Advice: GPS and Wifi placement in 02 Celica

TheJack · 09-06-2004, 05:55 PM

About to start purchasing for my project. Have computer and LCD decided and most of the fabrication plans done. Computer is going in glovebox and for LCD, I am going to increase the size of the existing dash compartment and leave hatch intact, so LCD can be stealthed behind hatch door.

Still trying to decide on WiFi and GPS placement/purchases. Stealth is a very important to me. I don't want anything on my dash or any non-stealthed additions. I have read-and-read-and-read. General consensus seems to be both Wifi and GPS would work better with additional antennas.

Looking for any car-specific advice on Wifi, GPS purchases. Easily stealthable antennas. Stealth antenna placement... etc etc..

Unfortunately I don't have alot of room to try different configurations (antennas and such), as my accountant (wife) isn't going to allow this to be a PPP (perpetual-purchase-project). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

aoLhaTer · 09-06-2004, 06:26 PM

whenever dealing with antennas your best bet is to mount outside the car

i however didnt want to drill through my car so i have both my gps mouse and wifi antenna sitting on the rear window deck

blurp · 09-06-2004, 06:44 PM

I've got both of mine inside the dash above the center ducts. I've got a sapphire gps and a dlink dwl-120+. They are sitting side-by-side, but I forgot to take a picture of the GPS in there. By the way, they both work great. I can drive almost 300 feet from my house and still get wifi connection. The inside shell of the top of my dash is hard plastic, like most dashes made today. So the signals go right through. If it's metal up there on yours, you might have problems.

TheJack · 09-06-2004, 10:18 PM

Back in the older permanent in-car cell phone days, there were slender, "tape-like" antennas that you could just attach to the glass. Do antennas like that exist for Wifi?

Avalerion · 09-06-2004, 10:21 PM

Buy a PCI card for your board.
Take off the platic antenna... They usually screw off.
Go to ebay and buy a little antenna.
Search for 5db antenna and it comes with a 5-6ft wire.

ppgt94 · 09-06-2004, 10:41 PM

You may be able to do what I did with my gps receiver. I have it right underneath the read deck. It's just hard plastic underneath and I have it squeezed in between a crack. It works fine because above it is the rear window (no metal blocking). I'll post a picture tomorrow.

TheJack · 09-06-2004, 11:21 PM

If I was going to try an external antenna. Would it work if it was hidden somewhere outside.. possibly in the lower bumper where fog lamps are... Like this?:

Bobby Digital · 09-06-2004, 11:54 PM

that would be ok for wifi but the gps should be in clear view of the sky with no metal obstructions... radiator and engine block would block about half the view of the sky for the gps antenna in that location.

TheJack · 09-07-2004, 12:40 AM

Would this placement of a 5db antenna be a noticeable increase above a Wifi adapter under the plastic dash?

Bobby Digital · 09-07-2004, 12:56 AM

probably, as the metal doors/firewall/roof will block more wifi signal than having an antenna outside... just common sense. Also, the 5db antenna instead of just the adapter is a boost in itself.