Hope someone can give me some guidance. My FIL (age 80) is in a nursing home after pneumonia. It looks like it will be a permanent situation. He gets very anxious not seeing my MIL since they've hardly been apart for 50 years. calls aren't cutting it.The nursing home has WiFi in the opposite wing from FIL. Imagine getting off the elevator - go left and that area has Wifi. Go right and you are in my FIL section. No one can answer if the wifi reaches in his area.... it may, but I haven't been able to verify.Thinking ahead - is there anyway I can boost a Kindle Fire HD7 so he can Skype with my MIL? I'm not sure this is possible with a cheapy tablet... but he's able to hold the Kindle in his lap and adjust it. He can't manage to adjust a laptop sitting on his tray table b/c he's too weak to move much.does an antenna even work with a tablet? Can you recommend something that could get the job done? they don't need HD quality, just seeing her face and hearing her voice would be fine.Please don't suggest an Ipad. I have access to a Kindle, and MIL's laptop and that's all I can afford now b/c I also have to help her get wireless in her house.Thanks.

P.S. - if anyone fusses about "RV" related only on the forums I can always try and Skype him from my travels in my TC LOL. Does that make it "official"? :)

My smartphone works as a mobile hotspot. Are your there and do you have a phone you can tether? That will do the trick. I can tether my kindle to my cell, but that is a slow connection. Is there someone on both ends who could set up skype? Computer her side, hooked up to regular internet, maybe phone on yours?

I thought of that, but no one has a smart phone/data plan that can be left with FIL. I also didn't know how data intensive video Skype is...I'd hate to let him try Skype, find out he likes it AND can use it from bed, and then tell him he was going over the data plan. I did consider it and it still might be an option if I have to.

External Wi-Fi antenna that plugs into the USB port can boost the signal, and can be pointed in the direction of the Wi-Fi receiver for best reception. AS long as you are within 800 feet, you should be able to use the external Wi-Fi antenna. Something like this?amazon.comYou can search Amazon for Wi-Fi antenna and USB and find several results.Good luck,Fred.

You need what is called a WiFi Range Extender Router, which is nothing more than a repeater. You'll have to set the WiFi SSID and password into the range extender, and it will receive the weak signal and re-broadcast it for use with your other WiFi devices. You can keep it on all the time in his room as long as they allow him to do so.If you're not tech savvy, it may be better to go with an easier range extender to setup such as the touchscreen Securifi Almond. Otherwise, if you feel comfortable setting up routers, than something like this less expensive Medialink should suffice.I use WiFi repeaters all the time, by just re-flashing the firmware of a used $5. router. But this can be an intimidating process for those not familiar with router setup and configurations.

Nursing Home WiFi | Good Sam Community

Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
How about this small antenna, it is external to the laptop, and tiny.

http://www.amazon.com/Hawking-Technology-Wireless-150N-Amplifier-HAWNU1/dp/B003SVOR2K/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1423938891&sr=1-1

It looks about 6" tall?

Good luck,

Fred.
hitchup
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
FaceTime works much better than Skype for us on the road. We don't even need a wifi connection because we bought it through ATT when we upgraded our iPhones 2 yrs ago.

Best part, a mini-iPad is only an extra $10+ tax a month on our ATT data plan.
sch911
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
It's an easy test with your smartphone to see if there is a WiFi signal in the FIL's wing. Just turn on you smartphone's WiFI and see if it detects the signal....
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
1492 wrote:
You need what is called a WiFi Range Extender Router, which is nothing more than a repeater. You'll have to set the WiFi SSID and password into the range extender, and it will receive the weak signal and re-broadcast it for use with your other WiFi devices. You can keep it on all the time in his room as long as they allow him to do so. .

yep, I use one at the lake, picks up the signal and broadcasts it around the house. about $69 at walmart. much more reasonable than a separate smart phone, etc.
bumpy
1492
Moderator
Feb 14, 2015
You need what is called a WiFi Range Extender Router, which is nothing more than a repeater. You'll have to set the WiFi SSID and password into the range extender, and it will receive the weak signal and re-broadcast it for use with your other WiFi devices. You can keep it on all the time in his room as long as they allow him to do so.

If you're not tech savvy, it may be better to go with an easier range extender to setup such as the touchscreen Securifi Almond. Otherwise, if you feel comfortable setting up routers, than something like this less expensive Medialink should suffice.

I use WiFi repeaters all the time, by just re-flashing the firmware of a used $5. router. But this can be an intimidating process for those not familiar with router setup and configurations.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
External Wi-Fi antenna that plugs into the USB port can boost the signal, and can be pointed in the direction of the Wi-Fi receiver for best reception. AS long as you are within 800 feet, you should be able to use the external Wi-Fi antenna.

Something like this?

amazon.com

You can search Amazon for Wi-Fi antenna and USB and find several results.

Good luck,

Fred.
Stars101
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
I thought of that, but no one has a smart phone/data plan that can be left with FIL. I also didn't know how data intensive video Skype is...

I'd hate to let him try Skype, find out he likes it AND can use it from bed, and then tell him he was going over the data plan. I did consider it and it still might be an option if I have to.
puttd
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
My smartphone works as a mobile hotspot. Are your there and do you have a phone you can tether? That will do the trick. I can tether my kindle to my cell, but that is a slow connection. Is there someone on both ends who could set up skype? Computer her side, hooked up to regular internet, maybe phone on yours?
Stars101
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
P.S. - if anyone fusses about "RV" related only on the forums I can always try and Skype him from my travels in my TC LOL. Does that make it "official"? :)

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