# Wifi Booster.



## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

Thought I would share my post on the new wifi booster I installed.

http://hasbeenthere.com/2011/03/26/wifi-booster/


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Nice - thanks for sharing - how do you like it so far?


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## Bruno (Sep 3, 2010)

Thanks for the pictures - great job!


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

its definitely nice. I don't think it has miles worth of range as it touts. But that could be because its too close to my TV ant. I like having one network in my trailer for all six wifi devices. So now I enter one codes and everyone gets online. Plus it's added security for my own devices.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

LOL......My pole is bigger than yours!!!!


















I put my system in last Spring. I purchased it from Jefatech. They had a 2 foot option and a 6 foot option, of course I went for the 6 foot option because I wanted the biggest antenna on the block!!







The system came with a repeater that runs on 12V.

The system actually works quite well, but not nearly as good as advertised. It will pull in weak signals and the repeater will boost the signal strength. Anyone around you can then take advantage of the strong signal from the repeater (assuming you give them your password). It also allows you to gain access for multiple devices in campgrounds that have single access wifi systems, you only have to pay for one access code for all the kids, DW, etc.

Tell you the truth, I think the best use of this system is to steal wifi from your neighbors. I can pull in numerous signals when the trailer is parked at home, many with no password protection. I told DW we should cancel or Internet provider and scab off of our neighbors!!







Hey, 50 bucks a month will buy alot of diesel (well, it used to anyway). She won't let me do this. Something about responsibility, blah, blah, blah, ....

DAN


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

I hear ya. I went short, but I am going to put it up on a 4-6ft pole off the wind up ant.


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

About the 6 ft antenna ... any problems when parking ... trees get in the way ..

I'm trying to figure out weather or not to get a 4 ft or 6 ft antenna.

Thanks

Kelly


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Camping Family From MI said:


> About the 6 ft antenna ... any problems when parking ... trees get in the way ..
> 
> I'm trying to figure out weather or not to get a 4 ft or 6 ft antenna.
> 
> ...


I have not had any trouble yet. There were a few close calls, however. That being said, I would probably go for the shorter one if I could do it all again. I am not sure the extra two feet make all that much difference.

DAN


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks you Dan


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

The guy I ordered mine from claimed the longer ant wasn't as powerful as the shorter... ??? *shrug* I didn't know. I normally do wired networks so I didn't know much about wifi. Apparently, I have been told on another forum, I could have done the same thing a whole cheaper and with better results then the way I went. Figures...


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

Traveling Tek said:


> I could have done the same thing a whole cheaper and with better results then the way I went. Figures...


Could you give be direction to that forum. I have decided to give it a try myself using a Linksys router and flashing it with dd-wrt. I'm having a hard time finding reviews on outdoor Wifi antennas and have run into different thoughts on cable.

Thanks

Kelly


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

Oh I don't have the links. It was over on rv.net and when I posted some thing as I did here, everyone pretty much attacked me.  Seems to happen a lot there. One of the reasons I love this forum so much. Everyone here is friendly even when I am an idiot.


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

Sorry rv.net members felt the need to be negitive.

This forum is truly friendly. They have helped me so much.

I really appreciate you starting this post. Never even crossed my mind to boost the WIFI signal till I ran into your post.

Thanks

Kelly


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

I am having a hard time deciding where to bring in the Wifi wires. How did you address bring the wire from the outside antenna in? Where do you set your router? Did you run it though the ceiling with the TV wires? Could you post pictures please?

Kelly


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

I flashed one of my Linksys routers with DD-WRT and love it. It works great as a repeater but now it is the most stable router I have. It never locks up, when it had the linksys software I had to do hard boots some times. The older linksys routers seem to be better with DD-WRT some of the newer routers have less memory. go to their web page there are a bunch of routers that can be flashed with DD-WRT and besides the repeater mode there is a lot of other features that come with the flash.

There are tons of antennas that will work on 2.4 ghz the verticals are omni directional but have less gain than a yagi or directional antenna. Even the stock factory antennas that come with the router will do better than your laptop wifi antenna. There are plans on the internet to build your own high gain wifi antenna.

So go to the DD-WRT web page do some research find out what wifi routers will work the best, check the routers you already own or go to ebay and pick up a used one for maybe $20 get a high gain antenna flash with DD-WRT and you will have a much cheaper wifi booster.


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

I did that for a couple years. Had a cisco router that I flashed with dd-wrt. It worked pretty well when I had a pringles can ant on it. But I got tired of trying to find unsecured wifi's and wondering if they were unsecured because the person behind them was stupid or because they really didn't care. I really wasn't into snatching anything other than 100% squeaky clean legal wifi.

Finally, I bit the bullet and got verizon 3g. It is so worth the money. It's a simple little tiny usb key and I put it into a Cradlepoint CTR500 router ($128) and I get about a hundred foot hotspot, so all of our networked devices are connected -- even the printer.

In the past 3 years, I can only name one spot where we couldn't get wifi (Grand Portage, MN). Otherwise, Verizon is available almost everywhere.

One of the things I like about the router is that it came with a 12v adapter. We plug it in and throw it in the back seat. Even while traveling down the road, we can be surfing the net, looking for the cheapest fuel, or skyping friends.  Pretty decent setup. Not sure if I'll go into 4G yet.

The only problem I ever had was in TX when a guy with a booster parked next to me. His booster was on the same channel as my router. I just set the router to a weird channel (10 I think) and all was ok. He eventually turned his booster off because the only thing he could pick up was me -- we were way out in the hill country north of San Antonio.


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

vdub said:


> I did that for a couple years. Had a cisco router that I flashed with dd-wrt. It worked pretty well when I had a pringles can ant on it. But I got tired of trying to find unsecured wifi's and wondering if they were unsecured because the person behind them was stupid or because they really didn't care. I really wasn't into snatching anything other than 100% squeaky clean legal wifi.
> 
> Finally, I bit the bullet and got verizon 3g. It is so worth the money. It's a simple little tiny usb key and I put it into a Cradlepoint CTR500 router ($128) and I get about a hundred foot hotspot, so all of our networked devices are connected -- even the printer.
> 
> ...


Yeah I already have a Sprint Evo with hotspot. I went with the wifi booster to try get better speeds in areas with no 3G or 4G coverage. I realize now I wasted my money. I could have done the same thing for about $100 or less. I highly doubt I can get my money back now though. :-(


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

Sure wouldn't worry too much about spending a little extra. It's all part of the game. I have one router that I bricked with dd-wrt. It was easier to just throw it away not make that mistake again.

I hate to think about all the money I wasted on things for the RV that people told me I "had to have", so I got them. Things like a $100 "power buddy" to make sure the RV power was good, a $125 stabalizing tripod for the front of my 5, a filter system for water, or a coleman "grill-to-go" which is about as heavy and big as a normal bbq. I can't even think of all the stuff I bought, because someone told me I needed them and now I no longer use them.

I found that most RV's come pretty well equipped and if you just wait for a while before buying stuff you'll figure out what you really, really need and save a whole lot of money.

I'm retired and even though I'm pretty well off financially, I know I have x amount of dollars for the rest of my life, so I analyze the heck out of things before spending a dime.


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

So far, we have purchased the linksys wrt54g v4 and been able to flash it with success. My 15dBi omni antenna is on its way. My dh thinks that there is not enough room to go though the antenna with lmr-400 wire (it is about 1/2 inch thick), so I am thinking of using lmr200. With Lmr200 will loose a little more dBi per meter but it should be fine.

Our thought ... Once we get though the roof through the antenna inlet with the wire, we are thinking about threading it through the ceiling next to the TV wire (if we can). Then we could put and a wifi connection with a faceplate in the back of TV and build a shelf for the router to sit on under the TV. Does anyone know if it is possible to thread the wire though the ceiling ina 250rs? or Does anyone have any thoughts on how to get the wire from where the TV antenna is, near an electrical outlet and where I could place a router and would not have wires hanging all over?

Kelly


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

An easy way to check the area above the ceiling is to take out the roof vent. It leaves a large enough area where you can get your head up there and look around in the ceiling.


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## Camping Family From MI (Feb 20, 2010)

Thank you we did not think of removing the roof vent to take a look. We will try to get to that this weekend.

Kelly


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## vdub (Jun 19, 2004)

Don't remove it from the top. Just remove the inside handle, then the 4 screws on the sorrounding shroud. That opens up the cavity to look inside. Also a good time to clean the screen.


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

Camping Family From MI said:


> So far, we have purchased the linksys wrt54g v4 and been able to flash it with success. My 15dBi omni antenna is on its way. My dh thinks that there is not enough room to go though the antenna with lmr-400 wire (it is about 1/2 inch thick), so I am thinking of using lmr200. With Lmr200 will loose a little more dBi per meter but it should be fine.
> 
> Our thought ... Once we get though the roof through the antenna inlet with the wire, we are thinking about threading it through the ceiling next to the TV wire (if we can). Then we could put and a wifi connection with a faceplate in the back of TV and build a shelf for the router to sit on under the TV. Does anyone know if it is possible to thread the wire though the ceiling ina 250rs? or Does anyone have any thoughts on how to get the wire from where the TV antenna is, near an electrical outlet and where I could place a router and would not have wires hanging all over?
> 
> Kelly


I pulled a speaker out of the ceiling and fished my cable under the insulation. I could not figure out how to get it to the face plate though. So I came out of my speaker and just tacked it across the ceiling there. I have also seen people just stick the cable out through a slide out. There is enough give around the seals to do that just fine. My setup is POE and the EC unit mounts directly to the bottom of the antenna. So I just fished a cat5 cable up through the little holes for cable for the tv ant and did it that way. Then sealed the whole thing back up. Easy.

http://travelingtek.com/2011/03/26/wifi-booster/


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