Long Range Wireless Networking

Justin McMurray
National Instruments
January 17, 2003

Wireless Access Point Homebuilt Cantenna Wireless Network Card

Today’s Topics

Long Range Wireless Networking Overview
My Personal Experimentation

Performance Results of Various Designs


Long Range Wireless Networking Overview

Orinoco Gold 802.11b PCMCIA Wireless Networking Card


This card works really well with NetStumbler.
http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=950604

19 inch ORiNOCO/Avaya (MC) to
N-Male Pigtail

This cable connects the network card to the Cantenna.
http://www.fab-corp.com

Build Your Own Cantenna
Then plug-in the network card on your computer and install the drivers provided on the installation CD


http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

Download and Install NetStumbler


My Wireless Pages
http://www.cs.utah.edu/~mcmurray/wireless/

Email:


My Experiments 1/3
Cantenna Creation


Two views of an N-Female chassis-mount connector

Basic Setup

1. Put network card in laptop

2. Plug cable into network card and cantenna

3. Point cantenna at the other site


My Experiments 2/3

Wireless Wonders


My Experiments 3/3
Unexpected Acquaintance


802.11b Homebrew Antenna Shootout

The Linksys WAP11 access point was 1120' from the test antennas. Signal to Noise Ratio, higher numbers are better. Power doubles for every 3 dBm increase.

Orinoco Built-in Antenna
Signal To Noise / Signal in dBm / Noise in dBm
6 / -90 / -96

Orinoco "Range Extender" Antenna
Signal To Noise / Signal in dBm / Noise in dBm
13 / -85 / -98
Rehm Modified Pringles Antenna
Signal To Noise / Signal in dBm / Noise in dBm
13 / -86 / -99


Rehm Modifed Coffee Can Antenna
Signal To Noise / Signal in dBm / Noise in dBm
17 / -81 / -98

Nalley "Big Chunk" Beef Stew Can Antenna
Signal To Noise / Signal in dBm / Noise in dBm
19 / -79 / -98