campground WiFi booster
Anyone found a good way to boost WiFi reception in campgrounds?
Forum Discussion
- I will describe my system.. First some background...
I have a pair of ReplayTV DVR's. these are vintage (Analog NTSC only) DVRs but they are feature loaded.. If you have seen the commercials for Cable TV where they say "Only (insert name of lying cable company here) offers all this" well, they are wrong, Replay has offered that and has been doing it since LAST CENTURY no less.. Record multiple programs (one per recorder) watch in a different room, pause/stop in one room and pick up in another, Fast forward/rewind (And on one of them auto-commercial advance) share over internet, download to a portable device and more.. Replay does it all.
But the motor home did not have LAN from the front to the back, (I ended up having one installed) So I got a Linksys Wireless Game Adapter.. This is kind of a Wi-Fi Internet modem.. (IT has a Wi-Fi Antenna and a Ethernet port, my computer or other devices think it is a cable modem, though instead of cable it connects to the park Wi-Fi.
now, google Amateurlogic.tv and watch Episode 3
I did NOT re-cut the Linksys antenna, I choose to leave it as Linksys made it
other than that,, That's how I did it.
It feeds the WAN port on a router (Currently a Belkin but I'll never buy another of those) and that in turn feeds a 8 port switch in the front Electronics bay (One of which feeds the Living Room REPLAY, another of which feeds this Laptop (There are reasons I do not use Wi-FI) it feeds the "Main" compter which is a file server for the Replays, It feeds Bedroom Relay (next to it) it feeds Ham Shack Compter (Both hard wire if in the ham shack and Wi-Fi if remoted) It feeds my Android devices (Tablet and phone) and my printer/scanner.
All with a single connection to the park.
And with the Amateur Logic modifications it had aboutr 2-3 times the range it would have without them and several times the range of my laptop's internal card.
Fact: in one park which I'd like to be in right now, but alas can not get to I would park in like row 4 (Counting from the location of the park Wi-Fi Antenna) and the folks in Row 2 connected via my Router cause they coudl see it and could not see the park's.. (So I gave them the password)
Of course the Linksys, since it connects with CAT-5, not coax, not usb, is not bothered by a cable 100 feet long, So it can go in the main bath (Where it is now) over the couch (Some parks) on the roof (many parks) on top of a 20 foot flag pole.. Wherever it needs to go to see a Wi-Fi node.
IF you search the forums you will see many long range Wi-Fi systems
Someone has mounted a Wi-Fi Adapter on the end of a Satellite dish arm (Around 20 dB gain).. Someone else in a common kitchen strainer (5-10 dB depending on size of strainer) just to describe two.
IF you google Open Roads Wi-Fi Booster you should find a PDF
print it out on heavy duty paper... Cut it out, cover one piece with aluminum foil.. I used this with my Linksys before I did the Amateur Logic mod. - I see folks talking about antennas for WIRELESS, not Wi-Fi, but WIRELESS, it is important to distinguish between them. So I will put some words in boxes
{Cell tower} <----> Jetpack <====> Computer device
NOTE: jetpack is any device that creates a Wi-Fi hot spot in your RV, in my case it is a Samsung Galixy S-III
In this diagram --- Is WIRELESS and === Is Wi-Fi. Wireless antennas do not help with Wi-Fi problems, though of course they work well with Wireless.
Most computers have internal Wi-Fi cards and though they do make high gain Wi-Fi Antennas (I use one) you need an EXTERNAL device with an antenna jack in most cases (Mine is an exception there too)
Now: the reason I decided to read this post.
Was in a Wal*Mart (Brunswick GA) the other day and they had the TP-Link device on closeout (35 bucks)
This is a multiple fucntion device
Plug in a Wireless Dongle (3G or 4G wireless adapter) and it actus like a Cradle Point router. if set in 3/4 G mode
Set it in WISP mode (Wi-Fi Internet Service Provider) and it is a Wi-Fi Repeater
In both of these modes it has one LAN port and Wi-Fi as well
In A/P mode the LAN port is now a WAN port, Wi-Fi still works to the client devices (Use that to extend/expand say a cable modem without Wi-Fi)
I use a different long range system myself (home made) but a friend lives in a Faraday cage (metal sided trailer) so he gets crappy Wi-Fi less he holds the device in teh window.. He hung my TP-link in said window, clear view of park router.. And now gets good service. (And when we part, I'll have a back up system) - The couple who travel the country in their RV and have a web site (Gone with the Wynns)? Wrote about the Wifi issues they have had and what's for them. Check out their site.
- I used the C Crane unit for several years and had good results. With the TT I had at the time, I was able to strap it to the outside TV antenna and then run the wire into the TT thru a slide-out that was right under the antenna. Worked great with it outside and on top of the TT.
- I have used the C CRANE WINDOW UNIT antenna in the past that worked pretty good but this only works with ONE COMPUTER hookup...
I eventually give up on playing with CAMPGROUND WIFI connections. Most of them are not very good even if you are able to connect to them. Too many users at the prime time hours of 6PM to 11PM at night.
We eventually went with the VERIZON MIFI unit coupled with a WILSON SLEEK CRADLE with outside ANTENNA.
This provides its own secured WIFI HOTSPOT for up to five WIFI enabled devices and works anywhere you are able to pick up the VERIZON NETWORK.
The MIFI unit I am using is only a 3GB per month DATAPLAN but works great checking my emails, paying some bills online and keeping in touch with family. Verizon offers larger DATAPLANs...
The VERIZON JETPACK is a POPULAR plan..
Never again having to deal with the local WIFI places...
Roy Ken
