[Hidden-tech] Does anybody have HughesNet or DirecTV satellitewebaccess?

[ussailis at shaysnet.net]

How to make WiFi work better:

1. Use a "two-way" amplifier. Place this gadget at the antenna. Nowhere
else! A two-way amplifier contains a receive pre-amp and transmitter
amplifier. Look for one with with 1/2 watt (or a bit more) transmit power
output, and a receive "noise figure" of 3 dB or less. Lower than a 2 dB
noise figure isn't worth it in this case. 

This device will improve both transmission and receiption. The key words
here are "improve" and "both."

Short of a two-way amplifier, place the pre-amp at the antenna. It improves
the path very little if it is placed at the WiFi card. It might even make
things worse there. PLaced at the antenna a pre-amp will overcome some, or
possibly all, of the cable loss.

Beware of excess gain in a pre-amp, or in a two-way amplifier. Excess gain
sells. Excess gain reduces receiver performance. 

2. Get a good Yagi antenna. I recommend Maxrad, since I am not making them
anymore. The designs are close. Maxrad is in Overland Park, IL.

The antenna should be about 12 to 14 inches long. A longer antenna with
advertised more gain is just that, "advertised." The initial Maxrad design
was tested (at 221 Pine St, Flo.) Its gain is about 12 dBi. 

Put these antennas on both end. Critical pointing is important. 

3. Your summertime problem is multipath propagation. Many say it is
attenuation thru the woods. Signals that are directed away sure look like
attenuation, but the mode is more often multipath. You are receiving
several paths at once that interfere with each other at the receiver.
Ocassionally aiming the antennas at some good reflection point, like a
metal roof, solves the problem. Spending a Sat morn trying to improve the
path is often worth it.

Sometimes an offending branch should have a meeting with a saw.

4. Avoid those patch (flat panel) antennas. The small ones don't have much
gain, and don't have a small beam. (Notice that a small beam helps reduce
that multipath problem, as well as providing more signal.) The large flat
panel are just arrays of small ones, and don't have all the advertised
gain. If you must have a flat panel antenna, look at Cushcraft (Manchester,
NH)


Jim Ussailis
jim at nationalwireless.com

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Seth Seeger seth at tofutavern.com
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:34:32 -0500
To: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Does anybody have HughesNet or DirecTV
satellitewebaccess?


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Jeremy Dunn wrote:
> If cable really did come so close to your house, you might consider
> asking your neighbors if they'd share their signal via WiFi or
> point-to-point wireless connection.  Having said this, they'd probably
> want to read the fine print in their contract, which might prohibit such
> usage.


I concur!  I'm using an EtherAnt (the one with a pre-amp built in) to
share a neighbor's wireless about 700 feet away, through moderate woods!
 In the winter it works fine just off of their little antenna that comes
with their access point.  In the summer (with all the leaves out), it's
marginal, but greatly improved by a cheap directional antenna on their end.

-Seth
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