Railfan Technology > WiFi extender in your motel room

I don't know how many times I've checked into a motel that advertised good Wifi access only to find the signal strength in my room was too low to make a good link.  I've been considering buying a portable Wifi extender, something like the D-Link DAP 1320, that just plugs into the wall and self-initializes, to boost the signal in the room.  Extenders often have higher gain antennas than are found in laptop computers, and so can close a link back into an existing system better than can the laptop.  I have considered trying to quip the laptop with a better Wifi antenna, but that requires opening the case to make the connection, a non-trivial matter.

Has anyone out there tried anything similar?  I suppose one could call the front desk and change rooms to try to get a better signal, but that is often difficult when the motel is booked up.  I'm interested in hearing about the technical solution instead.

Thanks,

- Kit
 

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

Here is a better idea and choice: Get a seperate USB WIFI card for the laptop.

TP-LINK TL-WN722N Wireless N150 High Gain USB Adapter
Rosewill RNX-N180UBE - Wireless N300 Wi-Fi Adapter

Both have detachable attanes that can be moved around for better recepetion.

As with a wireless router at home, location of the receiving antenna (internal on a laptop) significantly affects the quality of the signal received.  Some years back, I set up WiFi at a friends house and for his daughters room, moving the desktop computer made a difference from 'barely receiving a signal' to strong reception.  Moving your laptop to a different location in the hotel room may make a similar difference.  Sometimes, even turning your laptop 90 degrees, for example, may make the difference, account the positioning of the antenna inside relative to interference-creating other circuitry.

I've come to believe that different laptops have better or worse WiFi than others.  I think I have one of the 'not so great' WiFi laptops.  Oh, it works great at home, and works great just about everywhere EXCEPT on Amtrak trains in the NEC!  Just yesterday, I was able to get a strong signal on two different trains, but no internet connection.  I tried multiple times without success.  I didn't check if other passengers were having the same problem.  But I did tell the conductor that I couldn't get internet access and he said he would reset it once he finished scanning tickets.  He did exactly that.  I could see by the little WiFi indicator on the tool bar that it was definitely 'trying' to connect...multiple times.  All to no avail.  I've had this problem frequently enough that I sprung for a USB3 WiFi device.  This was after sitting in the Chicago Metropolitan lounge getting very slow response and the man sitting next to me was getting lightning response on his laptop.  The USB3 WiFi device had no better luck on Amtrak yesterday.  BUT...in prior visits to the Metropolitan lounge at NYP, I used to get OK WiFi.  But last time there about a month ago I used the USB3, and I got very good reception.  I've found that WiFi on the NEC gets good internet on some trains, and none on others.  Perhaps it's a problem with the router equipment in the lounge cars.  Oh...and Acela WiFi has never had a problem...the 3 times I've ridden them (on AGR points).  I've also learned that the closer to the lounge car one sits, the better the signal! 

The problem with at least some of those extenders is that there is a reduction in the speed of the connection. I found this out when I was having trouble getting a good signal on the back porch. The extender did help the signal strength, but the speed was halved. I checked with the manufacturer and this is normal, at least for that model.

Some motels have a wired connection as well as wi-fi. I used to take a little portable access point and create my own network, that would be more secure as well. 

BRAtkinson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As with a wireless router at home, location of the
> receiving antenna (internal on a laptop)
> significantly affects the quality of the signal
> received.  Some years back, I set up WiFi at a
> friends house and for his daughters room, moving
> the desktop computer made a difference from
> 'barely receiving a signal' to strong reception.
>  Moving your laptop to a different location in
> the hotel room may make a similar difference.
>  Sometimes, even turning your laptop 90 degrees,
> for example, may make the difference, account the
> positioning of the antenna inside relative to
> interference-creating other circuitry.
>
> I've come to believe that different laptops have
> better or worse WiFi than others.  I think I have
> one of the 'not so great' WiFi laptops.

(snip)

Second your comments. I've owned a laptop with subpar WiFi for several years, and I've had problems getting reliable connection at many motels and hotels. Like yourself, moving it around in the room was the ticket, but not always. I bought a Netbook later which had much better WiFi signal sensitivity, so even though it's a slower machine, I no longer have the problem when I'm travelling. I migrated most of my image and video editing tools to the Netbook.

No problems with WiFi on Apple laptops I've used in the past (G3, G4), but they are too old for editing HD videos.

Motels and hotels who were early adopters of free Internet access (in the early to mid-2000s) usually have RJ45 connectors in the rooms for wired access, including the Best Western at Tehachapi. I've noticed recently that when some of them installed WiFi access, they disconnected the router that allowed wired access, which is always my preference - I still carry a CAT 5 cable with me when I travel. That means setting up an access point may not be a viable option at many motels and hotels now.

As mentioned above, USB WiFi might be the best solution.

cchan006 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No problems with WiFi on Apple laptops I've used
> in the past (G3, G4), but they are too old for
> editing HD videos.

My aluminum PowerBook G4, as well as my first-gen MacBook Pro had abysmal WiFi reception. I solved it in the G4 with a PCMCIA wireless card. I solved in on the MacBook Pro by going to a newer unibody model which had fantastic wireless reception but had that not been an option, I would have definitely tried a USB solution.

trainjunkie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cchan006 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No problems with WiFi on Apple laptops I've
> used
> > in the past (G3, G4), but they are too old for
> > editing HD videos.
>
> My aluminum PowerBook G4, as well as my first-gen
> MacBook Pro had abysmal WiFi reception. I solved
> it in the G4 with a PCMCIA wireless card. I solved
> in on the MacBook Pro by going to a newer unibody
> model which had fantastic wireless reception but
> had that not been an option, I would have
> definitely tried a USB solution.

The G4 I have is the older Titanium, and the G3 is the "Clamshell" iBook. It probably helped that the iBook had a plastic case, and the antenna was separate from the WiFi module, connected internally by a shielded wire. It's probably no coincidence that Aluminum G4 and the early MacBook Pro had similar style case.

I have an iPhone and MacBook Pro have never had a problem on the road
or at home. I have received both my motel and Denny's on the road, from my room.
..........Swede............Albany,Or

Was at Rochelle, IL a couple weeks ago and the WIFi access point at the watching platform wasn't connecting to the internet.  We could connect to the access point, but the connection wasn't going any farther than that (we are network engineers, so knew what we were doing).  One of the people in our group had a WiFi extender that worked wonderfully to connect up with the WiFi access point at the gift shop at the other end of the parking lot.  I didn't think much of the extenders before, but that demonstration made me a believer.  Don't remember the specific make/model, but it was a USB-connected device.

I've never had a problem with reception on *my* laptop, but then again it has 3 antennas. Prior to that I used an PCI/Expresscard slot. I ran into somebody using an extender awhile back, and while it worked, it did slow down the connection.

Hi Kit,

I have a Netgear extender at home to reach the garage and it works well with no speed loss, but it receiver is not nearly as senisitve as my new iMac, but this it is twice as sensitive as anything I have seen. Most extemders are small and do not have the antennas that a laptop does, so I am not sure this will help. You might try a really top rated extender, but they cost more.

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/

I do take a spare router with me when I stay in Las Vegas, as some of the big hotels still have cable connections in the rooms. They want you in the casino, not playing with your iPad in the room. So I make my own WiFi.

Scott

Scott Schifer
Torrance, CA
TinyTrains Website

Generally I have not had a problem even with a very basic little mini computer for travel.  When I did have a problem  and really needed reception I went down to the lobby, watched TV and did my thing.  For me not that big of a deal.

Bob Jordan