Powerful Wifi pc card for laptop

troy

Hi, I need a really powerful Wifi card for a laptop with an external aerial. Anyone any ideas of makes, models or places where I can get one.

Thanks

spunkymunky

Not sure if this is what your looking for but

http://www.irishbroadband.ie/htmdocs/our_products/ripwave.htm

aidan_walsh

I think he's probably looking for something in a PCMCIA card, right? In that case I'd take a look at Netgear

spunkymunky

how bout

http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=304585&cks=PRL

troy

Yeah I am looking for PCMCIA card, or even a USB one, as long as I get really good range. I presume I would need an external aerial to get the best range

That Komplett link looks like a sound card?

deadl0ck

Get one that takes an external ariell and then get a cantenna - I got one and it's made a HUGE difference to my reception

Capt'n Midnight

troy wrote:

Hi, I need a really powerful Wifi card for a laptop with an external aerial. Anyone any ideas of makes, models or places where I can get one.

Thanks

EU limits are 100mW EIRP on 2.4GHz - so a powerful card is not an option. What you are looking for is a card with good sensitivity combined with a decent antenna, no use in you shouting at another person if you are deaf and wearing earmuffs, you won't be able to communicate with them.

Most external aerials are dipoles ( 2.14dB nominal down hill with the wind behind it ) external patch antennas of 8dB are fairly small.. but you need a pig tail that matches your card. really a matter of budget.

troy

Thanks for the help. I would have a budget of around 150-200 Euro and basically I am looking for the card or card/aerial combo with the best range for that I can get for that.

troy

I have seen a video from Wireless Projects.ie where a guy is in the middle of the IFSC in Dublin connecting to various APs and he is using some card with an aerial to access them. Is this kinda thing commercially available?

troy

I have just been looking on Elara and what does anyone think of the following:

Card - BUFFALO Cardbus 125Mbps Wireless
http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE969028&productID=108222

Aerial - BUFFALO AirStation Indoor Omni Directional Antenna (140m)
http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECS13072&productID=55292

I presume since these are both Buffalo products they will be compatible

deadl0ck

You still need to check the pigtail size - it;s usually an RP-SMA connector.
I'd still highly recommend the Cantenna - you can pick them up for cheaper on eBay than on the Cantenna site or if you really want to save money you can build your own - You can get all the required parts form Maplin

troy

Just saw another aerial, a High Gain version of the other one I mentioned above. It costs an extra 15 Euro, not sure if it would make any difference and if it is worth the extra cash?

Aerial is Buffalo Antenna 6.5dBi Indoor Omni Directional http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECS968646&productID=108218

bridigo

Only EnGenius and Cisco have high powered PCMCIA 100mW adapters. And EnGenius having better sensitivity, and cheaper would be best option. Plus you can connect them to any outdoor antenna by simply using a jack and an N-SMA cable. ask www.basewireless.net for details.

tck

you want an Orinoco gold classic (these have the option for pigtail and extended antennae etc..) ,

gold ver. (128 bit or rather 104 etc..) and the silver ones are 64bit

i use them alot and so do my mates, never any problems.

The cisco aironet were good but seem to have diminished in quality with the more recent versions.

**

don't bother with a cantenna if it's for mobile use.
are u just trying to get a point to point connection, will it be from a house, get a yagi then, give us a bit more info.

that reminds me, get the flipping dublin wan meets going again

bridigo

Orinoco = 40mW, also less sensitive than EnGenius. EnGenius also has 2 antenna connectors for diversity. And unlike Orinoco, they don't have to have an inbuilt antenna, so if you're connecting an external antenna to an EnGenius, you get no RF leakage associated with Orinoco.

ShevY

if you want to just do a point to point link over long distance, just get a couple of orinoco silver card w/ ex. connector, and a couple of old mmds antennas. oh and some cable,pigtails etc.

Webmonkey

Try this: http://www.wi-pipe.net/WLI-PCM.htm