USB Wifi Antenna for free internet on the road.

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Remember, Wi-fi by it very nature is very limited in range.  So by asking for on the road?  Are you saying while driving down the road?  Or when set up in a camp ground that offers free wi-fi?  Personally my smart phone can provide a wi-fi hot spot for up to 5 devices anywhere I can get 3G service.  so that is what i use.  Heck with those unprotected public systems.
 
    Here's an interesting site for anybody interested.  http://www.wififreespot.com/
 
To DONN
I just want an internet for my laptop while Im parked.
Because of my job I need to be online few hours a day while travelling with the kids.

I think I will go with uawifi.
Will order today and try it.

What you guys use for internet while travelling?
 
I've been using this adapter for over a year with excellent results.  It has allowed connecting to an otherwise useless router in a lot of campgrounds.

As for internet on the road, you may find this article from our forum library helpful.
 
But you place it insie RV. right?
What is the range of it then?

Ive read that using an outside usb antenna is a lot better.
 
rucdma said:
To DONN
I just want an internet for my laptop while Im parked.
Because of my job I need to be online few hours a day while travelling with the kids.

I think I will go with uawifi.
Will order today and try it.

What you guys use for internet while travelling?

Like I said in my original post, unless you are in a camp ground that offers free wi-fi you will be SOL no matter what antenna you have.  To that end I have a Verizon smart phone that allows me to connect to the internet via the Verizon 3G network.  This allows me 5B a month and unless you are a power user that is more than enough for anybody.  I do not rely on camp ground wi-fi service.  It is just to unreliable.
 
I purchased a Alpha like Ned mentioned and can say that at home my laptop only picks up my network, but using the Alpha unit on my laptop I can pick up a strong signal from 5 networks in addition to mine.  I have not used it while camping yet as 1a couple of surgeries have grounded me for awhile but hope to be back at it at the end of the month.
 
rucdma said:
I want to purchase a USB WiFi Adapter for my RV.
Anybody is using one?

I found these two nice ones:

1. From manufacturer uawifi.com for 99$
2. From a guy on ebay http://bit.ly/eokn4t for 295$

Which one is better?
Thanks

rucdma,

For wifi, I often use a Linksys Wireless G adapter.  My laptop's  built in wifi adapter only works well in areas close to the transmitter.  The Linksys is alright, not great, but it wins hands down over built in.

A few years ago Hawking was the darling of the computer forums.  I bought one and found it could "see" all kinds of wireless sources.  BUT it couldn't connect.  The transmitter power was too low.  I used to have an early Intel unit intended for use in offices with desktops.  It couldn't see nearly the networks the Hawking could, but transmitted with enough power to connect to those it saw.  It also drained my laptop battery in short order.  I returned the Hawking and finally gave the Intel unit to a couple who needed it a lot more than I did.

Of the 2 you linked the little hockey puck looks the best.  I took a look and couldn't find the output power listed for any of the assorted adapters sold  by various internet resellers.  At least UA WIFI lists the transmitting power.  I don't remember if it is high, low, or average- one reason I checked several resellers.  The threaded holes on the bottom are interesting.  They suggest all kinds of mounting options (even if they are metric)- like ladders, cargo railings, and maybe even exhaust fan hoods like the MaxAir.  On edit: I have an unused CB antenna that looks about right for adding a "bolt" so the antenna could  screw to the top and sit nicely above my Class C.

I very seldom follow ebay links, but even so, that particular seller seems to have problems.  He doesn't give any real information about what he's selling.  He offers so little, I'm not really sure what it is he has and I'm darn sure not going to bother to email him to find out.  And frankly for the money he's asking you could buy a lot of broadband service.

I usually use a Virgin Valley broadband dongle for my internet needs.  The hardware was $79 and the plan is $20 a month.  I have enough MB's that I don't really need wifi except downloading programs and Windows updates.  I went to a local library this afternoon to update my tax software and get a few free programs.  The internal adapter worked fine there.

I did use wifi occasionally at an indoor flea market this past month because it was included with the spot and the steel roof even blocked most cellphones.  The linksys unit was necessary because I was toward the back. 

Good luck and let us know how your new adapter works out.

fleamarketeer

 
donn said:
Like I said in my original post, unless you are in a camp ground that offers free wi-fi you will be SOL no matter what antenna you have.  To that end I have a Verizon smart phone that allows me to connect to the internet via the Verizon 3G network.  This allows me 5B a month and unless you are a power user that is more than enough for anybody.  I do not rely on camp ground wi-fi service.  It is just to unreliable.
Careful with that 5B (believe that's 5GB...?) ceiling.... a couple of good updates to the op/sys and other software and you may just get one heck of a bill at the end of the month, especially if you have more than one laptop or other connected to it.  Personally, I get by with a unlimited $20.00 3G (if available) or edge connection through my phone service for my laptop.  Don't have 4G speed, however only use it for reading the news, weather and email anyway.
 
One thing that I keep seeing is USB this and USB that when talking about wi-fi Adapters.

I picked up a Linksys WGA-54G some years back intending to use it for something that never happened.  This is not a USB adapter, it's a Wi-Fi MODEM, the compuer side jack is an RJ-45 LAN connector.

My Router thinks it's a cable modem.  So it routes it to all 4 of my computers and at least one of the others in the neighborhood as well  (Router has two pass phrases.. one just gets you to the modem, (And not to it's configuration pages) the other gets you to my network)

I slipped this http://rvroadtrip.us/library/wifi_booster.asp over the antenna and point it at the park's antenna.. I have about 2x the range of any other user.. Plus, since this thing is a LAN not a USB device, it hooks to my router with CAT-5,  I'm not restricted to 10 feet.. WIth a weather cover (Empty Ice Cream Pail) I can park it on the back of the motor home, Picnic table, Short ladder, Long ladder, I can even "run it up the flag pole" (25 foot pole) so it gets a clear view of what it needs to see.

And it's not even close to how good I could make it if I wished to spend money.

Because this one has an antenna that sticks up I'm able to go to this web site.
 
Hello
Got my wifi adapter antenna from uawifi.com
Well, the range is very good, have not installed it on the RV yet, but from home it connetcs to about 30 strong signals.
Will fix it on the RV by the magnits that on it and will try it on the road this weekend.

 
interested in knowing: how it worked / did you get better (useable) signal
thanks!
pdq
 
I just plugged it to my laptop and search for signals.
Yes, I get a lot more useable signals than without it.
Soon I'll fix it on the rv and make some photos, will post.
 
thanks rucdma

yesterday, purchased a wifi range extender (that's what the name is on the packaging)
it is a NetGear WN2000RPT
http://www.netgear.com/home/products/wireless-range-extenders/wireless-range-extenders/WN2000RPT.aspx

well in has 'boosted' the signal at the rv park we are at right now  :)

pdq
 
pdq said:
yesterday, purchased a wifi range extender (that's what the name is on the packaging)
it is a NetGear WN2000RPT

You have also helped your neighbors if I understand the unit you have purchased. Others beyond you in the park that know the park SSID and Password will now be logging into your extender vs. the office router.

While in a park last fall I assisted in extending the original signal from a router in the office to spots in the park that signal didn't get to as well. There were trees, or, when certain rows were filled with big rigs, the signal was blocked. To solve the problem we installed several range extenders.

The extender receives the signal, interprets it, then broadcasts it from that point on. It must be configured the same way the router is configured -- same SSID and so forth. That way those in the dead areas can log on with the same log on info as those logging into the original router in the office.

The downside of this is that the signal that you are receiving will be slower than the original and lessens the bandwidth -- but that was with the extenders I was using at the time. OTOH, a USB Wi-Fi adapter and antenna would simply boost the signal - not store it, figure it out, and rebroadcast it. I use the Alpha AWUS036H model for less than $30 that is being discussed in other posts on this thread.
 
A major limitation of a repeater is you only get half the bandwidth, not too serious if you're the only one using it but as Bob points out, others will be using that limited bandwidth as well.  Also, a repeater, or range extender, works best if placed midway between the access point and the clients.  It's not intended to be used as a client signal booster, that's what the better adapters, like the Alfa models, are for.  But I'm sure your neighbors will thank you :)
 
My repeater is secured, if a friend is near us I will give them the pass word.
 
OK here I am coming from behind as usual.

The Alfa AWUS036H  works great down in Key West for my laptop.

But now I have the Nexus 7 and Camille wants to use her laptop too.

So, a "Wireless Extender" sounds lie the answer.  But which one?  There are a handful on Amazon for ~$50.  That's one month of Verzion tethering, well it was last year GOK now with the new improved plans.

I'm leaning towards the Alfa R36 802.11 b, g N, Repeater and Range Extender for AWUS036H since I have the .. and know it works well.

Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N Smart Repeater and Range Extender (SR300)

TP-Link TL-WA5210G High Power Wireless Outdoor CPE

NetGear WN2000RPT looks like you have to have access to the router to setup.

Anybody have experience with any of these?

Joel




 
Joel, if you have a wireless router, I suggest you look at the Pepwave Surf Mini.  I got one and it plugs into my router's WAN port and every device on my network has internet access to whatever WiFi access point the Pepwave is connected to.  When we're at home, I plug the fiber internet line into the router.  The advantage of the Pepwave is you don't need to do any network reconfiguration when switching between internet sources.  You can connect wirelessly to a MiFi with the Pepwave when campground WiFi isn't available and still share it via your router.
 
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