Input Antenna for Wireless Router

[msquared48]

I am trying to find an input antenna for my wireless router to get internet for both wifi and non-wifi computers.

The problem I am having is locating an antenna with the right leads that will marry to the router connection-wise.

I have looked on the net til I'm blue to no avail. Any good leads to sites where I can learn more, hardware, diagrams, pictures, etc.?

The pre-made antennas I have found to date merely amplify the signal from the router, not what I need.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[VEBill]

I can't make sense of your questions.

What do you mean by "input antenna"? Reading between the lines: are you trying to access a hotspot that is far away and you want to use your WiFi router to repeat the signal for local consumption?

What are your plans for "non-wifi computers"? Wired Ethernet connection to the local router?

Assuming your router is a reasonable brand, it should use reverse polarity TNC connections. This is where the center pin/socket sex is reversed to eliminate the possibility of you replacing the antenna (not!).

I can't decipherable the final statement.


Companies such as L-com.com sell various types of WiFi antennas. Most are obviously 2.4 GHz. You'll need to double check the connectors on your router - what brand / model?

If you're trying to make a WiFi repeater, then you'll probably have to flash the firmware with one that provides this non-standard function.

 

[msquared48]

From what I understand, for a wireless router there are two types of antennas. One boosts the signal FROM the router, and the other picks up a signal from a hotspot TO it. It is the latter that I need.

As to the other two computers, yes, they are hard wired from the router.

I have disconnected the hardline cable DSL feed to the router and am trying to replace it with a local wifi hotspot signal, if I can capture it.

As to the last statement, the first paragraph here should answer that.

Oh, and if I sound confused here, I am not an electrician, so...good perception. That's why I'm here. Any leads (no pun intended) are greatly appreciated.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[zappedagain]

That's not the way it works. A router receives a wireless signal from a computer, and routes it to the internet (hard-wired), or back out the antenna to another wireless computer. You can't disconnect the cable/DSL feed and install an antenna. It won't work. There is very different circuitry hooking up to an antenna and DSL/cable.

You are looking for a 'wifi repeater' Google that.

John D

 

[msquared48]

John:

So, are you saying then that the signal from the wifi repeater can be fed to the wireless router then?

And by the term "repeater", does that imply that the signal is being received and re-transmitted, frequency unchanged, but perhaps amplified?

What I am looking to do is tie into another local wifi network and access the internet through that tie.

As a first try, about two weeks ago, I bought a special wifi receiver for 25 dollars off the internet to attach to the end of an old dish antenna that I had, and was trying to figure out how to properly get the signal from the antenna to the computer. The instructions were insufficient, as usual. My concerns were the connections, whether or not a wifi card was needed, if I could feed to the router or the computer, and the proper cable to use without significant signal loss. It was Greek to me and still is without good instructions.

I'll check out the wifi repeater online.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[msquared48]

OK. So it looks like the wifi repeater picks up an existing wifi signal that can be sent to your router.

However, I am wondering that if the signal to the wifi repeater is very weak and intermittent, should a special antenna be used to increase the signal strength and range prior to the repeater, and then hardlined to the repeater? Or, maybe this is duplicating effects here and not needed?

I am concerned of winding up with a weak and/or intermittent connection, which is exactly what I presently have.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[VEBill]

Since Wifi is bidirectional, you can't use FROM and TO and convey meaning. The Internet side can be called WAN and your local network LAN. The ports on a router or switch are often labled as such (1 WAN and often 4 LAN). By design and intent, the antennas on a typical Wifi router are LAN side only.

There are aftermarket firmware flashes for certain common ($50 price class) consumer Wifi routers that will provide the (intelligent) "repeater" function. But it's probably about 7/10 on the geek difficulty scale.

If your Internet source is friendly, you could install a point-to-point wireless Ethernet extender.

For antennas, browse the L-com link I provided before. Once you see what's what, then you can shop around. Keep the antenna cables short to avoid RF loss.

Personal note - As far as disconnecting from DSL... ...Geesh. We waited for 10+ years to get wired high speed Internet. We were finally hooked-up about four weeks ago. So goodbye to the $120 bills for 3G modem sticks limited to about 5GB per month.

 

[VEBill]

PS: one common consumer item is sometimes called a game adapter. My son's room has one to connect his game consoles (with wired Ethernet ports) to our household wifi hotspot.

You could use a high gain antenna, connected to a "game adapter" to create the WAN side Ethernet (cable). This would then connect to the WAN port of your router in the usual manner. The Wifi channels would have to be set non-overlapping (1, 6, 13), or use a very long Ethernet cable to isolate.

Disclaimer - we've never connected any of our routers to the game adapter. But it should work, given correct settings.

 

[VEBill]

More info:

http://www.wirelessforums.org/hardware-discussion/wireless-bridge-wrt54gl-50710.html

http://www.dvrplayground.com/article/12254/Converting-a-Linksys-WRT54G-GS-Into-An-Ethernet-Bridge/

 

[amptramp]

See the link below for firmware that will provide a "repeater" function for a host of off the shelf wifi routers. I agree, though, reflashing a router is not for the feint of heart. Also, routers can be purchased on ebay with the firmware already loaded.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/index