Wireless network questions

[Tony Wasson]

>> I'd recommend going Ad-hoc using cards that support external antennas.
>> Buy cards that allow external antennas (like Lucent/Orinico). Use a PCI
>> adapter for his end.
>> Build/Buy 2 Cantenna's
>> Buy pigtails to connect it up
>>
>> Estimated cost under $200.

>How long can the pigtails be?  At my house, the computer stuff is on the
>oppisite side of the house from where the CANtenna would be.

There's no free lunch. The longer the cable the more power you lose. It is
possible to go 100 in antenna cable, but many installers like to keep the
cable short (under 20 feet is a good start). Buying high quality cable will
help, but we want a cost effective solution.

If cable runs sound tough, I think some high powered card could do the
trick. A typical WLAN card is under 100mw -- usually 30-40mw before any
antenna. Buying 200mw cards could go the distance without any extra wires.

Senao has a 200mw cards, supported in linux too.
Tony