PeterL

I originally posted here with a question about a system for my RV. Thorn directed onwards and was a big help.

Well, its been several months since Thorn started me on my search at wardrivingworld. Since then I've made several changes of direction and finally come up with the parts.

The Good is that I've bought the parts and got them all installed.

The Bad is that I haven't taken the RV to any area where there is a WIFI broadcast to test the parts.

And the UGLY is that I may just have exceed the power I need.

From what I have read here, that excess will increase "noise" and therefore degrade my connection, and it may even be illegal. I hope not.

Here's the parts I bought and installed in my Win XP system:

Adapter:
http://dplanet.biz/alfa.com/product_...roducts_id=342
I'm hoping this will be compatible with Netstumbler.

Antenna:
http://www.wisp-router.com/itemdesc....%2D16F&eq=&Tp=

Cabling:
Custom cable is 15 feet of ARC 240 cable. (Estimated cable loss 2 dBi, with two connectors)

Rotator:
http://www.durhamradio.com/s/product...at=1867&page=1

So, I now can rotate the antenna from inside my RV and view the available signals using Netstumbler.

At least that is the plan. I won't actually know how this all works for a week or so, when I get the rig on the road.

Now, as to the power issues, I've used the SOM tool noted in the "barn" thread at
http://www.terabeam.com/support/calc...s/som.php#calc

I have plugged in the data from my equipment spec sheets and guessed on the RX side as follows:
Distance between antennas .5 miles.
Rx Antenna Gain: 5 dBi
Rx cable loss : 2 dB

That produces a Theoretical System Operating Margin of 28.8.

Pretty close to 30, huh? If my guesses about the Rx levels are off, I could easily exceed 30 dB.

So, have I missed some important critical issue? What do you think about the setup?

And just to clarify for those of you who think I might be "camping", I'm not. I travel all summer long in the RV working very hard, and my wife and I value our Internet connections when we have time off, to stay in touch with our family, friends and clients.

So, I'd appreciate any suggestions or input you may have.

Thanks

streaker69

The device you've selected, no way, no how is compatible with NS. While you may get it to work in some case, it may also fail to work the next day.

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PeterL

Thanks for your fast reply.

Yes, I was afraid of that.

Waaay back when I first read this forum, I was aware that only some cards work with Netstumbler, and I forgot that and got lost in a search for something that had a lot of power that I could use in my Desktop with a USB port connection.

Not having a card slot in my desktop, I guess now, I'm stuck with either a PCI card or a USB adapter.

I had heard of the Orinoco cards, but, with no laptop I dismissed them.

I suppose I COULD get a PCMCIA card device for my Desktop, but if I can get an adapter that will plug into my USB, that would be ideal.

What do you suggest?

wrzwaldo

PeterL

In looking at the list of compatible adapters, I'd found one so far that would fit into my system:

D Link AirPlus DWL-520+ Wireless 22MBPS PCI Card

It has the Reverse SMA antenna connecter.

......

Now I'll research the one suggested above by wrzwaldo.

edit later...

The Orinoco is made by Proxim and I checked the product listed above, but I suspect it;'s been replaced by their more recent USB client. I emailed them to find out if it has a removeable antenna and what connector it has.

Do any of you folks have one of these or know what the antenna connector is?

Thanks

Barry

Why don't you just pick up a pci to mini-pci card then use a mini-pci wifi card. With the proper pigtail it could have any connector you want.

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PeterL

You mean something like this?

http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/it.A/id.370/.f?category=18

Very interesting idea. Thanks!

But, if I'm going to install a PCI card and a pigtail, why not use a compatible PCI based wifi adapter?

And doesn't a pigtail cost signal?

Thanks

wrzwaldo

You do know that "compatible" adapter is not a "supported" adapter? There are no supported PCI cards!


Is this a real .5 LOS or a wishful thinking .5? If it is not RF LOS then that calculator is useless because it assumes LOS.


I suppose, but you could also be way under. What do you mean "guesses"? If you have guessed on any of the values what's the point of even doing the math?

PeterL

AAArgh.. ok that's a good reason for using the PCI>miniPCI adapter. Thanks.



Well, I have no choice. I'll be moving to a new campground and a new environment every week, so I don't KNOW what the real values are, so all I can do is estimate.

With these guesses I get these results:

Distance between antennas: 1 mile
Rx Antenna Gain : 5 dBi
Rx Cable loss : 2 dB
SOM 8.8 dB

I realize that my guesses could be way off, but I had to start somewhere to see if the setup would exceed legal and noise limits.

Now that I have to change adapters, my Tx Power of 13 dBm will change.

So, you are right, there's too many variables to get any comfort from the calculation. But, I was nagged to "do the math"

In any event, I'm continuing research and reading and I thank you for your input.

wrzwaldo

It's good to do the math. I just wanted you to know you should not consider it gospel if you had to guess on any of the values.

PeterL

Ok great.

Now, onwards to selecting an adapter.

In order to use Netstumbler, I need a card that is supported. My confusion lies in finding a definitive answer.

In a perfect situation, I want a card that has a reverse polarity SMA female connector. I cannot find all the detail on the supported cards, but I've eliminated a couple and written to some of the manufacturers for answers.
Plus, the list of supported cards applies to ver 3.0, and I wonder what other cards I'm missing because of the additional capabilities with ver 4.

The frustrating part is that many of the technical spec sheets do not list what connector the card has.

I suspect I'm going to have to either use a pigtail to connect between the card and the end of my antenna cable, or get a new antenna cable made to fit the card's connecter. The cable I had made for the previous adapter cost only about $20, so once I have a card selected and identified the connecter, I'll probably get a cable made to avoid any signal loss from the added connectors in a pigtail. Does that make sense, or am I making too big a deal out of the potential loss from the added pigtail?

As for the best adapter, everything I've read seems to indicate the Orinoco cards are the best for Netstumbler. But I cannot find one that has ANY antenna connecter.

I've just about reached my frustration level, trying to download tech sheets on the supported cards on this damn dialup I'm stuck with. And then to find that either the information about the antenna connector is missing, or the card has NO anntenna connector.

I am committed to using the Vagi antenna and its rotator, so I must find an adapter to fit that system. I'm leaving for my summer tour next week and that will make receiving parcels that much more complicated, so, if any of you folks can point me towards the card that will suit my needs, I will appreciate it.

Thanks

Beard

Check out the Dell 1150, has a connector and works with NS.

__________________
Beard

"We hold these truths to be self evident"....
Religous: "Thou shalt not steal."
Amish: "You shall burn in hell for theft of wifi." {courtesy streaker69}
Secular: What's on the books. {courtesy beakmyn}
Redneck; "Thievin' bastard, [blam, blam]"

Solutions for the most common problems or questions of new members are here, here, and here .

wrzwaldo

That one I linked to on ebay a few posts back just happens to be a USB/PCMCIA adapter, and it just happens to have an Orinoco Classic Gold Card inside. A quick mod and you can have any antenna connector on it you like.

PeterL

Yes, I saw that and would have bought it, but he won't ship to Canada.

So, I bought another Orinoco Gold Card and hopefully it arrives in 7 days.

After 7 days, I'll be on the road.. so if you hear no more from me, my wifi either isn't working or hasn't arrived yet. Otherwise, I'll report back and let you folks know how its working.

Thanks for your patient help.