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The text above is a follow-up to ...
-----Question-----
Dear Scott,
I have only had my notebook computer (Compaq Presario V5204NR) for a few months. I am such a novice, I didn't even know what wifi was for the first couple of months. I connect to linksys and usually have low signal strength with a Mbps of 36 or 48. Unfortunately, the signal strength drops to "very low" infrequently and is too slow for my needs. I have done some research and I think a wifi signal booster is the answer. That is where I am stuck. The rest of the information bout signal boosters is too technical for me and I'm not sure which booster is best for my particular computer. Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated.
My laptop has an 802.11b/g wireless LAN, 1.46GHz and a 1MB L2 cache. (I don't even know what most of that means!)
Sincerely
Renee
-----Answer-----
You have a linksys wireless router? How far are you from the router when you use the laptop? How many walls and what construction is between you?
You might try a hi-gain antenna first.
HTH
Scott<>
Hi Scott,
Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately for you, I wasn't kidding when I said I was a total novice. I'm not sure what a router is. When I click on my wireless connection icon it says "wireless connection 2 (linksys)" It also has the current signal strength and speed. I did nothing to set this up. When I click on "view available wireless networks", linksys is the only unsecured wireless network listed. There are three security-enabled wireless networks listed but I don't have any idea how to use them.
Now I do know that my public library has wifi and it is about 0.3 miles from my place. I am guessing this is why I get wifi. I really don't have a clue as how to find out where my signal comes from otherwise. I am on the third floor and there are three walls between my computer and outside. (No real construction in the way to speak of.) Was I supposed to use "network tasks" to set up a wireless network. I started to do that using wizard setup but when I came to the part about using a USB flash drive I stopped because I wasn't sure what I was doing was necessary (or useful).
Sorry this is so long.
Thanks again,
Renee
Answer Ahhh, so your are stealing someone else's broadband (just kidding). I'm gathering by your response, that you do not, personally, subscribe to broadband Internet access. So people near you ARE subscribing and they have installed wireless routers connected to their broadband modems. One of them has left their network unsecured which has allowed you to connect to it. This is actually illegal in some places. Even though I was kidding, you are, in effect stealing someone else's service. I doubt if its the library because Wifi doesn't really have that range, but its possible. You would have to check with the library to see what their SSID is (the names you see under available networks are SSIDs). Linksys is a manufacturer of network devices like routers and the default SSID for a Linksys router would be the company name.
If it is the library, then legally you are OK. And what you might be able to do to enhance the signal is place a repeater by a window that faces the library.
But what you REALLY should do, is subscribe to a broadband service (cable or DSL) yourself, get your own wireless router and set it up in your apt.
