Coffee Cup Wireless

[blueblood]

I posted an item here some time ago about the installation of an AP that I thought wrong i.e. two rabbits oriented N-S in line with RV's. Well, I have fought to acquire signal for three weeks and the only way to get it was to use my SS meter and search for a hotspot somewhere in my RV. Even though I have clear line of sight it doesn't work. I would have to sit on coach and orient my laptop in some crazy way to get the signal. Often this meant laptop was on my knee pointing up towards the ceiling and/or a front cabinet making it difficult to read the screen and even more to type responses. Three days ago out of frustration, I decided to see if I could catch some of that stray RF in another way. I put laptop on dining room table with my Orinioco Gold pc card facing 180 degrees away from AP. No signal - not surprising. I then put an enameled coffee cup in front of pc card about 6 inches away and viola ! I got a 4 SS on scale of 5. I have been using this setup for three days at all hours of day and night and it works beautifully. I have downloaded several very large files (new Zone Alarm and Adobe updates) at excellent speeds. I forgot once and moved laptop about 4 inches forward and lost signal. Put it back and got it. One other thing - cup is half fulll of pennies. I'm reluctant to try and check it for other movements and with or without pennies since I have such a good connection and am doing lots of business on it that I don't want to risk losing it for any reason.

Any port in a storm   

 

[Ron]

Leo, are you using the wireless built into the computer,  For best results get the Linksys WUSB54G adaptor that is connected via the USB port and can be moved around for better reception. info on the lynksys can be found at  http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=5974065&type=product&id=106176981847 . I believe Hawkins also make a similar adaptor that may well give even better results.

What ever made you try improving your wireless connection with a cup of pennies? ??? ??? ???

 

[blueblood]

Leo, are you using the wireless built into the computer,? For best results get the Linksys WUSB54G adaptor that is connected via the USB port and can be moved around for better reception. info on the lynksys can be found at? http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=5974065&type=product&id=106176981847 . I believe Hawkins also make a similar adaptor that may well give even better results.

What ever made you try improving your wireless connection with a cup of pennies? ??? ??? ???

No, as I said I'm using the World Gold pc card. I have an omni external antenna for it but it makes no difference.

I've had some long ago experience working with copper stuff in electronics and I just took a flyer to see what would happen. I'm not sure the copper is doing anything but on last night here I'm going to remove it and see what happens to reception.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'm sitting here with a generally "good" wifi signal, but If I set my coffee mug (sans pennies) down in the right place next to my Netgear PC card, the signal drops to "low". 

In areas where the signal is weaker, I use my Senao USB unit, which is more sensitive and more powerful than the Netgear PC card, but it too is readily affected by objects placed near it.