holes, and you position it somewhere around the LapTop until you get a signal.

I do this when i take my laptop down the shed which is about 45 meters away with several walls in between, from my Wireless Lan in the office upstairs. I have a Wireless card in my old laptop and i place the collander in the vicinity of the card so it collects and reflects any stray microwaves back to the card. My signal goes from nothing and 3 or 4Mb all the way up to a steady 11 or 12Mb, and even higher sometimes (upto 20Mb) if i get it really spot on. Thats pretty good for a collander!!

I am an ex electronics engineer (of many years ago) with a bent towards analogue and digital comms. (Ex Radio Ham) so i do these odd things sometimes. It might seem a bit over the top but it works similar in principle to a Satellite dish.

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:12 am

Collander.........genius :thumb:

When you search under wireless networks does it find any hotspots ?
Sometimes the firewalls you have on your machine can block wifi networks.

Has it ever worked ?

Is it a laptop you have ?

Running XP or Vista ?

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:42 am

I know another solution using a large wrestlers hotdogs catering size tin if you decide to get an external WiFi antenna on the outside of your shop. This makes the antenna directional instead of omnidirectional so it's more focused. Especially good for WiFi repeaters

You don't want to know however what i can do with a couple of bog roles and some sticky back plastic!! Good ole Blue Peter....

I've just noticed..... Blue Peter.....Big Power. I'm sure there's a link there somewhere :lol:

Fast Eddy · Post by **Fast Eddy** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:54 am

It has built in WiFi and there is meant to be a hotspot nearby (500yds)
It is new so not sure if i am doing it right though :roll:
Anyone in Norwich today to have a look?

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:22 am

500 yrds is quite a way away for a hotspot signal to get to your built in WiFi capability. I suspect that even with a WiFi card with attached external antenna will struggle to pick that up. If you were a 100 - 150 yrds or so away maybe, but at 500 yrds you will struggle.

To my knowledge the only way to pick that up is with a high gain antenna that you could mount to the outside of your shop pointed in the direction of the hotspot. Buildings in the way and everything else will block the signal not to mention the 500yrds distance as things stand, so if your internal WiFi picks that up i want what you have

Hotspots are generally localised so would be good within 50 or so yards of the hotspot but when you start to head towards the edge of signal coverage the signal weakens quite a bit and eventually dissappears.

External High Gain outdoors antenna will be your fix i think, unless anyone else has any ideas.

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:47 am

Antennas:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/14dBi-High-Gain-Y ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15dBi-High-Gain-D ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10-dBi-Long-Range ... dZViewItem

Extension Cable:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5m-WiFi-Antenna-E ... dZViewItem

You used to be able to get Laptop WiFi cards with a little screw in antenna attached to it. I'm struggling to find one of those, and that's the jigsaw in the above puzzle to be able to use the outdoors external antenna.

The only other thing i can think of is you get a 3G Card (Web n Walk) from T-Mobile. That's by far the easiest option and you just go to the T-Mobile shop, do the deal and they give you a box with all the bits in including the drivers CD and off you go. Very straightforward to install

Hope this helps.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 10:52 am

I have a spare high gain external antenna if you want it Eddy.

About 6 foot high with square reciever plate.

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:00 am

If you still struggle with the above: http://www.cantenna.com/

:lol:

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:58 am

Eddie,

The gods are smiling on you today

Great big Dockoff Cantenna on Ebay. Looks really good so i think i might just get one myself and the special WiFi card i mentioned:

Cantenna: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/12dBi-Cantenna-Lo ... dZViewItem

WiFi Card with Connector/Antenna: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/54Mbps-USB-WiFi-N ... dZViewItem

You might still want one of the other high gain antennas to fix outside as they have a more focused narrow beam. See what Duncan has. But the card is a must!!

All excellent prices!!

Well done to Tony for the Cantenna thought trigger :thumb: