01-30-2003, 04:33 AM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5
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distance from router???
How far will the signal reach on the wireless card for my PPC?
Is there a ballpark number, or does it vary? I am wondering because I have a card here, but was going to send it back to Dell. I decided against purchasing a wireless router and therefore, probably can't use it.
Anyway, I was wondering if a neighbor was running a wireless setup,maybe I could run off of theirs? A shot in the dark, but I thought I would ask. Thanks
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Ramon
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01-30-2003, 06:04 AM
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Contributing Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 14,938
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There are too many variables to give you a straight answer here.
It depends on:
- Your wireless router vendor
- Your wireless card vendor
- Building properties
- Possible sources of interference
In our house, if the base station is downstairs and I'm upstairs, perhaps 30 feet away, I get a flaky signal without antennas. On the other hand, I've set up base stations in offices where it can reach the entire office, perhaps a 50 foot radius. While a lot of 802.11b base stations have a 150 foot theoretical range, you're talking line-of-sight, more or less, and NYC is a hit-or-miss proposition with steel columns, etc. This is with ORiNOCO equipment which is known for its range.
On the other extreme, people have gotten miles with directional antennas.
--janak
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01-30-2003, 06:16 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,018
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Realistically, if you live in an apartment, there's a very good chance that you and your neighbor can share a signal. However, if you live in separate houses and they have standard drywall and wooden exteriors, you might be able to share a signal, but I wouldn't count on it being too reliable.
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01-30-2003, 02:59 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11
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Thanks guys. That pretty much sealed my "wireless" fate, for now anyways. I'll send the cardback and get some extra memory.
Thank you again
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Ramon
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02-03-2003, 06:37 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 116
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Brad Adrian
Realistically, if you live in an apartment, there's a very good chance that you and your neighbor can share a signal. However, if you live in separate houses and they have standard drywall and wooden exteriors, you might be able to share a signal, but I wouldn't count on it being too reliable.
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i dont know if I agree. but i guess it depends on what we percieve as normal distances between homes, etc. I live in the bay area and land is not cheap, new homes are an arms distance between each other!
That being said, last night I found my neighbors shared docs listed on my network... he was leaching of my wireless router. His home is about 40 yards away. My router is next to a window in my office, and i can see his office window line-of-sight. So I imagine he was getting adequate connection signal. In fact, later today I will park up the street and use my PDA to measure the signal strength near his house. I am curious if it's better than what I get downstairs in my own home with the signal obstructed by the walls, etc. Right now, just 10-15 feet away from the router, but downstairs, I only get "poor" link quality on the Linksys scale. |
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