Long range wireless antenna

[trevu]

Hi Guys!

I currently have an imac G5 and a Powerbook and live in a ground floor flat in a 7 floor building with a 2mb broadband connection and airport express.
I've just acquired another flat on the 7th floor but it has no phone line! I would like to relocate up there and leave this place to the younger folk.

Has anyone got any experience of getting a wireless signal to reach that far? The Dr. Bott thing would also mean getting the airport extreme base station (I think - due to antenna socket)
Is there some piece of ready made gear or any imaginative solution. The building is typical but if I put an antenna on my terrace and 'aimed' the signal directly up - it would have to pass the window on the new flat (if that helps)
I have walked around all the floors with laptop open and only found ONE wireless signal (WEP protected) so there isn't much competition or hopefully interference.

Thanks in advance

 

[VanMac]

I think you would probably be better off running some CAT5 cable up to the seventh floor and setting up another router.

I have broadband coming into top floor of my house, and plugged into wired 4 port linksys. From there, ran a cable to main floor, and plugged into WRT54G wireless router. Gives me pretty good wirelss everywhere.

 

[trevu]

I think you would probably be better off running some CAT5 cable up to the seventh floor and setting up another router.

I have broadband coming into top floor of my house, and plugged into wired 4 port linksys. From there, ran a cable to main floor, and plugged into WRT54G wireless router. Gives me pretty good wirelss everywhere.

The cable idea seems impossible - but I'll check it out. Has nobody bought this Dr. Bott thing or got a piece of gear to send a signal some 50m (approx.) with 7 floors of houses in the way!!!

 

[combatcolin]

Bolt a wireless doo hickey to the outside downstairs and another thing-e-me-gig to the outside on the 7th floor flat.

Sorry its a bit technical, , but this way the signal is going through air and not 7 other floors of wood, conctrete, metal etc.

 

[ColoJohnBoy]

You could buy 37 AirPort Express Base Stations and line hallways and stairwells with them.

 

[belvdr]

The cAntenna seems to do very well. You'll need something other than the Airport Express, like a Linksys WRT54G.

 

[iSaint]

Bolt a wireless doo hickey to the outside downstairs and another thing-e-me-gig to the outside on the 7th floor flat.

Sorry its a bit technical, , but this way the signal is going through air and not 7 other floors of wood, conctrete, metal etc.

I always thought it was 'thingamajig'

 

[combatcolin]

ah, well, you know, differnaces bewteen English and American English.

 

[carpe diem]

I need some thing similar for my Cisco Aironet does any one know something which would fit the job?
Thank You

 

[moonislune]

If you're using airport or airport extreme...

I need some thing similar for my Cisco Aironet does any one know something which would fit the job?
Thank You

I've noticed a huge improvement using a directional antenna. Check this out
MacMods

 

[VanMac]

The cable idea seems impossible - but I'll check it out.

Why? Just punch a hole through the wall, run the cable up the outside of the building, and punch it through another hole.

Also, not sure if you are getting your broadband from cable, or satellite, or whoever, buy you may want to contact them and have them provide service to the 7th floor as well.

 

[noel4r]

HMMM, how about the other floors? Do they have phone lines? Maybe you can setup your wireless base station in the 5th or 6th floor then maybe you'll get a strong enough signal from there.

 

[trevu]

I'm probably going to try to cable option, running one up the water supply 'chute' which comes out near the front door of the upstairs flat.
Due to the position of the phone line in my house this mean a lot of drilling, cable organising and mess when what I really want is to receive the signal in the new flat.

Thanks for the advice but I'm still curious as to the Dr. Bott "150"
m range" claim. I know thats without too much stuff in the way but can anyone vouch for this thing?