If I do it this way, would the 2nd computer be able to print if this computer is off? (This computer has the printer hooked to it) I thought there was a way to plug my printer into the router, or something.

 

Only if your printer has an ethernet port built in, or if your router has a printer port that makes it a 'print server'. Otherwise you just share it off of one PC, and it has to be turned on for other printers to use it.

Cool stuff Howdy...

 

had a buddy that built a cantenna, and yes like you say its directional. I never knew you could crotch fry yourself tho. sweeeeet

 

I would have thought you had already tried it Brent

 

what kind of cable do you use to make the cantenna? from the picture, it almost looks like a male CB cable.

 

Just spent the better portion of the last 6 hours trying to get my router, the laptop and the wireless PCI all on the same page ... WEP-WPA darn encryption crap. Trying to get the key code right without having a USB flash drive will make you go crosseyed! I should have stuck with the wired network first.

By the way, I just got DSL yesterday and got the networking stuff today. I doubt if I'm going to try a cantenna for a while, my brain done left me.

-Kerry

 

It is a CB cable. RG-58. It's not the best, with a better than -30dB loss at 100 feet, but it's cheap and availible. Just try to keep it as short as possible. The connectors everyone seems to use are called "N - connectors". You use them for anything 300MHz to about 1000MHz. For this application, if this is just going to be a portable antenna you carry around with your laptop, a standard "BNC" connector would work better. It connects easier, is a lot cheaper and easier to find. They are used at frequencies up to 3.5GHz regularly. The reason to use an N connector would be on a long term install, where you could tape and seal against rain. With a BNC, you just push and twist - fast and easy. They just don't take water well.

You know, I've looked around on these websites, and the cantennas these guys are building barely follow any methods that are really used in the real world. I know it's easy to find a pringles can to build one, but it doesn't take that much more to do it right. The guy that builds them out of large 3 1/2" soup cans is getting close, but his are too short. You need a tube ~3.5" to 4" in diameter and ~10" long. Instead of sticking the antenna a little less than a wavelength (~4"), it should be about 1/4 wavelength (~1") from the end.(If you go with this larger antenna.) I'm giving a lot of "abouts" and "approximates" here - you need to be closer than that, but I could work the numbers if anyone wants. There's a few other tricks you can do, too. Doesn't take that much to build these with crud you have laying around. Of course to buy a commercial one.... (just the waveguide connectors can cost $1500 each and the waveguide is over $50/foot...) I think the last T1 path I did at 2.4 was about 14 miles and cost the government about 6 grand for the link.

 

Wow, im impressed by the tech talk......

radio waves and frequencies and such are cool.... interesting science

 

You can buy all sorts of connectors (and a HUGE selection of switches, relays, and other electronics components) from Mouser.com. I just got parts for an amp today, going to have fun.

Try using RG-142 for WiFi antenna runs. I think the loss is way less than RG-58 (not sure on its exact spec, though...)

 

I'm speechless... but know who to talk to when I get around to upgrading my network.

 

Oh jeez, I'm sorry.... Like my wife says, " I married a big strapping guy that's just not normal. Nobody stares at a problem for 20 hours straight." More beer, I need more beer...

Actually, RG-142 is a little worse than RG-58 at the higher freqs. For the small cable, if you can find some RG-214 you'll find a noticeable difference. Use Belden brand, they are the best. You start getting up above 1GHz, RF does some weird things. Oh no, there I go again...More beer....

 

well what i want to know is how to build one....

you map it out, ill build it and crotch fry someone.

 

No problem! There's a couple prototypes I want to build and test to fine tune. Building off calculations is gets sloppy at this freq., so I need to really test well and you can't do it with CB swr meters.. I know someone that has the equipment and owes me a favor - it's not that big a favor though, so I need to do it all at once, ($45K "toy") Might be a good day to drop by and chat...

 

hehehehehehehe

well let us know when i can build my cantenna so i can get some good service out in the yard...better yet....how can we build something to male our wireless signals stronger, so we can sit anywhere we want and jam to the net, like in the yard...down the block...50 miles away, lol.

 

I wonder if you use a bigger can how much more of a signal you can recieve or if you can crotch fry 2 ppl at a time