A couple of weeks ago I decided to buy a few bits and pieces and start experimenting with WiFi hardware / antenna combinations from the comfort of my own home. Here is what I bought :
- An outdoor 630mW router with N-type connector for external antenna (click)
- An 8dBi omni directional antenna (click)
- A small 10dBi directional antenna (click)
- A 370mW PC card (click)
- Cables to connect the above
The idea being that I can play around and look at the relative merits of the following three combinations :
- Laptop with built in typical low power wireless
- Laptop with higher power card and nearby antenna
- Laptop with remote high power equipment and antenna local to equipment
So I’ve been playing around, not too successfully at first. The 630mW router can work in many different modes from being an access point to being a client to another base station. I was able to figure out how to get the unit operating in client mode and latch onto wireless networks. The problem was that once connected, I could not find a way to reconnect to the unit to connect it to an alternate network without opening it up and hitting the reset button. Hardly practical if it’s up the mast. Took me until yesterday before I could come home for lunch and call up the tech support and finally find out how to do this remotely. So once this was all sorted I was able to experiment with the antennae. The omni antenna in our bedroom was able to pick up many more of my neighbours wireless networks than my little old Belkin dish ever could and it did so without having to point. The directional antenna was able to obtain stronger signals when I knew where to point it but that was a pain and probably not too practical on a boat. It may be useful if I’m mobile and sitting down somewhere and need to pick up a stronger signal than my laptop on it’s own can handle. So the next test will be on Dignity in February when I can hoist the equipment and antenna up the mast and see how well it works. Given the success of the 8dBi omni antenna I am curious to test the performance of the 15dBi omnis that can be bought.
The 370mW card has been less successful. I didn’t anticipate having compatibility issues with my laptop. My laptop only accepts ExpressCards whereas this is a Cardbus (or perhaps it’s the other way around). I subsequently ordered an adapter but now have 16bit / 32bit compatibility issues. So no progress there bar some lessons learned – which are best done on land. Next steps not yet determined.
Big thanks to the sales and tech folks at Demarctech who been very helpful pre and post sale. Can’t say that too often these days.
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