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RE: [Sheflug] wireless engineery types



Chris Johnson wrote:
> I can't remember where my notes from uni are so I'm hoping
> someone else can
> help on this.  Just bought a wireless router box and the
> antennae (sp?) are
> removable.  I have 2 questions
> 

I have 2 questions also

what type of wifi router did you buy ?  there are different types, 
with different connectors.

Have you tried using kismet to measure the strength ?


You don't want to use ordinary coax, as its no good for the 2.4ghz 
and will not perform well

LMR400 is the cable of choice, but its around £2+ per metre.  
Its loss is about 0.2db per meter

Then you need a pigtail 
( its a small cable that will convert the AP aeriel connection to 
standard N-Type for other aeriels )

Legal limits on power output are 100 mW == 20dbm 
(from man iwconfig dbm = 30 + log10(watts) )

you can easily get 10 db gain from an external aeriel and many access points

are at about 15db out of the box

so 15dbm + 10 db gain = 25 dbm output.  
So you'd want 25m LMR400 to put you to legal limits again 
( you might lose a couple of db in lightning  arrestors and   pigtails
though )

A good place for custom cable is 

http://www.msdist.co.uk

a cheap place for aeriels is http:www.solwise.co.uk though I have found
their 
cable to be variable in quality.

Maplins don't stock the parts in my experience. the RF connectors are quite
specialised



Alan Dawson
-- 
ICT Services


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