Both PCI and USB 2.0 support higher data rates to the computer than you'll
get over the wireless, so I think the only advantage you *might* see with a
PCI NIC (WNIC?) would have to do with availability of power to the unit.
Unlikely to make a whole lot of difference.

  A higher-gain antenna on a cable that you can reposition is probably your
best solution.

  By the way, there is a lot of specialized terminology in wireless, and an
"Access Point" is a very specific sort of device, a bridge/switch with a
wired network port on on side and an infratructure-mode radio on the other --
 a "base station" that plugs into a wired network and allows wireless
clients to connect to it.  (It's very like a wireless router without the
routing capabilities.)  A wireless client NIC is a different beast.

David Gillett


On 15 Oct 2005 at 7:59, Michael Eisenstadt wrote:

> The Linksys WUSB11b which I have has a USB
> cable between it and the computer. And changing
> its position helps strengthen the incoming signal.
> I guess what I was looking for was advice about
> specific hardware. I have tried to find comparative
> reviews of different brand access points without
> much luck. The only ones I came up with were
> some customers' reviews on the Newegg Web site.
>
> For example, I am trying to find out whether
> PCI card access points are better or worse
> than external access points (like my Linksys)
> using USB cables. D-Link has an external
> access point antenna (DWL-M60AT) with a
> 10 foot ULA-316 fixed cable which attaches
> to an internal PCI card access point after the
> latter's antenna is removed. For sale at Newegg
> but I can't find any reviews except from Newegg
> buyers of the item.
>
> There are Web pages describing homemade
> antennas which I would consider trying to
> build if I could find objective recommendations
> in their favor other than the enthousiasm of their
> designers.
>
> Michael Eisenstadt
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Gillett" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 1:26 AM
> Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] wifi questions
>
>
> >  Unfortunately, every manufacturer's utility is free to decide for itself
> > what a "bar" means at any given moment....
> >
> >  The first and easiest thing to try is to insert a USB cable between the
> > adapter and the computer.  This will make it easy to experiment with
> > different orientations and locations of the adapter.  (My Netgear WG111v2
> > came with such a cable, and velcro to secure the adapter in a good
> > position
> > once found....)
> >
> >  Possible sources of interference between you and the hotspot include:
> >
> > - 2.4 GHz cordless phones and microwave ovens
> >
> > - other nearby wireless hotpots, possibly not so public
> >
> > - people and objects in/near the line of sight between your antenna and
> > the
> > hotspot's
> >
> > - reflected/refracted fragments of the signal
> >
> >  You *may* be able to remove the native antenna and attach a separate
> > "high
> > gain" antenna instead.  These usually manage to increase signal strength
> > by
> > restricting it to a specific direction or zone, so you will likely need to
> > know what direction the hotspot antenna is in.  This may manage to
> > overcome
> > whatever interference is causing your current problems.
> >
> > David Gillett
> >
> >
> > On 12 Oct 2005 at 15:01, Michael Eisenstadt wrote:
> >
> >> I live near a public wifi hotspot which my older Linksys
> >> WUSB11 one eared antenna detects. I get up to 4 bars
> >> of signal strength in the Win XP Pro utility, but the
> >> connection randomly fails, sometimes when I click on
> >> a link and sometimes when I download something and
> >> sometimes not. Sometimes the connection is stable for
> >> hours, other times it fails every few seconds.
> >>
> >> I am writing to ask for your suggestions about
> >> possibly replacing the hardware and/or somehow
> >> tweaking the signal strength with some (homebuilt?)
> >> device.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance for your help.
> >>
> >> Michael Eisenstadt
> >
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