Enhancing WiFi reception?

[ultrarunner]

Ok, another scenario is a Yagi pointing at the existing signal source back to back (short coax jumper between) with another Yagi pointing towards the area of interest to cover. The advantages of a passive system is there is nothing to maintain or set up ever. It may or may not be something to consider

Something like this???

Yagi/ Log Periodic Antenna 4G LTE 3G WiFi 75 Ohm 698-27 MHz 1 dBi

 

[k0ua]

Something like this???

Yagi/ Log Periodic Antenna 4G LTE 3G WiFi 75 Ohm 698-27 MHz 1 dBi

That is actually a widebanded LP (Log Periodic) type, not really a yagi but it would work assuming the neighbors wi-fi is 2.4ghz not 5ghz. That LP has response from 698 to 2.7ghz with supposedly 10 dbi of gain. Some Yagi's would have more gain if built for the specific frequency like 2.4 instead of the LP design with wide band coverage.

Here is an example of a yagi with 17 dbi of gain

https://www.amazon.com/d/Network-An...49378924&sr=8-1&keywords=2.4+ghz+yagi+antenna

 

[plowhog]

Something like this???

Yagi/ Log Periodic Antenna 4G LTE 3G WiFi 75 Ohm 698-27 MHz 1 dBi

From the description of the item in your link:

"It transmits powerfully in one single direction. It is designed for using outdoors with any 75 Ohm 2G, 3G, 4G and LTE cellular signal amplifier or repeater. "

This looks more like something to broadcast a cell signal in a certain direction for voice use with a phone. I don't think this is appropriate for you to use on the "receive" end for internet data at your barn, although it might work as James said in the 2 ghz spectrum off his wireless broadcast. I have many antennas, but only have one log periodic antenna, very wide band coverage, which is for satellite work. As James says a more discreet antenna with a tighter frequency spectrum might be better.

Did you ask around at Fry's for some suggestions? Hopefully something returnable if you don't like the performance? Some folks there are brilliant-- others not so.

 

[k0ua]

Here are some "yardsticks" you can use to try to understand the dB scale (Decibel). The dB scale is a logarithmic scale so it is not linear.
You must also specify the gain or loss in reference to something. In these antennas, they are both referenced to "i" or the so called isotropic radiator. In other words a radiator that radiates equally in all directions. They don't exist in real life but are used for a reference. So if you have an antenna rated at 3dBi this means that the antenna is rated to have gain (because it is a positive number) of 3 decibels of gain over the theoretical isotropic antenna. 3dB is a power gain of 2. So if you put 1 watt into this antenna it would have the same effect as 2 watts put into the isotropic antenna. If you had 6dB of gain it would be a doubling again of the original power so 4 times the original power so 4 watts . If you had an antenna of 10 dBi it would be 10 times the original power so 10 watts effective. Remember the scale is not linear. It is logarithmic. If you will remember these three points you will be able to get pretty close in your head to figuring out how much gain or loss (negative numbers) an antenna or device has.

In the example of the 10dBi antenna it would give 10 times the power in or out
In the example of the 17dBi antenna it is a bit harder to figure in your head, but lets give it a try.

so lets break it down, to 10 + 6 +1 dB so 10 times + 4 times + 1.25 so about 15.25 times the power. So if you put 1 watt in you would get about 15 watts out. This works the same for receive although we are dealing with much lower power levels.

All of these figures are approximate, but close enough for government work. You can work with the actual formula if you like but these approximations will work just fine.

Sometimes you see antennas rated in dbD instead of dbi. This is referenced to a standard dipole. Both types of references are used in the goal to confuse the consumer. Ofttimes no reference is given, so no actual calculations can be performed. Sometimes things like gain=high or some such nonsense is listed.

Many antennas actually have loss instead of gain. Some examples would be "rubber duckies" on VHF and most 27mhz mobile CB antennas that are smaller than the resonant 102 inch whip. If you would like to know more, let me know..

 

[k0ua]

Now a few of you might be scratching your head and thinking, wait just a doggone minute, how do you actually get more power out of an antenna than you put in it? So I put 1 watt in and I get 15 or some other value out? How can that be? How can a piece of metal make power?

Good question. To understand this, we need to go back and think about that isotropic antenna (radiator) that we talked about. Think about a point source and rays coming out of that point source. At any given distance from that point, the rays would form a sphere correct? This things radiates equally in all directions. Now to have gain in a PARTICULAR direction we must have LOSS in other directions. Yes antennas with gain in some direction have tremendous losses in other directions as compared to our isotropic antenna. As the gain figures go up the beamwidth becomes more and more like a laser beam and less and less like a garden hose set on sprinkle spray. We often also make note of this beamwidth as defined at the 3 dB points.

In other words if we say the antenna has a 10 degree beamwidth we are saying at 5 degrees to either side of dead on looking down the bore of the antenna the power has fallen off 3dB. And it will fall off even faster as we move further away from the bore of the antenna. If we move around behind the antenna we could expect a huge falloff of power back there, maybe a -25dB power level or even more. You will often see so called front to back ratios and front to side ratios specified.

Here is another way of thinking about his. We all know how bright sunlight feels on our skin. A nice pleasant warmth. Now take a parabolic reflector or a convex lens and focus an area of that sunlight equal to the size of that lens or parabolic reflector into a small dot on our skin, and instantly the smoke starts to roll, and the heat rises and the pain begins because we have now concentrated the sunlight that was evenly distributed into a small area. Much like the antenna concentrates the signal into a small beamwidth at the exclusion of other areas.

This is how we are able to put more power in one direction at the exclusion of other directions with beam type antennas.

 

[ultrarunner]

Probably will not have time to check out Fry's until the weekend...

Lots of OT at work makes it hard to get away in between looking after mom...

I did find the perfect spot and orientation of the lap top in the shop... no signal dropping out... but even turning/moving a few inches and bye-bye.

 

[CPTKILLER]

My Hughesnet works OK.

For a house or office or other site, consider this.

29% off NETGEAR AC75 WiFi Range Extender - Deal Alert | Macworld

Also this.

5 Best Wi-Fi Extenders Reviews of 218 - BestAdvisor.com

 

[ultrarunner]

My work around is Verizon Hot Spot... it is the only carrier that works at this precise location and then 1 bar... amazed how well it does work for the laptop.

Also... another neighbor that I just helped with my Tractor heard I was having problems connecting... he gave me their password for their WiFi and it works better... but not everywhere.

Seems helping out neighbors with the loader begets very friendly neighbors!!!

 

[k0ua]

Here are some "yardsticks" you can use to try to understand the dB scale (Decibel). The dB scale is a logarithmic scale so it is not linear.
You must also specify the gain or loss in reference to something. In these antennas, they are both referenced to "i" or the so called isotropic radiator. In other words a radiator that radiates equally in all directions. They don't exist in real life but are used for a reference. So if you have an antenna rated at 3dBi this means that the antenna is rated to have gain (because it is a positive number) of 3 decibels of gain over the theoretical isotropic antenna. 3dB is a power gain of 2. So if you put 1 watt into this antenna it would have the same effect as 2 watts put into the isotropic antenna. If you had 6dB of gain it would be a doubling again of the original power so 4 times the original power so 4 watts . If you had an antenna of 10 dBi it would be 10 times the original power so 10 watts effective. Remember the scale is not linear. It is logarithmic. If you will remember these three points you will be able to get pretty close in your head to figuring out how much gain or loss (negative numbers) an antenna or device has.

In the example of the 10dBi antenna it would give 10 times the power in or out
In the example of the 17dBi antenna it is a bit harder to figure in your head, but lets give it a try.

so lets break it down, to 10 + 6 +1 dB so 10 times + 4 times + 1.25 so about 15.25 times the power. So if you put 1 watt in you would get about 15 watts out. This works the same for receive although we are dealing with much lower power levels.

All of these figures are approximate, but close enough for government work. You can work with the actual formula if you like but these approximations will work just fine.

Sometimes you see antennas rated in dbD instead of dbi. This is referenced to a standard dipole. Both types of references are used in the goal to confuse the consumer. Ofttimes no reference is given, so no actual calculations can be performed. Sometimes things like gain=high or some such nonsense is listed.

Many antennas actually have loss instead of gain. Some examples would be "rubber duckies" on VHF and most 27mhz mobile CB antennas that are smaller than the resonant 102 inch whip. If you would like to know more, let me know..

Now a few of you might be scratching your head and thinking, wait just a doggone minute, how do you actually get more power out of an antenna than you put in it? So I put 1 watt in and I get 15 or some other value out? How can that be? How can a piece of metal make power?

Good question. To understand this, we need to go back and think about that isotropic antenna (radiator) that we talked about. Think about a point source and rays coming out of that point source. At any given distance from that point, the rays would form a sphere correct? This things radiates equally in all directions. Now to have gain in a PARTICULAR direction we must have LOSS in other directions. Yes antennas with gain in some direction have tremendous losses in other directions as compared to our isotropic antenna. As the gain figures go up the beamwidth becomes more and more like a laser beam and less and less like a garden hose set on sprinkle spray. We often also make note of this beamwidth as defined at the 3 dB points.

In other words if we say the antenna has a 10 degree beamwidth we are saying at 5 degrees to either side of dead on looking down the bore of the antenna the power has fallen off 3dB. And it will fall off even faster as we move further away from the bore of the antenna. If we move around behind the antenna we could expect a huge falloff of power back there, maybe a -25dB power level or even more. You will often see so called front to back ratios and front to side ratios specified.

Here is another way of thinking about his. We all know how bright sunlight feels on our skin. A nice pleasant warmth. Now take a parabolic reflector or a convex lens and focus an area of that sunlight equal to the size of that lens or parabolic reflector into a small dot on our skin, and instantly the smoke starts to roll, and the heat rises and the pain begins because we have now concentrated the sunlight that was evenly distributed into a small area. Much like the antenna concentrates the signal into a small beamwidth at the exclusion of other areas.

This is how we are able to put more power in one direction at the exclusion of other directions with beam type antennas.

So not even a single question after all of that typing.... sheesh, what is a nerd to do. :grumpy:

 

[ultrarunner]

It was so well presented there was nothing left to question...

I have not given up on my quest but finding work arounds shifted this project to the back burner.