Dynex Wireless N Router & Adaptor

[davem at mich.com]

------- Original Message -------
>From    : John Graddy[mailto:jwgraddy at valornet.com]
Sent    : 6/22/2009 11:09:47 AM
To      : ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
Cc      : 
Subject : RE: Re: Dynex Wireless N Router & Adaptor

 On Sun, 2009-06-21 at 20:48 -0500, John Graddy wrote:
> I recently purchased a Dynex (Best Buy's store
brand) wireless N router
> and USB adaptor.  I added the drivers to ubuntu
Jaunty using
> Ndiswrapper.  When I run lsusb, I get a USB device
that is identified as
> "Belkin Products", so I guess that Best Buy has
some kind of arrangement
> with Belkin to use their stuff in the Dynex product
line.
> 
> This adaptor and router work somewhat.  They
advertise an "operating
> range" of "up to" 1000 ft. In linux, I get an
operating range of
> approximately 35 ft. before the signal strength
starts dropping off to
> nothing.  The network is unusable once I get beyond
that 35 feet.  Under
> Windows, the operating range is a little better -
maybe 50 feet.
> 
> Is wireless really that bad?  Am I doing something
wrong?  Is there a
> better option available to me?
> 
> I'm seriously considering getting the phone company
to install an DSL
> connection in another room in my house so I can use
a wired network.
> Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks,
> John
> 
> 
> 
I've talked to Dynex tech support, reinstalled the
Windows software,
tried the Dynex update available on the internet, and
everything else
that I can think of.  I've just about decided that
this network is not
going to work.

Does anyone have a suggestion on wireless hardware
that will work over a
distance of about 100 feet and through typical
residential walls (wood
and drywall)??  It would be nice if it would work
"out of the box" on
Jaunty.

Thanks,
John


Here is a high power USB adaptor:

http://www.data-alliance.net/-strse-73/Alfa-500mW-AWUS036H-USB/Detail.bok

These work great. I have used them at distances up to
a mile. 

You could also check to see if you can force your
router into 2.5ghz 802.11b mode. Since your speed is
probably limited by your ISP, you probably do not
need the speed of the 5ghz N mode. I think the lower
frequency B mode may give you better range through walls.

If your router has an external antenna jack you could
also try using a high gain antenna on the router.
That may give it enough of a boost to get the signal
out where you need it.

Dave