Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:27:33 -0400
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: WiFry NVC but camping related
In-Reply-To: <25040.162.58.82.135.1219503192.squirrel@webmail.northstate.net>
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I've done it, it works.
If your looking for directional amplification though, i've had much better
success with the "Cantenna". The magical properties of your favorite
Pringals can when combined with a USB WIFI card can be quite wonderful,
though it's highly directional. There was at one point (and probably still
is) a piece of free software called "Net Stumbler" that would allow you to
see realtime the strength of the signal, so when you went to connect, you
would rotate your cantenna untill you got past the peak on the Netstumbler
graph, and then you would return to that spot and make that your aim.
Mounting the pringals can with some inginuity to a 6'' tripod works just
smashingly for this.
Alas i now have a mac, and have not yet put the necessary effort into making
the drivers for my previous USB device work on this computer.
I've also found through some simple experimentation how to do non
directional antenna boosters, which work with WIFI but i pioneered for radio
use. I had one of those FM transmitters for making your Ipod work in the
car, and it's signal strength was dismal at best, so i made some
modifications, and found myself accidentally overloading "real" radio
stations in my local area. I could even hook it up to the old Cantenna,
point it at a buddies car who's station i knew (They always listened to the
same thing), program in that station, and broadcast my music : )
This burnt out some circuitry in short order, and due to the illegality of
it i never started the project back up, but as far as simple modifications
go.....there is no limit to what your capable of with a small understanding
of the concept at hand and some hand tools....
-Craig
'85WESTY
On Sat, Aug 23, 2008 at 10:53 AM, Kenneth Lewis <kdlewis@northstate.net>wrote:
> Has anyone tried this yet? They claim it will greatly increase your WiFi
> reception for little money.
>
> I'm thinking : not having to leave your campsite to check weather, email
> from Gerry, etc..
>
> My meager knowledge of antenna theory says it should work. Plenty web
> info about it too. Google WokFi or WarDriving also.
>
>
> http://greatgreengadgets.com/gadgets/2007/06/18/try-wifry-anyone/
>
> http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_102507/article.html
>
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Wifi-Signal-Strainer-WokFi/
>
> --
> Ken Lewis
> http://neksiwel.20m.com/
>
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