[PLUG] homegrown WAP

[Michael Rasmussen]

On Tue, Nov 11, 2003 at 04:11:15PM -0800, Carla Schroder wrote:
> I'm thinking of building my own wireless access point. The low-cost 
> 
> The major concern I have is antenna placement. If I use a PCI wireless 
> card in an old desktop machine, with the antenna poking out the back, 
> will I have a poorer signal? How much does antenna placement matter 
> inside a building, like a house, or small office?

Is this for your house / home office out there in the rural place
you've moved to?  If so the poorer signal could easily be plenty 
good enough.

This message was typed on my notebook in the living room connected to 
the net through an AP that is exactly what you describe.  An old desktop
with a PCI wireless card. The AP is in the basement and I manage to get
coverage everywhere I need it in the house.  

As others have noted it will be the presence of metal that will be
most detrimental to the signal.  Aluminum siding will severly degrade
your backyard connectivity.  
 
-- 
      Michael Rasmussen  aka  mikeraz
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