Wifi signal improvements

CoW]8(0) · 10-15-2005

Is it possible to update the firmware of a wifi card to improve it's signal? And are there third party firmwares that do the job better?

Can a router be used as a repeater to relay signals?

How well do most homebrew antennas perform against commercial antennas?

Which wifi antenna has the best performance/cost ratio?

beakmyn · 10-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Is it possible to update the firmware of a wifi card to improve it's signal? And are there third party firmwares that do the job better?

Possibly

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Can a router be used as a repeater to relay signals?

maybe

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

How well do most homebrew antennas perform against commercial antennas?

Depends on who built it, how well and what type.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Which wifi antenna has the best performance/cost ratio?

[/quote]
Depends on who built it, how well and what type

Did you bother to search or read any of the FAQS?

Dutch · 10-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Is it possible to update the firmware of a wifi card to improve it's signal? And are there third party firmwares that do the job better?

Can a router be used as a repeater to relay signals?

How well do most homebrew antennas perform against commercial antennas?

Which wifi antenna has the best performance/cost ratio?

And these questions relates in what manner to the scope of this section ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forum section descriptions

NetStumbler
Questions and configuration information about the NetStumbler software

Moved to hardware.

Dutch

CoW]8(0) · 10-15-2005

Well I couldn't find any information of third party firmwares for NIC's.

Haven't found anything about using a router as a repeater in the FAQs.

And to be more specific about antennas. What exactly is the purpose of a yagi antenna? I've only found that they're used as directional antennas.

Can omnidirectional antennas be angled to recieve signals from low elevation to higher elevation? Will their rf antenna pattern angle as well?

wrzwaldo · 10-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Is it possible to update the firmware of a wifi card to improve it's signal?

Most hacked firware I have seen that were to boost signal performance left other aspects of the signal unchecked. They are normally tuned to provide optimum signal output while maintaining required bandwidth requirements. Here is one such instance. And you can bet if there is not a power adjustment available in the factory firmware you could expect the same results.

wrzwaldo · 10-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Well I couldn't find any information of third party firmwares for NIC's.

Not the scope of these forums.

Quote:

Haven't found anything about using a router as a repeater in the FAQs.

Not the scope of these forums

Quote:

And to be more specific about antennas. What exactly is the purpose of a yagi antenna? I've only found that they're used as directional antennas.

A directional antenna used primarily in point-to-point and on the distant/remote end of point-to-multipoint links.

Quote:

Can omnidirectional antennas be angled to recieve signals from low elevation to higher elevation? Will their rf antenna pattern angle as well?

I'm sure there are better places to ask these questions. Google for "antenna polarization".

Thorn · 10-15-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Well I couldn't find any information of third party firmwares for NIC's.

Come on. There are loads of things about firmware here. In fact there are firmware updating programs written by some of the memebers here.

Try a search using, gosh, "firmware".

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Haven't found anything about using a router as a repeater in the FAQs.

Again, search! While it's outside the scope of the NS Forums, and therefore the FAQs, there are threads where this is discussed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

And to be more specific about antennas. What exactly is the purpose of a yagi antenna? I've only found that they're used as directional antennas.

That's because a Yagi is a specific type of directional antenna.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoW]8(0)

Can omnidirectional antennas be angled to recieve signals from low elevation to higher elevation? Will their rf antenna pattern angle as well?

Yes. Yes. Read the FAQs regarding omnidirectional antennae. If you change the axis of the RF doughnut (the antenna), you change the pattern. There are "downtilt" and "uptilt" antennae. Search Google for more information.

streaker69 · 10-15-2005

I could be wrong, but I believe that all the different Router's that also had an AP built into them did not have a repeater function. But I believe that most AP's that are just AP's do have a repeater function.

10-15-2005	#1 (permalink)
CoW]8(0) Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2	Wifi signal improvements Is it possible to update the firmware of a wifi card to improve it's signal? And are there third party firmwares that do the job better? Can a router be used as a repeater to relay signals? How well do most homebrew antennas perform against commercial antennas? Which wifi antenna has the best performance/cost ratio?

10-15-2005	#8 (permalink)
streaker69 Psychic Amish Stumbler Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Virginville, BlueBall, Bird In Hand, Intercourse, Paradise, PA Posts: 12,240	I could be wrong, but I believe that all the different Router's that also had an AP built into them did not have a repeater function. But I believe that most AP's that are just AP's do have a repeater function. __________________ Treat your gun like your genitals, only whip it out when it's absolutely necessary.

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10-15-2005	#4 (permalink)
CoW]8(0) Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2	Well I couldn't find any information of third party firmwares for NIC's. Haven't found anything about using a router as a repeater in the FAQs. And to be more specific about antennas. What exactly is the purpose of a yagi antenna? I've only found that they're used as directional antennas. Can omnidirectional antennas be angled to recieve signals from low elevation to higher elevation? Will their rf antenna pattern angle as well?