[SOLVED] I would like to use a usb wifi antenna to win 7 laptop using existing software.

kahoona

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I travel in a RV that blocks most wifi signals. The strength is often low and just won't work though it does work outside. I have, in the past put a little usb dongle antenna on a usb cable and hung it out of the window to get reception inside. These are often called boosters and they have their own software that works poorly isf at all. Can I connect them to my built in software?
 
Solution
It uses ethernet between the outdoor unit and your pc. There is a PoE power injector you will need to place in the path.

If you mean the distance that is only true if you have directional devices on both ends and you have clear line of sight. Also when you get longer distances you have to be very high on both ends....like on towers. Reflections of the signal from the ground and the curve of the earth interfere.

The distance is much shorter when only 1 end is directional but it will still likely work for your application. Key is you need clear line of sight to the camp ground antenna. The distance will be greatly limited if you try to run it though trees or buildings.
I am unclear what you purchased. The simple way to do this is use a USB wifi nic and then a long USB cable, I think 15ft is max, to connect to your pc.

If what want is to say take a signal in and then re transmit a wifi signal say to your phone it is much more complex. This is a repeater or extender. It is generally a stand alone box.

You can easily build your own but the details sometime depend on how the system you want to connect to works. For example if you are using a wifi source that requires you to log into some kind of id.

The method that will give you the most flexibility to connect to different systems and good perforamce is to use a outdoor bridge connected to a indoor router. You can get bridge devices from companies like ubiquiti or engenius. Some consumer brands like linksys etc are selling them too now. These devices tend to have directional antenna that you can point at the source. You then connect them via ethernet cable to a inexpensive router in the rv.
 

kahoona

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"I am unclear what you purchased. The simple way to do this is use a USB wifi nic and then a long USB cable, I think 15ft is max, to connect to your pc. "
This is what I need for now. Thanks. I have one of these on a 6' USB cable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F9WJ1C1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It connects with it's own software which often does not connect. Can I connect with the software in my Pavilion g6 instead or is there something better?
 
I doubt it has its own software package. You will have to load drivers for the device. All the driver does is interface to the windows software. You could look in the nic setting and try to get the chipset it uses. You could then load drivers from the chipset manufacture. This is a one of those direct ship from china brands so there tends to be little support and little information. My guess is it is realtek since that is one of the most common but you will have to look, it generally tells you that actual chip part number when you look at the nic settings.

Still the only reason you load new device drivers is you think there is a bug in the current ones. Generally unless money is a huge issue you are better off buying from one of the better known companies because support is better. TPLINK tends to make lest costly device but has good support.
 

kahoona

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SPot on! The supplied drivers are realtek. I only loaded them because that was the instruction. I think that having 2 sets of drivers caused the problem so I turned one set off. Now it does work. Would I get a better signal if I downloaded a better set of drivers or should I leave it as is?
I will eventually get an external antenna and internal wifi. Have to save up though as they are expensive.
 
The drivers unless they have bugs in them tend to all get the same signal levels.

I would not use a actual antenna the cable between the antenna and the nic cause loss. The new way they do this is with bridges. I would look at ubiquiti nano station loco. They generally sell for $50. You would connect to your pc via ethernet which also increases the distance away from your pc you can go. They are PoE powered so no power needed outside.

The only issue is these outdoor bridges generally only run one band so you must decide if you want 2.4g or 5g. The 5g ones are mimo 802.11ac so are pretty fast but do you little good if the source you connect to is only 2.4g.
 

kahoona

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Wow! That is serious performance. I use 5k at home but probably 2.5 would be more realistic at campgrounds. Can it really do what it says? I'd probably use the window mount. Does it connect to mu device by a wired connection then?
 
It uses ethernet between the outdoor unit and your pc. There is a PoE power injector you will need to place in the path.

If you mean the distance that is only true if you have directional devices on both ends and you have clear line of sight. Also when you get longer distances you have to be very high on both ends....like on towers. Reflections of the signal from the ground and the curve of the earth interfere.

The distance is much shorter when only 1 end is directional but it will still likely work for your application. Key is you need clear line of sight to the camp ground antenna. The distance will be greatly limited if you try to run it though trees or buildings.
 
Solution