PCI or USB???

**JuMpMaN6235** · 09-01-2005, 04:21 PM

OK ive been reading and searching a lot on these forums about Wi-Fi device and antennas.... Now im stuck, i dunno wether to get a USB unit, then hack it so it can get a external antenna, or get a PCI card and just screw in an external antenna.... i have a M10000, earlier i was reading about some people having problems using a PCI wifi with the m10000, how many of you have this problem?? can something like THIS be hacked to use an external antenna? what should i get? pci or USb?

**Sonicxtacy02** · 09-01-2005, 04:32 PM

if goin with an antenna is a must for you then usb will also be a must. But without an antenna a pci card will always be a little more reliable than a usb.

**Mad Ad** · 09-01-2005, 06:59 PM

Im using an orinico gold a/b/g pci card in an m10k. Works great. It comes with an external aerial which is connected to its own MC connector. Take the case off the card and the aerial lead pulls out of the connector allowing you to mod your own.

Ive made a short length of cable with an MC on one end pluggind into the orinoco and a chassis mount RP-SMA on the other, mounted to my case so I can screw in any RP-SMA cable i want externally.

**-zip-** · 09-01-2005, 08:06 PM

Orinico gold PC Card with external Antenna(it comes with the external antenna). I ran the antenna outside of my trunk. It is very small and works great.

The only thing that I don't like about the PC Card is when searching using microsoft's auto connect it clicks when playing music. I have the auto search turned off and use WINC instead. No more clicks.

**JuMpMaN6235** · 09-01-2005, 11:14 PM

hmm i guess that ornico is working well for you, But it is too large for me, my computer is in my glove box, and i have limited space... what do you guys thing of this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833327003 .. of course i will replace the antenna with something better

**thanatos106** · 09-01-2005, 11:19 PM

Hey -zip- what do you mean with "clicks" like sounds when connecting??? because I hate those so I just desable the whole windows schemes (or you can kill just the one by one)in the control panel so no more clicks.

Thanatos.

BTW I have the same antenna and it works great!!!

**nsmoller** · 09-01-2005, 11:19 PM

i third the orinoco, only because i've been advised that way... i was told by a few wifi experts in my town to go pci or pcmia.

**hcker2000** · 09-02-2005, 03:51 AM

I have a pci card from dlink and it works ok but not as well as I think it should.

I'm currently going to get a usb pen type wi-fi dongle. They even make 802.11 a/b/g usb pen drive sized dongles (dlink ).

The thing with the pen wifi is that it can be mounted out side or on a window for better signal. If you need a realy directional signal you can search google and there are some people who use cook ware to make a parabolic dish for them so they are direction.

I wish I could find a usb pen wifi dongle that had an external antenna (or could be moded for one). Closest I have found is this one.

**JuMpMaN6235** · 09-02-2005, 08:15 AM

yea i have interest in pen drive usb wifi's But, i think you would get a way better reception going with pci and external antenna like zip's antenna... you can just get a usb extension and place the pen drive wherever, but i dont think it will work as good without external antenna... has anyone even attempted to hack a usb pen drive so it will work with external antenna?

**hcker2000** · 09-03-2005, 08:37 PM

Well most of the antennas that people are willing to buy are cheap and are not the best. Check out netstumblers site. They will tell you that there is a difference between a $15 omni and a $60-$100 omni.

I think using the usb + cook ware they were geting about 12db from there usb pen wifi. They have also set up some long links with them.

http://www.wifi-toys.com/wi-fi.php?a=articles&id=21
http://www.boingboing.net/2004/05/14...ae_made_f.html