Do you get good reception with PCMCIA card in trunk?

**S4Per** · 08-27-2006, 12:46 AM

Basic question: if I get a PCMCIA card and put it in my PC which is in the trunk, will I get good reception (I'm with Cingular and am looking at their Broadband Connect) ? I guess the question is: will it be more like a cellphone or a wifi access point? The later would probably stink, but if it's more like a cellphone, it might be fine?

Thanks for your help.

-Per

**HappyPills** · 08-27-2006, 01:19 AM

Go to cingular and asked them. I think its basicly like a cellphone connection. My friend did have the PCMCIA card from cingular in his laptop. No matter where he was his connection was slower than 56k.

Putting one in a carputer would be just like putting one in a laptop. Like I said before go to cingular. Ask them the price and speed.

**skuller** · 08-30-2006, 10:52 PM

if possible, borrow from somebody who got the service
the speed always vary in different area
or you probably can borrow the equipment from cingular if they like you

**Friedrice** · 08-31-2006, 12:01 AM

put your cellphone on cingular, should achieve the same results. If the signal drops a bit, then it should also be the same with the card. Drop the phone in the trunk with it's backlight still on and close the trunk ALMOST all the way, leave a crack so you can peek at the signal bars. But since the sheetmetal will reflect some of the signal, it's likely that the signal will degrade but is it enough to cause disconect to the network is for you to find out. My cellphone works fine in the car but if i leave it in the trunk (don't like to leave stuff in the gym locker), people claim that they get an "out of service area" message when trying to call me.

**kamikaze2112** · 08-31-2006, 12:27 AM

I had a linksys WiFi card in my trunk and it worked ok, but a card with an external antenna is always a better choice. I wonder if the antenna on the cell cards can be removed and swapped for an external one?

**Friedrice** · 08-31-2006, 12:42 AM

some can, but often you'll have to crack open the casing which is a waranty no-no. But the ones i've opended up (read dropped and shattered) have the antenna plugged into something that looks like external connector connector that you find on the back of most cellphones. but since its likely that these cards were not designed for external antenna, they difference in antenna resistance may cause some problems with reception.

**Maheriano** · 08-31-2006, 01:34 AM

You can get an external booster to boost the digital 800 signal for cell phones and PCMCIA cellular cards, these work extremely well. And they have a very magnetic base that will stick to your roof no problem. However, with the Wi-Fi option, I have to open my trunk in order to get a usable signal. It's 4/5 with it open, and probably 2/5 with it closed.