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WiFi question.
Question:
Were going on the road shortly for the winter. What WiFi card is the best for my Lap Top and what software is the best at finding "Hot Spots"?
Orinoco/Proxim, Great signal reception and noise blocking. Only one that I know with an antenna jack. You can find them at Flying J’s, smaller computer stores with knowledgable staff instead of salesmen or Ebay. A relabled Orinoco gold card is available from Dell: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=430-0284&c=… &cs=19&category_id=4011&page=external For hotspot search software use NetStumbler. http://www.netstumbler.com/ And is a external antenna connector t on the card a must for great distances? If so who makes one? I can’t seem to find one in any of the big electronic stores.
If you stick with pay for play hotspots the signal should be strong enough without needing an external. If you want to use "free sites" then an external with a pigtail is a must to get a strong signal. http://www.etherdesigns.com/pages/1/index.htm has a nice Cantenna style plus pigtails or you can goggle for plans to build your own. Hint the money you save building your own is only minimal once you paid for the parts.
Response:
Not sure what card you will eventually get, but if it has the capabilities of an external antenna there are plenty out there to buy. Check out http://products.wi-fiplanet.com/wifi/antenna/recent1.html for some antenna discriptions. If you are the DIY type, how about making a directional cantenna from the directions at http://www.oreillynet.com/lpt/wlg/448 . He shows you how, step by step using common items (pringle can). And if you think making an antenna out of a can, can’t be competitive with factory built antenna, then look at the story at http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/1008901 . Two more sources, http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html is making an award winning cantenna. http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/has.html#performance is about the homebrew antenna test. As far as finding a hot spot, go to http://products.wi-fiplanet.com/wifi/recent1.html and look down the left collumn. There is a place you can look up hot spots in different states. Just interested in WarDriving? Try http://www.onlinesecurity.com/Community_Forum/Community_Forum_detail1… . Well, that should keep you focused for awhile. Have fun on your trip, FMB (only one B in FMB) ps: Not wireless here yet
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Were going on the road shortly for the winter. What WiFi card is the best for my Lap Top and what software is the best at finding "Hot Spots"? And is a external antenna connector t on the card a must for great distances? If so who makes one? I can’t seem to find one in any of the big electronic stores. Thanks in advance for you help. Gene
Response:
Here is one provider: http://www.linkspot.com/portal/common/thisrvpark.html
Response:
Were going on the road shortly for the winter. What WiFi card is the best for my Lap Top and what software is the best at finding "Hot Spots"? And is a external antenna connector t on the card a must for great distances? If so who makes one? I can’t seem to find one in any of the big electronic stores. Thanks in advance for you help. Gene
Response:
Were going on the road shortly for the winter. What WiFi card is the best for my Lap Top and what software is the best at finding "Hot Spots"? And is a external antenna connector t on the card a must for great distances? If so who makes one? I can’t seem to find one in any of the big electronic stores. Thanks in advance for you help. Gene
I have been traveling with an 802.11b card in my laptop, and have a real hard time getting a signal inside the MH with the internal antenna in the card (even if I drive in the toad the doors or engine block the signal at times). I Finally got an external antenna (with a magnetic base) and have it (and a cellular antenna, also with a magnetic base) on the roof of the MH (or toad when I am driving it), and just plug it into the card (or phone) when needed. For ease of use inside the motorhome (when not wired directly to the antenna) I have a cell repeater (they are coming out with an 802.11x repeater in the next few months) from http://www.cellantenna.com <they call them wireless lan/not Wi-Fi) I’ve no idea where you are located at, but most major truckstops (like flying J at http://www.flyingj.com have Wi-Fi cards with antenna jacks <not to mention cellphone antennas and adapters), or if you know what you want you can mail-order them. Just a suggestion, while I have been at a few places (very few) that have Wi-Fi, I have found the cellphone with Verizon service and Mobile office to be much easier to use (see the details at http://www.verizonwireless.com click on mobile options), and they have a Wi-Fi option (IE you can use the phone for voice/wireless/Wi-fi now). If I had to do it over again, that would be what I would look at.