Best Adapter

I live in a location which offers free WIFI Internet service. I can connect
using my cheapy adapter but my neighbor can't when using the same adapter.
(Actually, he can connect but gets dropped.) Both of us have neighboring
mobile homes with vinyl siding obstructing our line-of-sight paths to the
WIFI service antenna so speed is degraded. But even so, 1mps should be
about 20 times faster than max dialup and it's free.

I'm looking for unbiased opinions as to what reasonably-priced adapter,
offering increased receiving sensitivity and increased transmission power,
my neighbor should purchase.

Thanx.

John Williams

P.S. Where did the term "adapter" come from? What's being adapted?

John Williams

On 8-Jun-2007, "John Williams" <> wrote:

> I'm looking for unbiased opinions as to what reasonably-priced adapter,
> offering increased receiving sensitivity and increased transmission power,
> my neighbor should purchase.

I'm using a ZyDAS chipset USB wireless adapter over a long
range link where other adapters haven't been able to hold the
connection. It was 9.99UKPDS (about 20USD) and marketed
in a WealNET brand box. Think WealNET whio had a website
have been taken over, but there are other brands with this
chipset.
It worked better than D-Link and Netgear.
Useful tips if the link is marginal, add a curved reflector
(aluminium kitchen foil) and use static IP addressing rather
than "let Windows manage this connection" zero config
mode.
Main advantage of USB adapters is that you can use a USB
lead and position them for best signal strength and quality.
Using the mfrs. utilities rather than zero config usually gets
you the mfrs control panel with rather more informative
values for signal strength and quality, not just zero configs
weak, good, etc and you can see in real time how the
values are fluctuating, and over what range of values.
If you use static IP addressing you don't need to lease
DHCP IP addresses, so if there is a dropout, recovery seems
quicker, and dropouts less noticeable.
..

ato_zee@hotmail.com

Hi
First make sure that he is using the right type of adapter.
I need a Wireless Card what should I get?
http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#wcard
Then depending on the type I would get one of these.
CardBus - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162128
USB _ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162111
If needed the Cardbus and the pci can be fitted with external antenna.
Like this, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162170
Disclaimer, I have no connection with any of the Brands or the vendors that
I recommend or link to, the links serving as a basic example and frame of
reference.
Jack (MVP-Networking).


"John Williams" <> wrote in message
news:TU6ai.18277$ hlink.net...
>I live in a location which offers free WIFI Internet service. I can
>connect using my cheapy adapter but my neighbor can't when using the same
>adapter. (Actually, he can connect but gets dropped.) Both of us have
>neighboring mobile homes with vinyl siding obstructing our line-of-sight
>paths to the WIFI service antenna so speed is degraded. But even so, 1mps
>should be about 20 times faster than max dialup and it's free.
>
> I'm looking for unbiased opinions as to what reasonably-priced adapter,
> offering increased receiving sensitivity and increased transmission power,
> my neighbor should purchase.
>
> Thanx.
>
> John Williams
>
> P.S. Where did the term "adapter" come from? What's being adapted?
>

Jack \(MVP-Networking\).

<> wrote in message
news:...
>
> On 8-Jun-2007, "John Williams" <> wrote:
>
>> I'm looking for unbiased opinions as to what reasonably-priced adapter,
>> offering increased receiving sensitivity and increased transmission
>> power,
>> my neighbor should purchase.
>
> I'm using a ZyDAS chipset USB wireless adapter over a long
> range link where other adapters haven't been able to hold the
> connection. It was 9.99UKPDS (about 20USD) and marketed
> in a WealNET brand box. Think WealNET whio had a website
> have been taken over, but there are other brands with this
> chipset.
> It worked better than D-Link and Netgear.
> Useful tips if the link is marginal, add a curved reflector
> (aluminium kitchen foil) and use static IP addressing rather
> than "let Windows manage this connection" zero config
> mode.
> Main advantage of USB adapters is that you can use a USB
> lead and position them for best signal strength and quality.
> Using the mfrs. utilities rather than zero config usually gets
> you the mfrs control panel with rather more informative
> values for signal strength and quality, not just zero configs
> weak, good, etc and you can see in real time how the
> values are fluctuating, and over what range of values.
> If you use static IP addressing you don't need to lease
> DHCP IP addresses, so if there is a dropout, recovery seems
> quicker, and dropouts less noticeable.
> .
Thanks for the suggestion. Zydas chipset sounds like a winner.

I spent an hour or more on the net yesterday trying to find adapters with
the Zydas chipset. But unfortunately, most adapter makers don't divulge
that info. I did find a list of manufacturers using Atheros (who owns Zydas
now) chipsets but the only one I recognized was Hawkins. I may find
something yet.

Incidentally, can I use static addressing when connecting to a public WIFI?

Now to read the references in Jack's post below. Maybe they'll have
something useful.

Thanks again for your response.

John Williams

John Williams