Antenna problem

r6xual · 01-03-2003

Im pretty new to this, but i did try the search and came up with nothing so bear with me please. Anyway I have a Solo 1450 with an Orinoco Gold card. Now here is my problem. I thought that maybe i could use my own antenna sooo I looked at the specs for an antenna that i saw people liked and saw that it was nine inches long, so i cut my antenna 9". Does this work?? It seems like when i hook up the pigtail to the card, the signal strentgh goes down. DO i need to but a special antenna??

The next thing is that it seems like netstumbler only picks up and AP when I am already connected to it and doesnt just do it on its own?? Is there something i need to do different??? Any help would be great thanks!!

Thorn · 01-03-2003

I'm not sure how you could search, and not come up with anything useful, but first read all the threads in the
Antenna FAQ forum, and then the Hardware forum; especially especially this one:Linomatic's Post Your Homebrew Antennas Here.

Additionally, there are a couple of things you should know:

You don't say what you use for a transmission line. LMR200? LMR400? TV coax? String? The line can effect the signal as much as, and sometimes more, than the antenna.

Connectors are critcal. Use of a connector that isn't rated for microwaves will kill a signal quick.

Just taking a bare wire and making in 9" is not going to work. An antenna is a mathematical function of the wavelength of the frequency that you are transmitting and receiving on. At these frequencies 0.1" can make a big diffenence.

If you're interested in properly designing an antenna, and want to learn, read the above forums and then get the ARRL antenna book. If you're just being cheap, give up and just buy an commercially made antenna. You'll save youself a lot of frustration.

r6xual · 01-03-2003

Would this be a suitable antenna for the job??? http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/re05u.php

Right now i am using regular TV coax for the wire going to a pigtail into the card. But we didnt have the right N connector so we put a BNC connector on the pigtail. I suppose that is what will kill my signal eh?? Anyways thanks for bearing with me, and if you have a better suggestion for the antenna please tell me. By the way i would get the antenna with the MC card connector, which would fit into the Orinoco card correct???

Thorn · 01-03-2003

If you are running TV coax, that is killing the signal right there. TV coax is 75 Ohm impedence, and you need 50 Ohm line. Additionally, the TV coax is only rated up to about 1GHz and you're running a 2.4.GHz. The BNC is the frosting on the cake. No wonder your seeing a signal drop!

Do NOT use this setup. It is very bad, in many ways. There is a potenial for ruining your wireless card. To be sure, due to the low power level the chance of damage is low, but it is there.

Yes, that antenna will work. The one to order would be the MC for the ORiNOCO card.

Last I knew, Hyperlink was not selling to individuals unless you are in the wireless business. If they are allowing indivdiual sales it's a great price.

You might also wish to check out the Stumbler Special.

r6xual · 01-03-2003

Thats weird that hyperlink only sells to companies, I just ordered my orinoco card from them, well who knows. Anyways so would you know why netstumbler doesnt exactly stumble until i am actually connected to an AP and then start up netstumbler then it will show that there is an AP? Thanks again for the info.

r6xual · 01-03-2003

also is there one of these http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2085891107 that has a MC card connector already on it or do i need to get another pigtail?? Thanks again!!!

Thorn · 01-03-2003

If you've purchased from Hyperlink, then it sounds like they either changed their policies, or I was misinformed. No matter, it's a good price.

The one on the ebay link has an N female connector. You would need a pigtail.

As to your problem with NS picking up an AP, and then stumbling. It has to do with your configuration. This has been well documented, and frankly I'm too tired to go over it yet again.

Read the FAQs. Search; You'll find it.

Search terms :
configure
reconfigure
automatically
SSID
Client Manager

r6xual · 01-03-2003

My problem with netstumbler is that if i start netstumbler say outside of my AP's range and then come inside, it wil not detect the AP, but if i am already connected to my AP and then start up netstumbler it finds it. So its almost like i already need to be connected for it to work. Sorry, you dont need to answer my question, but im just making sure that this is the problem that has been discussed before. Thanks again for all the help.

ReDRoVeR · 01-04-2003

What is the difference between this antenna Roof mount

and this one? Notebook

I want to use it for wardriving...

do you have any other suggestions???

Thanks!

Thorn · 01-04-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by ReDRoVeR
What is the difference between this antenna Roof mount

and this one? Notebook

I want to use it for wardriving...

do you have any other suggestions???

Thanks!

What do you mean, what's the difference? If you take the time to look at the pictures, you can plainly see one is designed for vehicular use, and one is a laptop only. Obviously, if you are wardriving you would use the vehicle antenna.

ReDRoVeR · 01-04-2003

I figured that...I just didnt want to mount an antenna on the car yet...but I am assuming I will get better results using the magnetic mount one. The note book one is prolly better for stumbling around the house or yard cos of its portibility...

I was just asking...

Thanks...

Slashhax0r · 01-04-2003

[quote]Originally posted by Thorn
[b]If you are running TV coax, that is killing the signal right there. TV coax is 75 Ohm impedence, and you need 50 Ohm line. Additionally, the TV coax is only rated up to about 1GHz and you're running a 2.4.GHz. The BNC is the frosting on the cake. No wonder your seeing a signal drop!

Do NOT use this setup. It is very bad, in many ways. There is a potenial for ruining your wireless card. To be sure, due to the low power level the chance of damage is low, but it is there.

Ooo.. swr would be killer. What is being used for 2.4 ghz anyway,
can't be rg58 too lossy? Perhaps lmr?

macado · 01-04-2003

I've ordered several pigtails and antennas from Hyperlink. So far, no problems. They appear to have no problems selling to individuals.

-macado

01-03-2003	#1 (permalink)
r6xual Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 9	Antenna problem Im pretty new to this, but i did try the search and came up with nothing so bear with me please. Anyway I have a Solo 1450 with an Orinoco Gold card. Now here is my problem. I thought that maybe i could use my own antenna sooo I looked at the specs for an antenna that i saw people liked and saw that it was nine inches long, so i cut my antenna 9". Does this work?? It seems like when i hook up the pigtail to the card, the signal strentgh goes down. DO i need to but a special antenna?? The next thing is that it seems like netstumbler only picks up and AP when I am already connected to it and doesnt just do it on its own?? Is there something i need to do different??? Any help would be great thanks!!

01-03-2003	#2 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,358	I'm not sure how you could search, and not come up with anything useful, but first read all the threads in the Antenna FAQ forum, and then the Hardware forum; especially especially this one:Linomatic's Post Your Homebrew Antennas Here. Additionally, there are a couple of things you should know: You don't say what you use for a transmission line. LMR200? LMR400? TV coax? String? The line can effect the signal as much as, and sometimes more, than the antenna. Connectors are critcal. Use of a connector that isn't rated for microwaves will kill a signal quick. Just taking a bare wire and making in 9" is not going to work. An antenna is a mathematical function of the wavelength of the frequency that you are transmitting and receiving on. At these frequencies 0.1" can make a big diffenence. If you're interested in properly designing an antenna, and want to learn, read the above forums and then get the ARRL antenna book. If you're just being cheap, give up and just buy an commercially made antenna. You'll save youself a lot of frustration. __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

01-03-2003	#3 (permalink)
r6xual Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 9	ok Would this be a suitable antenna for the job??? http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/re05u.php Right now i am using regular TV coax for the wire going to a pigtail into the card. But we didnt have the right N connector so we put a BNC connector on the pigtail. I suppose that is what will kill my signal eh?? Anyways thanks for bearing with me, and if you have a better suggestion for the antenna please tell me. By the way i would get the antenna with the MC card connector, which would fit into the Orinoco card correct???

01-03-2003	#4 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,358	If you are running TV coax, that is killing the signal right there. TV coax is 75 Ohm impedence, and you need 50 Ohm line. Additionally, the TV coax is only rated up to about 1GHz and you're running a 2.4.GHz. The BNC is the frosting on the cake. No wonder your seeing a signal drop! Do NOT use this setup. It is very bad, in many ways. There is a potenial for ruining your wireless card. To be sure, due to the low power level the chance of damage is low, but it is there. Yes, that antenna will work. The one to order would be the MC for the ORiNOCO card. Last I knew, Hyperlink was not selling to individuals unless you are in the wireless business. If they are allowing indivdiual sales it's a great price. You might also wish to check out the Stumbler Special. __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

01-03-2003	#5 (permalink)
r6xual Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 9	cool Thats weird that hyperlink only sells to companies, I just ordered my orinoco card from them, well who knows. Anyways so would you know why netstumbler doesnt exactly stumble until i am actually connected to an AP and then start up netstumbler then it will show that there is an AP? Thanks again for the info.

01-03-2003	#6 (permalink)
r6xual Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 9	also is there one of these http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2085891107 that has a MC card connector already on it or do i need to get another pigtail?? Thanks again!!!

01-03-2003	#7 (permalink)
Thorn Did you do the math? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Villa Straylight Posts: 10,358	If you've purchased from Hyperlink, then it sounds like they either changed their policies, or I was misinformed. No matter, it's a good price. The one on the ebay link has an N female connector. You would need a pigtail. As to your problem with NS picking up an AP, and then stumbling. It has to do with your configuration. This has been well documented, and frankly I'm too tired to go over it yet again. Read the FAQs. Search; You'll find it. Search terms : configure reconfigure automatically SSID Client Manager __________________ Thorn "Read Altas Shrugged. Compare it to today. Repeat as necessary"

01-03-2003	#8 (permalink)
r6xual Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 9	My problem with netstumbler is that if i start netstumbler say outside of my AP's range and then come inside, it wil not detect the AP, but if i am already connected to my AP and then start up netstumbler it finds it. So its almost like i already need to be connected for it to work. Sorry, you dont need to answer my question, but im just making sure that this is the problem that has been discussed before. Thanks again for all the help.

01-04-2003	#9 (permalink)
ReDRoVeR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 29	What is the difference between this antenna Roof mount and this one? Notebook I want to use it for wardriving... do you have any other suggestions??? Thanks!

01-04-2003	#11 (permalink)
ReDRoVeR Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 29	I figured that...I just didnt want to mount an antenna on the car yet...but I am assuming I will get better results using the magnetic mount one. The note book one is prolly better for stumbling around the house or yard cos of its portibility... I was just asking... Thanks...

01-04-2003	#12 (permalink)
Slashhax0r Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 7	[quote]Originally posted by Thorn [b]If you are running TV coax, that is killing the signal right there. TV coax is 75 Ohm impedence, and you need 50 Ohm line. Additionally, the TV coax is only rated up to about 1GHz and you're running a 2.4.GHz. The BNC is the frosting on the cake. No wonder your seeing a signal drop! Do NOT use this setup. It is very bad, in many ways. There is a potenial for ruining your wireless card. To be sure, due to the low power level the chance of damage is low, but it is there. Ooo.. swr would be killer. What is being used for 2.4 ghz anyway, can't be rg58 too lossy? Perhaps lmr?

01-04-2003	#13 (permalink)
macado Bawston Stumbla Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 18	I've ordered several pigtails and antennas from Hyperlink. So far, no problems. They appear to have no problems selling to individuals. -macado

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