Help... Wifi reception for public wifi(extender)?

1. Wait longer before bumping, if at all. You are pretty impatient.

2. Public wifi is just how far away can we put an access point and not loose signal in between...

Try moving the iMac around. A single metal pipe can be the difference between sub-20% and plus-40% signal.

 

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for, but this is a WiFi repeater. It should be put in range of a wireless network and it "bounces" the signal to additional devices. Not sure if you can do this with the public internet you are accessing.

Good Luck

 

Since you have a Powerbook why don't you use this little program http://www.macstumbler.com/ to see where you get the best signal in the house.
The program will tell you the strength of the signal. If it's really weak every where even a bridge or reapeater will not help

Or you can buy this http://www.cantenna.com/ and connect it to your airport card instead the build in antenna.

 

I just did this today.

My girlfriend moved in to a new apartment. Fortunately, there are numerous unprotected wireless networks around, but the signal strength was very weak in her apartment.

I bought a D-Link DWL-G710 Wireless G extender. It works great with the weak signal and repeats it perfectly. It doesn't work with every access point, but I've tried it with a linksys and a belkin...it works fine on both.

If the signal is too weak for the repeater to pickup you can then attach one of those antennas directly to it.