...interesting comment from linksys tech support when I posed question to them...I wonder if I should bear the wrath of the linksys police and break the "warning warranty void seal if broken"...
Thank you for contacting Linksys Customer Support.
No that is not possible and modifying the antenna will void the waranty of
your WUSB11. Keep it away from large metal objects like filing cabinets and
away from operating microwave ovens or 2.4GHz cordless phones. There are
interferences to observe in wireless networking. Leaded glass, metal,
reinforced concrete floors and walls may inhibit the signal and reduce
range. Start with your wireless access point and your wireless PC or Laptop
in the same room and move away in small increments to determine the maximum
range in your environment.
Once the units are further than 10 feet apart, the antenna signals will
reflect off of walls, tables, and people, thus changing signal polarization.
Outdoor polarization has an even greater effect. If there aren't any objects
in the path of the two radio cards, or there are not any nearby trees or
structures, the two radios should be on different planes to achieve the best
range and to minimize packet error rate.
Placement of the card is important. If one computer is buried under a desk,
loss will occur. If inside of a car, glass and metal will cause degradation.
Some examples below offer some effective losses (consider as relative
percentages) ... even moisture hurts.
If you have further questions, please contact us at (800) 326-7114 or send
us an email at
support@linksys.com so that we may further assist you.
Please use this phone number given as reference for future support calls.