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External
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Posts: 12
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(Msg. 1) Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:03 pm
Post subject: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial
Archived from groups: comp>sys>mac>hardware>misc (more info?)
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Hi Grooup,
I wonder if any of you have managed to connect an external aerial to an
iBook. I may have a need to do this mid May to get a link from a
building without a telephone.
I intend to use the "Pringles" tube wifi aerial design.
--
Thanks and regards, Shane.
"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"
Email: Beware the invalid word! shane at wonk dot demon dot co dot uk
Website: http://www.wonk.demon.co.uk/ |
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External
Since: Jul 27, 2003
Posts: 407
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(Msg. 2) Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:03 pm
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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In article <1iab9fv.1jsyiwq1vfbmd5N%shane@invalid.demon.co.uk>,
shane.TakeThisOut@invalid.demon.co.uk (Shane Badham) wrote:
> Hi Grooup,
>
> I wonder if any of you have managed to connect an external aerial to an
> iBook. I may have a need to do this mid May to get a link from a
> building without a telephone.
>
> I intend to use the "Pringles" tube wifi aerial design.
I had just this need. Instead though I bought a USB WiFi Dongle and a
10' long USB extension cable. I have mounted it at the focal point of a
wok lid. I also added a bracket to the wok lid with a threaded camera
mount, to mount it and aim it with a tripod.
There are actually several web sites about doing this, although they use
the wok itself. I went with the lid instead because it is aluminum and
much lighter. Useful if I mount it using a little clamp on camera mount
instead of a tripod.
I haven't yet really tested it out successfully. I tried it in one
location but there were no public WiFi nets available at that location.
But I was able to confirm that this combination was directional.
The one down side to this configuration is that the software is rather
primitive. Among other things it won't continuously scan for APs,
slowing down the process of searching for a signal.
There is one additional benefit to the USB dongle. Many WiFi antenna
manufacturers make a big point of how much gain their antenna has but do
not mention or bury how much loss their cable has. In some cases the
cable loss is as much as the antenna gain. The USB cable has no such
disadvantage.
The same technique could be applied to a cantenna.
--
Clark Martin
Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting
"I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway" |
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Esther & Fester Bestertes
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External
Since: Jan 18, 2007
Posts: 17
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(Msg. 3) Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:08 am
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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> I had just this need. Instead though I bought a USB WiFi Dongle and a
> 10' long USB extension cable. I have mounted it at the focal point of a
> wok lid. I also added a bracket to the wok lid with a threaded camera
> mount, to mount it and aim it with a tripod.
> There are actually several web sites about doing this, although they use
> the wok itself. I went with the lid instead because it is aluminum and
> much lighter. Useful if I mount it using a little clamp on camera mount
> instead of a tripod.
The point of using a wok is the shape of it: a parabola. The lid is not this
shape. The choice of the parabolic shape is to *focus* the radio energy
received from the distant wireless antenna onto the dongle. If you aren't
using a parabolic dish, you might as well use a roof shingle.
> I haven't yet really tested it out successfully. I tried it in one
> location but there were no public WiFi nets available at that location.
> But I was able to confirm that this combination was directional.
Yes you'll see some directionality, but that's not because you're getting
gain from the shape of the lid, it's because it's shielding the dongle from
wireless antennas behind the lid. A parabolic reflector (a.k.a. the wok) will
"amplify", whereas the lid only blocks other wireless waves. They're not the
same thing.
> There is one additional benefit to the USB dongle. Many WiFi antenna
> manufacturers make a big point of how much gain their antenna has but do
> not mention or bury how much loss their cable has. In some cases the
> cable loss is as much as the antenna gain. The USB cable has no such
> disadvantage.
True. Usually a wireless router is attached to the dish assembly, isolated in
a weatherproof box. This minimizes the length of the antenna cable and
therefore the loss.
> The same technique could be applied to a cantenna.
Using a dongle? >> Stay informed about: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial |
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External
Since: Sep 24, 2003
Posts: 33
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(Msg. 4) Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:58 pm
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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Esther & Fester Bestertester (not@me.really) writes:
>> I had just this need. Instead though I bought a USB WiFi Dongle and a
>> 10' long USB extension cable. I have mounted it at the focal point of a
>> wok lid. I also added a bracket to the wok lid with a threaded camera
>> mount, to mount it and aim it with a tripod.
>
>> There are actually several web sites about doing this, although they use
>> the wok itself. I went with the lid instead because it is aluminum and
>> much lighter. Useful if I mount it using a little clamp on camera mount
>> instead of a tripod.
>
> The point of using a wok is the shape of it: a parabola. The lid is not this
> shape. The choice of the parabolic shape is to *focus* the radio energy
> received from the distant wireless antenna onto the dongle. If you aren't
> using a parabolic dish, you might as well use a roof shingle.
>
>> I haven't yet really tested it out successfully. I tried it in one
>> location but there were no public WiFi nets available at that location.
>> But I was able to confirm that this combination was directional.
>
> Yes you'll see some directionality, but that's not because you're getting
> gain from the shape of the lid, it's because it's shielding the dongle from
> wireless antennas behind the lid. A parabolic reflector (a.k.a. the wok) will
> "amplify", whereas the lid only blocks other wireless waves. They're not the
> same thing.
>
But really, the effectiveness is only when one actuall works out the details
and puts the actual antenna in the right place in reference to the parabola.
I've not paid attention, but I suspect a lot of those "build an antenna from
a wok" are merely about "hey, it's parabolic, this will work".
The lid will act as a reflector, forcing the signal into one predominate
direction. Again, its effectiveness will be limited by hit or miss placement,
but the effect is bound to have some value over a mere wifi antenna.
Michael >> Stay informed about: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial |
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Esther & Fester Bestertes
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External
Since: Jan 18, 2007
Posts: 17
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(Msg. 5) Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 9:11 am
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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> But really, the effectiveness is only when one actuall works out the details
> and puts the actual antenna in the right place in reference to the parabola.
Yes, most curved surfaces had a focal point where the reflected energy is at
maximum. It will be, I suspect, much further out from the lid than the OP
thought, and possibly not determinable, practically.
> I've not paid attention, but I suspect a lot of those "build an antenna from
> a wok" are merely about "hey, it's parabolic, this will work".
I'm sure this premise is hard at work in many DIY minds.
> The lid will act as a reflector, forcing the signal into one predominate
> direction. Again, its effectiveness will be limited by hit or miss
placement,
> but the effect is bound to have some value over a mere wifi antenna.
It's probably random success, as signal path vectors accidentally intercept
the dongle. As I said, shielding from the backside will help some.
If he wants to make a parabolic antenna, per instructions, shouldn't he use a
parabola? >> Stay informed about: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial |
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External
Since: Jul 03, 2005
Posts: 50
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(Msg. 6) Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:25 pm
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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Esther & Fester Bestertester wrote:
>> But really, the effectiveness is only when one actuall works out the details
>> and puts the actual antenna in the right place in reference to the parabola.
>
> Yes, most curved surfaces had a focal point where the reflected energy is at
> maximum. It will be, I suspect, much further out from the lid than the OP
> thought, and possibly not determinable, practically.
>
>> I've not paid attention, but I suspect a lot of those "build an antenna from
>> a wok" are merely about "hey, it's parabolic, this will work".
>
> I'm sure this premise is hard at work in many DIY minds.
>
>> The lid will act as a reflector, forcing the signal into one predominate
>> direction. Again, its effectiveness will be limited by hit or miss
> placement,
>> but the effect is bound to have some value over a mere wifi antenna.
>
> It's probably random success, as signal path vectors accidentally intercept
> the dongle. As I said, shielding from the backside will help some.
>
> If he wants to make a parabolic antenna, per instructions, shouldn't he use a
> parabola?
>
The point everyone seems to have missed is that many wok's come with a
parabolic (ie dish shaped) lid, if this is what the original poster is
referring to then I don't see any problem using it. (provided you
calculate the correct focal point for it, and know the actual antenna
position inside the USB dongle)
Ben. >> Stay informed about: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial |
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External
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Posts: 12
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(Msg. 7) Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 3:33 pm
Post subject: Re: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial [Login to view extended thread Info.]
Archived from groups: per prev. post (more info?)
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Ben <ben.dot.smith.TakeThisOut@ntlworld.dot.com> wrote:
> Esther & Fester Bestertester wrote: >> But really, the effectiveness is
> only when one actuall works out the details >> and puts the actual antenna
> in the right place in reference to the parabola. > > Yes, most curved
> surfaces had a focal point where the reflected energy is at > maximum. It
> will be, I suspect, much further out from the lid than the OP > thought,
> and possibly not determinable, practically. > >> I've not paid attention,
> but I suspect a lot of those "build an antenna from >> a wok" are merely
> about "hey, it's parabolic, this will work". > > I'm sure this premise is
> hard at work in many DIY minds. > >> The lid will act as a reflector,
> forcing the signal into one predominate >> direction. Again, its
> effectiveness will be limited by hit or miss > placement, >> but the
> effect is bound to have some value over a mere wifi antenna. > > It's
> probably random success, as signal path vectors accidentally intercept >
> the dongle. As I said, shielding from the backside will help some. > > If
> he wants to make a parabolic antenna, per instructions, shouldn't he use a
> > parabola? > The point everyone seems to have missed is that many wok's
> come with a parabolic (ie dish shaped) lid, if this is what the original
> poster is referring to then I don't see any problem using it. (provided
> you calculate the correct focal point for it, and know the actual antenna
> position inside the USB dongle) Ben.
Thanks to all of you for this discussion. I already have the Pringle can
plus other bits, so that's settled.
I have not heard of this dongle. Can anyone steer me at a supplier,
please?
--
Thanks and regards, Shane.
"A closed mouth gathers no feet!"
Email: Beware the invalid word! shane at wonk dot demon dot co dot uk
Website: http://www.wonk.demon.co.uk/ >> Stay informed about: Tappping into iBook WiFi aerial |
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