Passive Antenna

[Luke_A_P]

I have a small wireless network at home made up of two laptops with PC Card 802.11b devices (proxim).

The network works fine when they are both in the same room but I live in an Edwardian house with rather substantial walls and ceilings because of this reception starts to break down when the computers are further apart.

Since one of the laptops basically never moves I have considered add a passive external antenna to it (it has a socket for this).

My first question is do you think this would improve matters?

My second question is regarding the type of antenna, since have the parts easily available I would rather make the antenna myself. So, what type should it be? Loop or open dipole and what length of dipole?

One more unrelated question:
The configuration software from proxim has three network type options; Infrastructure, Adhoc and 802.11 Adhoc.
Can anyone tell me the difference between the two Adhoc settings?

Thanks,
Luke

[esutherland]

802.11 Ad Hoc is specifically mentioned with the Apple Airport. But ad hoc and 802.11 ad hoc address computer-to-computer 802.11b communication.

[MoleStrangler]

I would not bother to try an make an antenna. I would purchase one with some gain (like 3dBi).

[Drew]

Originally posted by MoleStrangler
I would not bother to try an make an antenna. I would purchase one with some gain (like 3dBi).

Now why would you want to do that, when you can make a cantenna http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html for pennies, with higher gain?

[MoleStrangler]

Ok, I am in the industry so it is not economical for us to make antenna. And more important we get wsell designed antenna by companies who are just in the antenna business so we get good antenna design; we buy them in.

But I suppose for a domestic installation then yes I can see why people would want to many their own antenna.