Cantenna?

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 06:56 AM

Not sure if anyone's posted this. It boots wi-fi signals. I wonder if this could be used in the car. http://www.cantenna.com/catalogue/SC12.html#

hijinks21 · 10-21-2003, 07:01 AM

it could be. I'd just make your own. Use a pringles can. They are directional though so you have to point it at a AP to get results

e_fractal · 10-21-2003, 07:43 AM

Last months 2600 had a 4 page writeup on antennas including pringles version and coffee can. In a car your better off with a mast, unless your just using your home network. The pringles can has a larger gain, but would be more directional. You would have to point it at your AP.

A mast antenna will usually be more omni directional pending gain. The more gain the less directional. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I havn't started on the wireless aspect of my car yet, just things I read the last couple of months

Linus · 10-21-2003, 08:12 AM

I made a tin can waveguide antenna, hoping to connect to my work account from home (~800ft). Either I made some kind of mistake or it isn't quite a straight shot, 'cause it doesn't work.

Haven't gotten the chance to troubleshoot yet.

If you want a good signal while driving, I think e_fractal is right - an omnidirectional antenna would be best. But if you want the best signal possible and are willing to stop and spin the antenna around a few times to get it, go for a unidirectional one - you can get something like 3 times the range.

Also see this: Homebrew Antenna Shootout
and this: Tom's Hardware guide to Wireless LAN Performance Improvement

hijinks21 · 10-21-2003, 08:17 AM

ya e_fractal is write. I have a mast antenna also and thats the best if you want to do something like wardrive. That'll give you a good signal but if you want a stronger signal then use a unidirectional antenna like the cantenna or my pringles can. If i can find the AP with my pringles can i get amazing range.

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 04:15 PM

It does seem like a mast antenna is the way to go. The wi-fi device I have is the Benq AWL-300 I'm not sure how you would attach an anntena to it or if its even possible.

Zip-Lock · 10-21-2003, 04:53 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rudical

..... I wonder if this could be used in the car. ...

You could, but it's a directional antenna so you couldn't use it while in motion. Every time you stopped you would have to re-align it.

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 05:24 PM

I know nothing about wi-fi's. Here's a picture of what the internal antenna looks like. There's what's looks like a really small socket and attached to it is the antenna wire. Could I just cut off the end part of the antenna wire and extend it to a mast antenna?

Also, would my car antenna count as a mast antenna? Becuase that would be sweet if I could connect the wi-fi to the car antenna.

Also, anyone looked into gain amplifiers?

aethernaut · 10-21-2003, 05:29 PM

This is a classic unidirectional pringles can design, which will give you about 8-10 dB gain...if it's pointed right at the AP antenna.

Better for wardiving is the vertical omidirectional antenna, because the signals will generally be coming from random directions. It's almost as easy to build as the pringles can design. It's basically a bunch brass tubes soldered in a certain configuration shoved up a PVC pipe. Depending on length (longer is better), the dB gain will in the range of 10 dB.

Designs for both these style antennas are abundant on the net, and pre-made ones are all over the place on ebay, in the $20-$50 range.

For wardriving, we use a homemade 36" omnidirectional to scout out the access point, and a omnidirectional like this one (but a lot better!) mounted on a 75 year-old Craftsman surveyor's transit to triangulate the exact address of the AP....don't forget to leave you chalk mark!

aethernaut · 10-21-2003, 05:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rudical

I know nothing about wi-fi's. Here's a picture of what the internal antenna looks like. There's what's looks like a really small socket and attached to it is the antenna wire. Could I just cut off the end part of the antenna wire and extend it to a mast antenna?

Also, would my car antenna count as a mast antenna? Becuase that would be sweet if I could connect the wi-fi to the car antenna.

Also, anyone looked into gain amplifiers?

When it comes to gigahertz frequencies (2.4-2.5 for WiFi), it's important to leave those little connectors (called SMC connectors) intact with their cables...don't cut them!

As far as using your car antenna mast for WiFi...you'd be better off driving around with the guts an old microwave oven mounted on your roof. 'taint gonna work...two separate animals.

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 05:56 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by aethernaut

When it comes to gigahertz frequencies (2.4-2.5 for WiFi), it's important to leave those little connectors (called SMC connectors) intact with their cables...don't cut them!

As far as using your car antenna mast for WiFi...you'd be better off driving around with the guts an old microwave oven mounted on your roof. 'taint gonna work...two separate animals.

well I found a nice discone antenna but it's got a type-N connector (as do most I found). Is there some sort of adapter that could go from the SMC connector to a Type-N? And if so, I could just plug that discone antenna into it and it should improve the range without messing up everything (as in not working at all).

I don't chalk, I GPS it.

aethernaut · 10-21-2003, 06:09 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rudical

well I found a nice discone antenna but it's got a type-N connector (as do most I found). Is there some sort of adapter that could go from the SMC connector to a Type-N? And if so, I could just plug that discone antenna into it and it should improve the range without messing up everything (as in not working at all).

I don't chalk, I GPS it.

From what I recall, type-N connectors should go that high in frequency, so there should be a simple SMC to type-N converter available. Check me on this and let me know. I'm looking to modify my XM satellite radio antenna, but that's about five projects down the list!

What's the link to the discone?

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 06:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by aethernaut

From what I recall, type-N connectors should go that high in frequency, so there should be a simple SMC to type-N converter available. Check me on this and let me know. I'm looking to modify my XM satellite radio antenna, but that's about five projects down the list!

What's the link to the discone?

Here's the discone I'm pretty sure its a type-N. I'v spent the whole day looking at antennas and about 90% of them say they're type-N.

As for SMC to type-N converters, I found this site that's got a whole bunch of different connectors. http://www.sunmoon.us/adapters.htm

Rudical · 10-21-2003, 06:30 PM

I also found this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=44997

jeseyboy3 · 10-21-2003, 07:06 PM

Do you really want to get a better signal then try this one!

http://www.osburn.com/~osburn/photos...k/e14t4022.jpg