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Post by Antigone68104 on Feb 28, 2014 22:51:11 GMT
Long story short, the store I work at is moving about five bays down the strip mall. We've been in an end bay since the place was built, we're going to be near the middle of the strip.
I can pick up a tolerable wifi signal in our current location, but I don't know how well I'll be able to get one in the new location. There's a wide range of wifi antennas that you plug into a spare USB port on the market, but does anyone know if they really help pick up a weak signal?
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Post by GTCGreg on Feb 28, 2014 23:25:45 GMT
Unless it's a complete antenna AND wifi receiver, it isn't going to plug into a USB port. In order to use just an external antenna, your computer has to have a SMA type external antenna connector on it. An SMA connector looks like a miniature "F" connector like is on a TV or cable box to connect a coax cable to.
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Post by the light works on Mar 1, 2014 5:25:14 GMT
I suspect it is rather a case of "you get what you pay for" but yes, there are external WiFi antennae that are superior to the average internal WiFi antenna. I do suspect that wise shopping will be called for, though.
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Post by kharnynb on Mar 5, 2014 13:08:02 GMT
What kind of wifi device are we talking about? internal from a laptop, full-size desktop with cardslot or a seperate router?
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Post by Antigone68104 on Mar 7, 2014 13:08:28 GMT
Right now, I'm connected via my laptop's internal wifi antenna.
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Post by kharnynb on Mar 7, 2014 16:00:03 GMT
In that case, you're pretty much limited to a secondary wifi device with a real antenna, they do come as a USB-pluggable one for example.
Another option would be to get a router/extender of some kind.
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Post by ponytail61 on Mar 8, 2014 1:27:49 GMT
Have you taken your laptop down to that new location and checked for signal? You may find the signal is stronger depending on where the signal is originating from.
I'm guessing it's free WiFi supplied by the mall? You would think that they would place the sending unit closer to the middle of the mall where you are moving.
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Post by Antigone68104 on Mar 9, 2014 0:02:52 GMT
I can't get into the new location until after the remodeling is done, and given that they just dropped off the carpet sample book for one of our VPs to look at I think it will be a while.
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Post by GTCGreg on Mar 9, 2014 0:21:31 GMT
If this is a strip mall, who is providing the internet access? Is it mall management, just another store or some city provided access?
In our downtown area of town, the city provides "free" internet access. It's provided by a number of wifi routers on electric poles through the downtown area. While it doesn't cost you anything, you do get your share of free ads.
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Post by the light works on Mar 9, 2014 0:51:56 GMT
if you have a smartphone that connects to wifi, you could use it to get an approximation of the signal strength, without sitting in a lawn chair in front of the storefront with your laptop in your lap.
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Post by silverdragon on Mar 9, 2014 9:34:04 GMT
Is the WIFI there for Business use, and is it part of the deal you are getting as that business.
If so, and the WIFI is questionable, I have strong suspicions that you should be talking to the WIFI provider to improve their signal.
If, However, you are just using it to browse as its something from a free WIFI cafe', Good luck.
I also suggest you speak to the owner of the signal and ask.
If you just get a repeater that boosts the signal, they may not be happy, especially if they are now faced with increased traffic.
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Post by Lokifan on Mar 11, 2014 7:21:46 GMT
I've had friends who had good luck with Hawking Technology products. They're not too expensive, either.
We have city wide WiFi here that is free, but signal quality varies.
Me, I pay for cable.
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Post by c64 on Apr 14, 2014 11:18:27 GMT
I've had friends who had good luck with Hawking Technology products. They're not too expensive, either. We have city wide WiFi here that is free, but signal quality varies. Me, I pay for cable. You can use directional antennas - on both sides of the "gap" you need to cover. If the signal is strong enough to be picked up outside, you can install a "repeater" outside of the building. Or even better, use a WIFI "bridge". Most routers have this option. They act as a WIFI client and put "your internet" on LAN cable. Inside the building, you can use an "access point" (also a common cheap router with this option) to turn it into WIFI again. If you have a direct line of sight, you might want to use the "RONJA" project: ronja.twibright.com/ |
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Post by Antigone68104 on Apr 14, 2014 11:41:22 GMT
The move is scheduled for this Wednesday, as soon as we close for the day. (Yes, I'm getting overtime pay for coming in four hours after my shift ends to move things.) I'll be able to check signal strength Thursday morning -- no smartphone, I can't justify the expense when my regular cellphone costs less than $7 per month.
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Post by the light works on Apr 15, 2014 14:37:07 GMT
The move is scheduled for this Wednesday, as soon as we close for the day. (Yes, I'm getting overtime pay for coming in four hours after my shift ends to move things.) I'll be able to check signal strength Thursday morning -- no smartphone, I can't justify the expense when my regular cellphone costs less than $7 per month. good luck. |
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Post by GTCGreg on Apr 15, 2014 15:40:35 GMT
The move is scheduled for this Wednesday, as soon as we close for the day. (Yes, I'm getting overtime pay for coming in four hours after my shift ends to move things.) I'll be able to check signal strength Thursday morning -- no smartphone, I can't justify the expense when my regular cellphone costs less than $7 per month. I'm still curious. Who is it that is providing this free Wi-Fi access? The city? Mall management? Another shop for their customers, such as a Starbucks? |
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Post by Antigone68104 on Apr 16, 2014 11:19:13 GMT
Not the city. It might be the strip mall's management, I've never seen a notice about it, but we're a branch location so I wouldn't -- anything they send out goes straight to the main office.
The connection I can usually find just has the default router name on it, so that's no clue.
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Post by silverdragon on May 10, 2014 8:21:41 GMT
I may suggest a wi-fi hotspot finder, then go investigate where the signal is strongest... and hope its not just a unsecured router that some ijurt has forgotten to protect, bringing attention to that may make them get some security.
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