Enhancing WiFi reception?

[ultrarunner]

One of the places I work is a dead zone unless satellite... I carried a pager for years and never a missed a page anywhere on location.

My immediate neighbor has WiFi set up and gave me his password... it works but just barely.

Did a little experiment...

Apple 6S is basically useless.

Moto G5 plus works better.

Inexpensive HP laptop works the best... it has to be oriented just right.

All are limited geographically...

Question... is there any aux receiving antenna I can buy to enhance reception that work?

This would only be for a couple of hours max each week and a great convenience should someone need to get ahold of me.

 

[WVBill]

There are both aux WiFi Antennas and signal boosters available. You would need probably a directional antenna pointed at your neighbor and a WiFi Access Point in your house.
A place I've done business with in the past is 3Gstore.com, 3G/4G Routers, Antennas, Boosters, WiFi, IP Switches. They have both and good customer service to help you get what you need.

 

[RNeumann]

Lots of options. Google, Amazon or eBay WiFi range extender and let your budget decide and the reviews decide.
The other option is to put an antenna on your neighbor’s side to boost signal. With the laptop getting an OK signal a little range extender is probably all you need though.

If you have an extra router a lot of those can be configured as range extenders.

 

[plowhog]

There are many ways, but some that would work better than others depending on your circumstances.

I'd investigate the Wilson products first, but also consider others. I think Wilson is same as WeBoost now. If I knew more about the topography, or building layout, or distance to the other wifi (is it line of sight or blocked?) that would help. And I am sure K0UA will have ideas.

Wilson Amplifiers | Free Shipping w/ 9 Day Money Back Guarantee

3Gstore.com, 3G/4G Routers, Antennas, Boosters, WiFi, IP Switches

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-PBE...9137326&sr=1-10&keywords=ubiquiti+nanostation

And, if you just need text messaging, this satellite system turns your smart phone into a world wide text messaging system:

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[ultrarunner]

Wow... quick responses.

Properties are small... only a couple of acres sloping to the creek...

My place is unoccupied and a work in progress... power is on.

Neighbor is home all the time... came over while I was working and I commented how there is no cell coverage and I don't have WiFi here... he said cell has always been bad.

He does have Comcast which covers his home and back garden... just off the shelf unit that came when he subscribed... he also has a repeater for cell that works in conjunction with his Comcast... I have a different carrier so no joy there.

Before he made the cell upgrade he would have to stand in his driveway to use his cell.

Anyway... he offered his password for his WiFi and it works OK if I in my driveway and just inside my garage door... anywhere else and the signal is too weak.

I would not want to change anything that is working for him... only looking to enhance my reception during the renovation.

Seen some plug in antenna online that connect to laptops...

 

[plowhog]

Sounds like he is using a feature called Advanced Calling (Android) or the equivalent for Iphone. I sometimes also use that at my rural property, except going through satellite wifi instead of landline wifi. It's not very reliable. Verizon sells a device to enhance this but I have no experience with that.

I'm not sure-- do you want wifi for internet, or cell service, or text? If you had to focus on one or the other, what is the highest priority? If you have at least one bar of service showing on your phone, you likely could make use of the Wilson booster if it was put up on a roof or small tower. Rather than the bar, it's more reliable to read the dB on your phone as you walk around to different locations. As the signal improves or degrades, the dB will raise or lower. On Andriod that is in System>AboutPhone I think.

 

[ultrarunner]

It would be nice to reliably use my laptop on the job and/or smartphone email via WIFI

They both work now but very temperamental… if someone walks in front of the laptop chances are the signal is lost.

Company phone has no Data Plan which is not a problem at work as the Hospital is well covered and not a problem at home or when spending time with the family... WIFI lets me snap a picture and send or receive...

Phone will not do any kind of Text Picture or Attachment and no Data Plan means no email so the set up is dependent in WIFI.

Maybe I was to naïve thinking similar to TV... when Rabbit Ears don't work get a better antenna... either for the attic or roof or tower with a rotator?

 

[SirMaxwell]

It would be nice to reliably use my laptop on the job and/or smartphone email via WIFI

They both work now but very temperamental… if someone walks in front of the laptop chances are the signal is lost.

Company phone has no Data Plan which is not a problem at work as the Hospital is well covered and not a problem at home or when spending time with the family... WIFI lets me snap a picture and send or receive...

Phone will not do any kind of Text Picture or Attachment and no Data Plan means no email so the set up is dependent in WIFI.

Maybe I was to naïve thinking similar to TV... when Rabbit Ears don't work get a better antenna... either for the attic or roof or tower with a rotator?

Ultra Runner, sometimes just an antenna on the receive side will work, sometimes not. Nothings free (although some of the above recs like Wilson seem a bit extreme for what you want). Some topography info would help a bunch.

Basically you are just lucking into your neighbors WiFi as I suspect he has no outdoor antenna, or site boosters, or repeaters or so. Just a simply Comcast box in his house that you can occasionally connect to? If that's the case, you could probably get by with a simple external antenna on the neighbors side (and it would help him), or you could connect an outdoor AP to his router and that would also help him.

Gather a bit of site info, decide on a reasonable budget for what you want, see if the neighbor is okay with adding to his system in a way that will help you both. As others have noted, there are many ways to attack this.

For me, after nearly 40 years in working with, designing, installing, data telemetry and cm level Nav systems, I have seen and done some pretty creative locations around the globe. Bottom line tough, you don't get something for nothing. Antennas alone are only rarely the answer (btw in your TV scenario, remember you are only receiving, not transmitting, in which case the receivers ability to sort multi-path noise is paramount).

Maybe you can simply use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HTANYQ...&pd_rd_r=d2baacab-2765-11e9-b0de-212d94c64fa6


Maybe you need to make a bridge, using something like this at each end: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Nanostation-NSM5-802-11a-Hi-power/dp/B00HXT8KJ4

Anyways, write back and I am sure we can all get you going.

 

[ultrarunner]

I forgot about transmitting... thank you for bringing me up to speed.

Neighbor has just the simple indoor WIFI sitting on a shelf... it works for him.

I also see several secured Xfinity in the neighborhood.

I do pay for business Comcast Service in WA State for my tenant... it is all in my name to the tune of $290 per month... never looked into to seeing if this would allow me to use Xfinity Hot Spots?

Remember I am the person that has never lived in a home with Cable along with Rabbit Ears and a rotary phone... my Internet is DSL

My Washington Comcast contract was the solution to years of wrangling to get service to the remote location... being Business Service opened a lot of doors for a "Price"

My tenant at the time was a physician that reviewed Malpractice Cases and required Internet or it was a non starter.

My unscientific study found the Laptop far superior than either cell phone for picking up WiFi and I was really surprised the Apple 6S was the worst...

 

[Diggin It]

People are mixing terms. Many of the devices mentioned above (Wilson 3G, etc.) are for cell service to amplify their signal. They will not help at all for the type of 'WiFi' you seem to be asking about. It sounds like the neighbor has a wired internet service like cable or DSL with a standard modem/router that outputs a wireless signal. Some of the devices above will work for that since they receive and repeat network traffic. You want to be looking for network devices like Netgear, Linksys, dLink, TP Link, etc.