Adventures with a Laptop and a Colander

Housesitter

Housesitter

Adventures with a Laptop and a Colander

As some of you know I am house sitting in France and the place where we are staying does not have broadband but I have permission to use the signal from next door. A house on the same property but the router is a good 70 yards away.
As a result I have had a very erratic signal.
I searched the web and read about all sorts of do-it-yourself solutions
This morning I went in search of a low cost wok as that seemed to offer the easiest solution but I could not find one so I purchased a 12 inch diameter plastic colander. I lined it with aluminium foil stuck in place with selotape. I cut a small hole in the middle of the bottom and inserted my USB wireless dongle. I then played around to find the best position and taped the contraption to my window. My signal strength is now 24mbps my previous best was 5 mbps and more normally just 2mbps.
Netgear says my signal strenth now is 52% where before it varied between 3 and 7%
It may look odd but I am able to surf again and use my VOIP phone.
Total cost was under 3 euro. In UK money about £2 or in US about $4.:)
 
Housesitter

Housesitter

Yes it is true. I am no technical expert and the advice on the forums was to use a wok or strainer but as I could not find one I decided to experiment. Apparently it forms a 'directional parabolic antenna'
All I know is it works better than before.
 
Panda

Panda

Sr Mod/Webmaster
Staff member
Senior Moderator
Like they say here in the South..ish... If duct tape can't fix it, you probably need a new one anyway.
 
B

Boanerges(Inactive)

Guest
If that works I will take the tin foil off my ears!!!LOL! Just kiding, I bought a 7db gain antennae for $3 plis $4 shipping.
 
Housesitter

Housesitter

Boanerges said:
If that works I will take the tin foil off my ears!!!LOL! Just kiding, I bought a 7db gain antennae for $3 plis $4 shipping.
Click to expand...


I want one. At that price. Where did you get it and do you know if they ship to Europe. Over here they cost an arm and a leg.
 
B

Boanerges(Inactive)

Guest
Correction, it cost $1.28 with a $5.99 hipping and my sons say they are working great. My pc is hooked directly to the router and theirs are across the house. My youngest reports that his " gaming" is just as good with this antennae as it was when I was tripping on his lan cable. As far as where they ship you will have to enquire. I am hoping this works out brother.
http://cgi.ebay.com/For-7dB-WiFi-Bo...hZ011QQcategoryZ61816QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
 
Whirlwind

Whirlwind

Housesitter...that's amazing!:eek:

You sound a lot like me...I have so many gadgets and home-remedies around the house it's starting to look like a Borg ship!:eek:

Now, what you do is you never let the colander people know what you did. Keep it a secret, or else the next time you go in to buy a colander, they're going to be priced sky high!:D
 
Housesitter

Housesitter

Boanerges said:
Correction, it cost $1.28 with a $5.99 hipping and my sons say they are working great. My pc is hooked directly to the router and theirs are across the house. My youngest reports that his " gaming" is just as good with this antennae as it was when I was tripping on his lan cable. As far as where they ship you will have to enquire. I am hoping this works out brother.
http://cgi.ebay.com/For-7dB-WiFi-Bo...hZ011QQcategoryZ61816QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
Click to expand...


Thanks. I have sent them an email. Does this plug into the router or can I plug it into my laptop? If it needs to go into the router I will not be able to use it as the router is in another house and they do not want me to change anything over there.
 
Housesitter

Housesitter

Whirlwind said:
Housesitter...that's amazing!:eek:

You sound a lot like me...I have so many gadgets and home-remedies around the house it's starting to look like a Borg ship!:eek:

Now, what you do is you never let the colander people know what you did. Keep it a secret, or else the next time you go in to buy a colander, they're going to be priced sky high!:D
Click to expand...

You are right. Next week look out for Laptop enabled colanders at your local shop. Aluminium foil pre installed.
 
B

Boanerges(Inactive)

Guest
After reviewing your situation brother you would be best to stay with the rig you have. It is useable and the alternatives are:
Putting a higher gain antennae on the router whcih you say you cannot.
Purchasing a higher gain card for your laptop.which will more than likely be expensive.
If I were you and your setup works I would keep it and not spend more $ on it.
 
Housesitter

Housesitter

Boanerges said:
After reviewing your situation brother you would be best to stay with the rig you have. It is useable and the alternatives are:
Putting a higher gain antennae on the router whcih you say you cannot.
Purchasing a higher gain card for your laptop.which will more than likely be expensive.
If I were you and your setup works I would keep it and not spend more $ on it.
Click to expand...


Long live the Colander King.
24 hours on and it is still working beautifully.
 
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