At 08:12 AM 3/31/2006, Danny Sauer wrote:
> >
> > > Just put a decent wireless card in the Linux box and run in "ad-hoc"
> > > mode.  Save the cost of the access point, and gain better control over
> > > the way traffic goes over the wireless access point.
> >
> > Pretty cool. Do you get a similar range card-to-card as you would get with
> > AP-to-card?
>
>It's comparable, but as with anything radio, the environemnt has a big
>effect. :)  The card I'm using on the gateway machine is an Orinoco
>(Lucent-based) PCMCIA card in a PCI-PCMCIA adaptor, and it uses an
>external antenna.  I'm pretty confident that the external antenna
>makes a world of difference...  If nothing else, it allows me to place
>the machine in the basement, so my wife can have a clean,
>computer-free living area. ;)

The other technique that works well is to use one of those USB wifi 
dongles at the end of a suitable USB extension cable.

I've done that a few times now, whereas a wifi card in the computer 
(no external antenna) was marginal.  One installation was in a 
basement with the computer sitting on the concrete floor.  Changing 
to a USB dongle mounted just under the desktop made all the difference.

dwayne

-- 
Dwayne Reid   <dwayner@planet.eon.net>
Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd    Edmonton, AB, CANADA
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