is it wrong when...

[Zerocool Djx]

You have a 17" x 3/4" wifi antenna? :) woot! so many signals to choose from! :)

[CarpKing]

This thread is useless without pics.

[Zerocool Djx]

I am re installing windows on another machine,.. when that is done I will post. Anyone got drivers for logitec quick cam for ubuntu? :)

[samalex]

This thread is useless without pics.

Agreed. Lets see this monster, and it better not have Pringles printed on the side :)

Sam

[pricetech]

No it is not wrong to have a 17x3/4 antenna.

[Austin25]

Can you give a screenshot of the signal list?

[Zerocool Djx]

http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l504/zerocool9455/17wifi.jpg?t=1289868414

The camera is pretty crappy,.. but even so there she is. 17" long! I got her off Ebay with her sister the ALFA AWUS036h... I can't give a pic of the signals as I am still installing software, but I am capturing full signals through an outside wall with aluminum siding and the house across the way that is 60' away. Woot! I have a Yagi antenna coming from Hong Kong that should be here sometime by the end of the month. Btw, the ALFA (this antenna) is 100% working out of the box, no driver install needed for Linux. This antenna has a full 1 watt of GAIN! (1000mW)

Not that I am advertising,.. but we could all use some awesome wifi gear so here you go!

http://www.simplewifi.com/alfa-1000mw-awuso36h-usb-adapter-plus-9dbi-antenna.html

[cariboo]

I am re installing windows on another machine,.. when that is done I will post. Anyone got drivers for logitec quick cam for ubuntu? :)

Most Logitech webcams have been plug n' play for the last several releases.

[pizza-is-good]

Very nice antenna.

Yagis are better. Wait till you try it. You do have to point it at the source.

My inner nerd is speaking here, please forgive.
Antennas do not have power, they have gain. The radio transmitter is what has power. Gain (if more than 2.14 dB) makes a signal stronger. 9 dBi is good, but keep in mind that if the dB has an i at the end, dBi, the gain measure is over an isotropic antenna, which does not exist, so when you see dBi, it is likely that they are totally lying to you. You know an engineer put the packaging together when it says dBd (Gain over a dipole, which is a real antenna with real gain). dBd actually mean something!

Enjoy the antenna, it is far better than anything I have.:popcorn:

[JoeFriday49]

Very nice antenna.

Yagis are better. Wait till you try it. You do have to point it at the source.

My inner nerd is speaking here, please forgive.
Antennas do not have power, they have gain. T


The ad says: >>The Famous Alfa 1000mW based on the RealTek 8187 Chipset<<
It is not only an antenna, but an actual 1000 mw WIFI adapter. Looks pretty kool from the ad... Don't know the legality, but that thing can put some fire in the wire!

[Zerocool Djx]

Yea, this antenna has +9dbi gain,... the Yagi I have on order have +24dbi But then again I have a power booster on the way too. I haven't a clue how much that will boost it up,.. lol Fun times tho!

[mr clark25]

The ad says: >>The Famous Alfa 1000mW based on the RealTek 8187 Chipset<<
It is not only an antenna, but an actual 1000 mw WIFI adapter. Looks pretty kool from the ad... Don't know the legality, but that thing can put some fire in the wire!

i forget where i read it, but i believe 1 watt ( 1000mW) is as high as you can go while keeping it legal.

im thinking about building one myself out of parts i already have. any advise?

[Zerocool Djx]

my advice,.. order parts from china :) they couldn't care less who they sell to, come to think of it Alfa is in Taiwan, so close enough. As a matter of fact I know Alfa has a 2000mW adapter. I'd get it, but with the other stuff I ordered I dunno if I need it, lol... I am connecting the Yagi to a sat dish to widen and strengthen the beam. The antenna is going to be huge, but I got the space :).... If anyone asks, just say your trying to set fire to ants,.. heheheh...

[pizza-is-good]

my advice,.. order parts from china :) they couldn't care less who they sell to, come to think of it Alfa is in Taiwan, so close enough. As a matter of fact I know Alfa has a 2000mW adapter. I'd get it, but with the other stuff I ordered I dunno if I need it, lol... I am connecting the Yagi to a sat dish to widen and strengthen the beam. The antenna is going to be huge, but I got the space :).... If anyone asks, just say your trying to set fire to ants,.. heheheh...


Oh boy. You're dangerous....
I'm an RF engineer, so just listen for a bit. Not trying to crush your dreams or anything, but unless you have a license to do what you are about to, keep in mind that it is illegal if you are in the USA or anywhere the FCC has authority over. You do NOT want to mess with the FCC. The airwaves are a matter of national security to them, and you could get in huge trouble with them for doing something like this. Keep in mind that under the Patriot Act, the FCC does not need a search warrant to come to your house and take all your electronics (which nowadays means just about everything) if they have reason to think you are dangerous.
If you are not in the USA, well, you should inform yourself of the laws that govern the electromagnetic spectrum in your country.

On another note, that is totally something I'd do. (I CAN do it). If I may offer some advise.
The size of the dish needs to be proportional to the size of the wavelength you will be transmitting, and the yagi will have to be positioned at the focus of the 3 dimensional parabola for it to work effectively, otherwise you will scatter a lot of signal. You might need to 'warp' the dish, as the distance from the focus to the dish needs to be proportional to the size of the wavelength.
A matter of safety. With so much gain, be sure to get a field strength meter. You could be putting out DANGEROUS RF and hurting yourself and other. The ants too BTW.

PM me if you have any questions, just keep in mind I'm not responsible for anything you do...

Above all, have fun. RF is a lot of fun. Oh, and don't ever touch that antenna while it is transmitting. Not fun.

~pizza

[Alpha101]

I just got what feels to be a crash course in network antenna reading these posts...What other information do you have on these things? Along what lines is an advisable range and power? You seem well educated in the matter.

[Zerocool Djx]

Oh boy. You're dangerous....
I'm an RF engineer, so just listen for a bit. Not trying to crush your dreams or anything, but unless you have a license to do what you are about to, keep in mind that it is illegal if you are in the USA or anywhere the FCC has authority over. You do NOT want to mess with the FCC. The airwaves are a matter of national security to them, and you could get in huge trouble with them for doing something like this. Keep in mind that under the Patriot Act, the FCC does not need a search warrant to come to your house and take all your electronics (which nowadays means just about everything) if they have reason to think you are dangerous.
If you are not in the USA, well, you should inform yourself of the laws that govern the electromagnetic spectrum in your country.

On another note, that is totally something I'd do. (I CAN do it). If I may offer some advise.
The size of the dish needs to be proportional to the size of the wavelength you will be transmitting, and the yagi will have to be positioned at the focus of the 3 dimensional parabola for it to work effectively, otherwise you will scatter a lot of signal. You might need to 'warp' the dish, as the distance from the focus to the dish needs to be proportional to the size of the wavelength.
A matter of safety. With so much gain, be sure to get a field strength meter. You could be putting out DANGEROUS RF and hurting yourself and other. The ants too BTW.

PM me if you have any questions, just keep in mind I'm not responsible for anything you do...

Above all, have fun. RF is a lot of fun. Oh, and don't ever touch that antenna while it is transmitting. Not fun.

~pizza

Eh,.. to many bugs on the planet anyway,.. we can afford to fry a few... :) ... Time to Airodump a space port :)

[Alpha101]

Seems...overblown to want to do such things...
But, sure.
Whatever your calling is my friend, follow it how you see fit.

[zer010]

I've been wanting to build a biquad dish antenna for some goofing around. I found this how-to to be fairly useful. http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/ I have some more parts I need to gather, but I have a nice dish ready and waiting. :)

[Dragonbite]

It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it! ;)

[JoeFriday49]

>>building one myself out of parts i already have.<<

Just get the 2,000 mw one they sell... Try and stay out of jail... LOL

[annoyingrob]

Above all, have fun. RF is a lot of fun. Oh, and don't ever touch that antenna while it is transmitting. Not fun.

~pizza

I used to develop RFID equipment, and had a 13MHz antenna that would generate over 200v when it was resonating nicely. Would give you quite a shock when touched. The open amplifier output could also burn your skin with RF energy if you touched it.