[TriLUG] OT: Device for Improving WiFi Reception?

[Roger Broseus]

Scott,

I too have had good luck with the Hawking. I used it on a travel trailer to boost signal strength. It connected via USB from which power is supplied. Mine worked both with Windows and Linux with no special software.

I also learned that signal strength is not always the problem. If the available band width is saturated, e.g., after dinner when people hit the Internet, the connection can choke. So, I'd check for problems in off-peak times, e.g., early morning.
 - 
Roger Broseus
www.bronord.com
(This email was composed on a tablet PC. Pease excuse predictive-text induced tiepos.)

On December 15, 2014 12:13:56 PM EST, Stephen Bryant <stephen at stephenbryant.net> wrote:
>I was in a similar situation at my old apartment complex, and I used a
>Hawking directional antenna that worked quite well. It was similar to
>this one, though a previous generation:
>http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001B033DY
>
>Stephen
>
>
>On Dec 15, 2014, at 12:06 PM, Scott Chilcote
><scottchilcote at ncrrbiz.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello LUGgers,
>> 
>> An elderly relative of ours has moved into an assisted living home
>which
>> provides free wifi.  Unfortunately, her rooms are at the end of the
>> hallway where the signal is weak.  The reception is poor enough that
>her
>> computer's network connection frequently drops.
>> 
>> The hardware is a recently purchased Dell windows desktop box. 
>> 
>> Can anyone recommend a way to improve the wifi reception on her
>computer
>> that does not require modifying the network infrastructure at the
>> facility?  That may be an option eventually, but at this point we're
>> looking at easier approaches.
>> 
>> One thought I had was to add a USB wifi network adapter with an
>external
>> antenna plug, and look for a better antenna to attach to it.
>> 
>> The folks that are doing this are not particularly hacker oriented,
>so
>> solutions that involve aluminum foil or pringles cans may not go over
>> well  ;-)
>> 
>> Thanks for any ideas!
>> 
>>   Scott C.
[Snip]