Bbasso
USA
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Joined: 09/08/2010
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I'm on the hunt for knowledge and the right antenna... Maybe you can help me out.
I'd like to mount a Wifi antenna to my TT to get the most out of the offered signal.
I'm currently using the Alfa 1000mW WiFi USB one, while it's been great it's just not enough for the distance.
it appears that the Omni Directional WiFi Antenna would be the best thing to get the signal, but is there better?
I'd like to stay away from the directional models due to my frequent traveling and sometimes unknown location of the source.
Budget $200 MAX.
Suggestions please?
thanks!
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SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
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Joined: 07/28/2006
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2.4GHz Onmi-Ant's
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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MNtundraRet
Bloomington, MN
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When it comes to Omni-directional antennas versus a directional antenna, they have a very basic disadvantage. Their only advantage is that they are simpler to use for the "Clueless" or lazy people.
"Omni-directional" means getting a signal from any direction without aiming the antenna. Signals picked up are normally about 1/3 the distance capable for any "Directional" antenna. Also; when one or more amplifiers are used with this type of antenna it means "noise" (unwanted signals) are picked up too.
These problems are for all types of signals; television, radio, internet data, etc. Many people may blame their computer, browser, internet site, for slow downloads when the problem is a poor noisy signal causing the server to resend the information over and over due to data errors on down-loading.
Mark & Jan "Old age & treachery win over youth & enthusiasm"
2003 Fleetwood Jamboree 29
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n7bsn
Yes
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Something you need to consider is how an "omni" get's it's gain, it does so by reducing the vertical beam width. That is to say the antenna is only omni in the horizontal plane. In the vertical, it can have a really narrow beamwidth. So if you mount the omni 10 ft in the air, and you are sitting right out side, at 4 ft... You are not going to see much signal
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When someone tells you to buy the same rig they own, listen, they might be right. When they tell you to buy a different rig then they own, really pay attention, they probably know something you don't.
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Ivylog
Blairsville, Ga. USA
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I've been surprised at how well a Yagi directional antanna picks up signals from the side. In a recently post I have a link for a $20 system.
This post is my opinion (free advice). It is not intended to influence anyone's judgment nor do I advocate anyone do what I propose.
04 Monaco Dynasty 42' quad slide
Where am I?
How I tow.
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christopherglenn
a little over an hour from Yosemite
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Super high gain omni's are far better fo rthe access point, where devices will be hitting it from all different directions. On the user end, unless you are going to be hitting more then one access point, directional antennas are better, then also ignore most of the noise that is not along the beam path, where omni's get it all.
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Bbasso
USA
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no other specific models suggested??
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Kiwi_too
Western, WA
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We have the Hi-Gain 15dBi Outdoor Omni-Directional Antenna. It really picks up a long way off. We raise it on our ladder on a Flagpole Buddy.
Source
May God bless your travels
Me, The Wonderful Wife 
and two Spastic Border Collies 
U.S. Army Retired 
2004 Coachmen Aurora, 3480DS
2007 Saturn Outlook, FROG
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dshinnick
Mission Viejo, CA USA
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I just installed this one:
http://www.jefatech.com/product/PA24-13/13dBi-24GHz-Flat-Panel-Antenna.html
on the support for our OTA antenna (which I removed). I have it connected to a repeater:
http://www.pepwave.com/products/surf/
which is then connected to my router. I rotate the OTA antenna from inside the coach. I see available Access Points in real time by logging in to the repeater. When I see the AP I want, I just tell the repeater to associate to it.
I'm not sure how "far" the antenna is reaching, but when using it I can see AP's that my computer, by itself, has no idea are there. We're in a pretty heavily wooded area right now. In our previous camp I was able to connect to an AP in an entertainment center just over a 1/4 mile away, through one line of trees, and got over 3Mb down.
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Bbasso
USA
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I like the idea of a directional unit, but three things.
Sometimes I don't know where the sending WiFi antenna is located, I'd like to mount it and forget it and I don't have the software to see the true signal strength.
Thanks for the link / idea of it, but it won't work for me.
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