Wifi from the neighborhood

[Donald]

Hi. I am trying to take advantage of the unencrypted signals emanating from my neighborhood (the local park, for example, sponsored by the city). They are for the most part weak when they reach the center of my apartment, where I work from. Is there some device (router, repeater) that I can install near my window that will take in the signal and send it to my laptop (HP 5000 compaq presario with a wifi card). I would not have access to the original signal point if calibration was needed. Or is a wireless USB device with a 25 foot USB cable a solution?

[golfnut]

You might want to try this device...

http://www.peplink.com/productsFeatures.php?productName=surf

I haven't used it but it's designed for what you're trying to do.

Greg

[M/Q]

Interesting Greg,

A company that is making a bunch of repeaters to fill a niche as many cities are rolling out city-wide WiFi. I would have thought they might offer a dual radio device to offset the bandwidth loss due to repeating as an alternative choice.

They look well built and give us an altenative to the normal after-thought AP client devices from the usual vendors.

[golfnut]

Yes, it is an interesting product with impressive specs and does fill a niche.

Plan on testing it with our project soon...

Greg

[mphurl]

A simple solution is to get a wireless bridge and a wireless router.

Configure the bridge to pickup the "free" signal and plug the cat5 cable from the bridge into the WAN port on the router. This in essence will act as a repeater as well as giving you basic NAT protection from the rest of the wireless community.

A few things to keep in mind:
1. Make sure your wireless router is using a different channel then the signal being picked up by the bridge.
2. Make sure your wireless network is using a different subnet then what the public wireless is using.

This can be configured easily and for pretty cheap. The setup cost me a total of about $55. I got these two items from newegg (the router had a rebate at the time):

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16873999101
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16833122016

[M/Q]

Just a small point to avoid confusion. The game adapter is not acting as a bridge, but as what maybe called an access point client. The major difference is that a bridge link requires that each side know the other's MAC addr and in many cases requires both devices that are being used for the bridge to be of the same make and model. Especially when considering consumer grade equipment.

[poopboypat]

ok, I have the 2 items and i dont know how to get the Game adaptor to pick up the wireless signal i want. Can you please tell me how to get it to work?

Do i have to set up the game adaptor with the IP adress of the router im trying to get signail from?

Then what setting in my router do i need to change? (dont know much about networking)

[mphurl]

ok, I have the 2 items and i dont know how to get the Game adaptor to pick up the wireless signal i want. Can you please tell me how to get it to work?

Do i have to set up the game adaptor with the IP adress of the router im trying to get signail from?

Then what setting in my router do i need to change? (dont know much about networking)

First....DONT use the cd that was included. Go to linksys.com and download the setup utility for the game adapter. Plug the adapter into a computer and run the setup program.

From here you can setup the profiles you want to use....so input the SSID for the public network.

Now hold the button on the game device in until you get to P1, P2 or P3(depending on what profile you setup, if it is only one it will probably be P1).

Then plug the patch cord from the game adapter to the wan port on the wireless router. This is pretty much it...

From here,connect wirelessly to your router and change any settings you wish. (wireless security, ip subnet, etc).

This is just the jist of what needs to be done...if you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

-Mike

[poopboypat]

lol thanks I had it on the IN setting I didnt even think about p1 lol. Thanks alot working perfect and ALOT faster than before!!

Onlything is that i keep getting a messege saying that there are the same IPs on the network? Anyone know how to fix that?


Edit i think I fixed it lol...

[inniskillin]

hi, try 200mw USB Adapter from Engenius/Senao.
http://www.senao.com/english/product/product_wireless01_outdoor_1.asp?tp1id=02&tp2id=08&proid=000189

i've added an 12dbi directional antenna to it. It picks up almost 30 AP in my neighbourhood.

Amazing