Gettin it linked... Over a slight distance..

IM0001 · 05-16-2003

A friend and I have goten ourselves into a mess of wireless crap. What we are trying to do is link our houses together with Linksys Wireless equipment. I have a WMP54G and he has a Linksys 802.11b router as well as another PCI card from the 802.11b era. ( i say it like its old lol) Anyway we have about 300 ft and 5 walls (old houses not much in the walls if that matters). I just went out and got the Linksys booster and well. Now i get a prefered network signal but nothing more . I was thinking of getting some cable that i can connect to the back of my PCI card and move it outside and up a bit but everywhere i look it cost mucho $$$. I thought i could get this stuff at radio shack, guess not lol. Im all out of ideas and i think my friend probably wont chip in to get the hardware anymore. Anyone know how i can get this to work... For a bit on the less expensive side?

Also i heard you can build your own antenna's but i know jack on how to make one.

IM0001

Hehe my bad. with the 203.11b thing lol

woodssc · 05-16-2003

Ahhhh... Okay I give up... WTF is 203.11B? And when did Linksys make 203.11B equipment?

woodssc · 05-16-2003

There you go. That's better...

Madhadder · 05-17-2003

Forget Ratshack....

I got 50ft of LMR-400 for around $25
and to that the pigtails needed at both ends and your
total come to around $40-50..

Try getting the LMR-400 from some HAM/Comm companies
and of course pigtails from Fabcorp... (Shameless Plug)

chemman14 · 05-17-2003

yeah but wouldnt the loss be fairly bad over the 50 feet?

sparafina · 05-17-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by chemman14
yeah but wouldnt the loss be fairly bad over the 50 feet?

attenuation would be around 3.3 dB

Madhadder · 05-17-2003

Then go for LMR-600, It's a little fatter and more $$$ but not
much, Cell providers use it to go way farther them 50ft
(up towers) and they don't seem to have problems...

You can also place the AP far away from the computer/switch
and do POE. This way your Antt. Cable would only need to be
maybe 1ft.

sparafina · 05-17-2003

its only 300 feet, get a short jumper around 5' and a patch or yagi antenna, solution cost would be around $50

IM0001 · 05-17-2003

First off i am a complete newbi to all this antenna and equipment stuff so any info on what some of these things are would be great. Also a few links to places that sell these things would also be helpful. the only places i found seam to be a tad more expensive than what you guys are telling me.

IM0001

sparafina · 05-17-2003

look here at fab-corp

under starter kits, they have a linksys one for $60,

or you can ebay it, now that you have a general idea of what you are looking for

IM0001 · 05-18-2003

For $60 is that indoor use antenna. is that all i would need to add to that booster and router to get it working or connect it to the PCI card. Rember im going about 300FT and about 5 walls. I would like to get the router awway from 2 walls but that might still be on the hard side..

IM0001

sparafina · 05-18-2003

always try the no cost simple fixes first. It sounds like you are receiving a signal, but not connecting.

Try loading netstumble and see if you are receiving a signal first and check the graph to get an idea of the signal quality.

If you can get one, see if you can connect. If you are not connecting, then look into fixing that problem.

If you can't get a signal, move the box closer to the access point until you get a signal and connect.

There are a number of things that can affect your signal loss. For example if you have trees between the access point and your computer. WiFi is in the microwave oven range and the same principles apply - anything with water will effectively block out a signal. Also construction with metal 2x4's will also decrease the signal, as will stone. WiFI is requires line-of-sight, so the fewer obstructions, the better the signal.

Once you have confirmed you have a signal and can connect, then try figuring where you lose the signal using netstumbler.

IM0001 · 05-18-2003

Ahh that might also be some problem. I have a few oak trees in the way a bit. But thats the only tree. Then a few old house walls (thinking mostly old wood and old insulation) i have XP which makes this kinda difficult. I do get the signal in the lower Prefered network box (Blue circle around the antenna instead of the red X) but i cant get it to go to the top box. Also netstumbler dosnt work. It wont see my card. Any way to fix that?

IM0001

sparafina · 05-18-2003

I don't use XP or the latest version of netstumbler, but I believe if you use the NDIS drivers option it should see your card.

If you are getting a signal, then try looking at you client config. Again, since I don't use XP, I can't help much here, but you migh want to look at SOHO networking site such as www.practicallynetworked.com

IM0001 · 05-18-2003

What is NDIS and where can i get it? I have the latest "drivers" from Linksys but well. No NDIS...

IM0001

05-16-2003	#1 (permalink)
IM0001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7	Gettin it linked... Over a slight distance.. A friend and I have goten ourselves into a mess of wireless crap. What we are trying to do is link our houses together with Linksys Wireless equipment. I have a WMP54G and he has a Linksys 802.11b router as well as another PCI card from the 802.11b era. ( i say it like its old lol) Anyway we have about 300 ft and 5 walls (old houses not much in the walls if that matters). I just went out and got the Linksys booster and well. Now i get a prefered network signal but nothing more . I was thinking of getting some cable that i can connect to the back of my PCI card and move it outside and up a bit but everywhere i look it cost mucho $$$. I thought i could get this stuff at radio shack, guess not lol. Im all out of ideas and i think my friend probably wont chip in to get the hardware anymore. Anyone know how i can get this to work... For a bit on the less expensive side? Also i heard you can build your own antenna's but i know jack on how to make one. IM0001 Hehe my bad. with the 203.11b thing lol Last edited by IM0001 : 05-16-2003 at 10:54 PM.

05-17-2003	#9 (permalink)
IM0001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7	Ok.. First off i am a complete newbi to all this antenna and equipment stuff so any info on what some of these things are would be great. Also a few links to places that sell these things would also be helpful. the only places i found seam to be a tad more expensive than what you guys are telling me. IM0001

05-18-2003	#11 (permalink)
IM0001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7	hmm For $60 is that indoor use antenna. is that all i would need to add to that booster and router to get it working or connect it to the PCI card. Rember im going about 300FT and about 5 walls. I would like to get the router awway from 2 walls but that might still be on the hard side.. IM0001

05-18-2003	#13 (permalink)
IM0001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7	Ahh. Ahh that might also be some problem. I have a few oak trees in the way a bit. But thats the only tree. Then a few old house walls (thinking mostly old wood and old insulation) i have XP which makes this kinda difficult. I do get the signal in the lower Prefered network box (Blue circle around the antenna instead of the red X) but i cant get it to go to the top box. Also netstumbler dosnt work. It wont see my card. Any way to fix that? IM0001

05-18-2003	#15 (permalink)
IM0001 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 7	Ok. What is NDIS and where can i get it? I have the latest "drivers" from Linksys but well. No NDIS... IM0001

05-16-2003	#2 (permalink)
woodssc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 50	Ahhhh... Okay I give up... WTF is 203.11B? And when did Linksys make 203.11B equipment?

05-16-2003	#3 (permalink)
woodssc Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 50	There you go. That's better...

05-17-2003	#4 (permalink)
Madhadder General "Noob Basher" Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Munich, Germany Posts: 1,620	Forget Ratshack.... I got 50ft of LMR-400 for around $25 and to that the pigtails needed at both ends and your total come to around $40-50.. Try getting the LMR-400 from some HAM/Comm companies and of course pigtails from Fabcorp... (Shameless Plug)

05-17-2003	#5 (permalink)
chemman14 CadillacStumbler Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 250	yeah but wouldnt the loss be fairly bad over the 50 feet?

05-17-2003	#7 (permalink)
Madhadder General "Noob Basher" Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Munich, Germany Posts: 1,620	Then go for LMR-600, It's a little fatter and more $$$ but not much, Cell providers use it to go way farther them 50ft (up towers) and they don't seem to have problems... You can also place the AP far away from the computer/switch and do POE. This way your Antt. Cable would only need to be maybe 1ft.

05-17-2003	#8 (permalink)
sparafina Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: TX,MD,NY Posts: 1,430	its only 300 feet, get a short jumper around 5' and a patch or yagi antenna, solution cost would be around $50

05-17-2003	#10 (permalink)
sparafina Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: TX,MD,NY Posts: 1,430	look here at fab-corp under starter kits, they have a linksys one for $60, or you can ebay it, now that you have a general idea of what you are looking for

05-18-2003	#12 (permalink)
sparafina Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: TX,MD,NY Posts: 1,430	always try the no cost simple fixes first. It sounds like you are receiving a signal, but not connecting. Try loading netstumble and see if you are receiving a signal first and check the graph to get an idea of the signal quality. If you can get one, see if you can connect. If you are not connecting, then look into fixing that problem. If you can't get a signal, move the box closer to the access point until you get a signal and connect. There are a number of things that can affect your signal loss. For example if you have trees between the access point and your computer. WiFi is in the microwave oven range and the same principles apply - anything with water will effectively block out a signal. Also construction with metal 2x4's will also decrease the signal, as will stone. WiFI is requires line-of-sight, so the fewer obstructions, the better the signal. Once you have confirmed you have a signal and can connect, then try figuring where you lose the signal using netstumbler.

05-18-2003	#14 (permalink)
sparafina Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: TX,MD,NY Posts: 1,430	I don't use XP or the latest version of netstumbler, but I believe if you use the NDIS drivers option it should see your card. If you are getting a signal, then try looking at you client config. Again, since I don't use XP, I can't help much here, but you migh want to look at SOHO networking site such as www.practicallynetworked.com

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