WiFi maven needed

[skiff]

I live on the first floor of an apartment complex consisting of 3 stories of brick construction. In the hub of this arrangement is our library where the WiFi signal is strong. My apartment is at least a 100 feet distant. I do all my googling in the library. The other day I tried to connect in my living and was stunned when I found myself on the Internet just like that. Evidently I was hovering on the extreme end of the signal and was in and out — mostly out.

I'm innocent of any knowledge on this subject and would be pleased to know if there is any way I can strengthen the signal in my living room?

[iThinkergoiMac]

Get an external boosted wireless card.

[skiff]

iThinker...

I was thoroughly impressed with your observations regarding my problem, but, alas, I haven't a clue as to what you've written. If it's possible to distill your answer to accommodate my lack of sophistication, I'd be very grateful.

[skiff]

iThinker...

I've just read on WIKIPEDIA that the Airport Extreme has no port for an external antenna! Inasmuch as my machine is a Macbook equipped with the Airport Extreme, where does that leave me?

skiff

[mstrze]

By an Airport Express and place it in the living room and use it to 'extend your network'. It is actually one of the setup options I believe. It will give you essentially a repeater to which you can connect that will boost the signal in the farther areas of your home. Place it where you can still get a good signal, but close enough to the library where it will help improve the signal.

EDIT: From Apple

"Extended range.If you already have a wireless network in your home and would like to extend its range, AirPort Express is the answer. For example, suppose you want to extend the range of your current AirPort-based network to your backyard, garage, or attic. You can use AirPort Express as a wireless bridge to extend the range of your primary base station.2
There’s no need for extra wires or cables. Just place AirPort Express in range of your primary base station (either an AirPort Extreme Base Station or another AirPort Express Base Station) and near the area where you want your wireless connection. With its easy portability, you can even move AirPort Express from place to place. So if you want to connect wirelessly from your basement one day and your garage the next, just plug it in within range of the primary base station and in a spot near those areas."

[iThinkergoiMac]

Right, what I was referring to would be a separate card, not an airport extension. I use a generic device called a Clipper abgn USB Adaptor, and it lets me pick up far more networks than the internal airport.

I can't remember the specific name attached to this, but it came with software from Ralink.

[skiff]

iThinker...

BeforeI invest time looking for your device called: Clipper abgn ..., I want to be sure we're on the same page. I have no interest in finding more networks. I'm looking for a way to strengthen the signal that makes it to my apartment from the library so it doesn't drift in and out. I have no desire to strengthen the signal from the base station because that option isn't open to me. Ideally, I could stick something into the USB port in my machine that will pick up the signal from our library and make it more reliable.

[mstrze]

So the wifi signal is not yours, but it's shared by the entire complex in the library?

You said: "The other day I tried to connect in my living and was stunned when I found myself on the Internet just like that." which implied to me you had a good signal in your living room. Sorry I misunderstood.

Sounds to me (reading this over a few times again) that your complex offers free internet for use within your shared library and you are trying to find a way to be able to use it for free (read: steal it) in your apartment as well?

Something like iThinkergoiMac suggested is your only option. He or she claims to have picked up more networks than with the internal card, meaning the previously poorer signals have been strengthened and boosted to the point at which he or she could now use them. With said attachment, you should have a stronger signal on your current network. Of course, there is no absolute guarantee it will work in your particular brick-walled situation...but it is designed to provide better signals from local wireless networks.

...again that is, if I NOW have your problem correct.

[nateo200]

Originally Posted by mstrze

So the wifi signal is not yours, but it's shared by the entire complex in the library?

You said: "The other day I tried to connect in my living and was stunned when I found myself on the Internet just like that." which implied to me you had a good signal in your living room. Sorry I misunderstood.

Sounds to me (reading this over a few times again) that your complex offers free internet for use within your shared library and you are trying to find a way to be able to use it for free (read: steal it) in your apartment as well?

Something like iThinkergoiMac suggested is your only option. He or she claims to have picked up more networks than with the internal card, meaning the previously poorer signals have been strengthened and boosted to the point at which he or she could now use them. With said attachment, you should have a stronger signal on your current network. Of course, there is no absolute guarantee it will work in your particular brick-walled situation...but it is designed to provide better signals from local wireless networks.

...again that is, if I NOW have your problem correct.

Honestly who cares? Even if OP came out and said that "stealing wifi" is pretty common place and IDC if people us mine because It doesn't change the bill at the end of the month...the only time it gets bad is when you have 500 users sucking bandwidth down and NOTHING can get done as was the case at my school when it had over 500 iPod touches on our 1GB back hauled wifi..

[mstrze]

Hey, I'm just trying to work out the actual situation here. The original post was not all that clear on the details of who controlled the wifi...hence the issues with answering. Plus skiff's saying that he/she was the owner of an Airport Extreme further complicated things in my mind.

skiff: You do NOT own an Airport Extreme...you have an airport wireless card within your computer, right? Airport Extreme and Express are wireless access points that allow you to connect to the internet that are connected to a modem which is then connected to either a cable or phone line. You have neither of these boxes, correct?

The owners of the complex run the wireless network? You just access it with your computer and pay no bill to an internet company? Is this right?

If the above is true: An external wireless card/booster is indeed your answer...but again, no guarantee. Probably will work since (I think) you had some success access the library's network in the living room currently.

[nateo200]

Originally Posted by mstrze

Hey, I'm just trying to work out the actual situation here. The original post was not all that clear on the details of who controlled the wifi...hence the issues with answering. Plus skiff's saying that he/she was the owner of an Airport Extreme further complicated things in my mind.

skiff: You do NOT own an Airport Extreme...you have an airport wireless card within your computer, right? Airport Extreme and Express are wireless access points that allow you to connect to the internet that are connected to a modem which is then connected to either a cable or phone line. You have neither of these boxes, correct?

The owners of the complex run the wireless network? You just access it with your computer and pay no bill to an internet company? Is this right?

If the above is true: An external wireless card/booster is indeed your answer...but again, no guarantee. Probably will work since (I think) you had some success access the library's network in the living room currently.

Oh okay I misunderstood you as trying to play "cyber police"..admittedly I was a bit confused as well.

[skiff]

matrze:

Sounds to me (reading this over a few times again) that your complex offers free internet for use within your shared library and you are trying to find a way to be able to use it for free (read: steal it) in your apartment as well?

Those are harsh words and disqualify you from continuing this dialogue any further. I, and everyone else who lives here, have paid to bring wireless to our facility. The administration is wholly aware of what I'm trying, and is fully supportive. Maybe you're accusing me of what your is your normal motivation.

[miles01110]

Originally Posted by skiff

I, and everyone else who lives here, have paid to bring wireless to our facility. The administration is wholly aware of what I'm trying, and is fully supportive.

Maybe you should ask them, then. If they are "fully supportive" they are the best people to ask about what is allowed in their facility.

[iThinkergoiMac]

Originally Posted by skiff

Those are harsh words and disqualify you from continuing this dialogue any further. I, and everyone else who lives here, have paid to bring wireless to our facility. The administration is wholly aware of what I'm trying, and is fully supportive. Maybe you're accusing me of what your is your normal motivation.

It's hard to understand what you're getting at. Until this post, it sounded like you were trying to grab the free Wi-Fi from your local public library and get it in your apt which happens to be near it. Of course, that Wi-Fi is for the library use only.

Now it seems that you're getting Wi-Fi from your actual apt complex that you're paying for (which brings into question why you ever called it free).

Also, I'm not entirely sure you can really just disqualify someone from contributing. Especially after he/she was asking a clarifying question, not making an accusation. As I said, it's difficult to make out what the scenario is from the way you've worded things. That's not a criticism, just an explanation for why this discussion is going the way it is.

In response to your question, I realize that you're not looking for more networks, just the ability to connect to the one you want. Seeing more networks means the card is reading from further away, which means you have a better chance of connecting to the one you want.