Hey boys and girls, greeting from sunny oz!!

Right, im in a grotty internet cafe (yuk!) so i will get right to the point. Ive got my sony vaio laptop with me and want to check emails etc at home. I can see a couple of unsecured wireless networks but with really low signal strengh so they wont connect. These appear to be company networks so when its night time and im checking i wont be affecting their internet so that should clear up the moral aspects!! ;-)

Anyway, i was wondering, is there any equipment i can purchase to boost the signals so i can connect and check my emails and obviously post on PC REVIEW!!!! Obviously i cant connect anything to their side, but was wondering if there was anything i could do from my side? Broadband internet is so damn expensive over here!!

Yours faithfully and in desperation!!

Bodhi.

Bodhi,

It's very difficult to suggest since not many here are from down under and we may not know what alternatives are alvailable and having down to earth prices. However, I know a few from down under on another forum and will post your problem to them and see what they suggest.

Sorry I cannot help right away but as soon as I hear from them will post it here for your consideration.

Get a bigger antenna?

Move closer?

Are you near any computer stores? Somebody there may be able to help. Sorry, I know nothing about wireless.

An externally powered one might give you some extra range? If its internal they are very low power.

Bodhi, here is the first response to my request from a fellow member:



I will post other replies if any on the thread.

Bodhi

check this out:

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Sho...5&ShopGroupID=3


as ur like 6,000 miles away im not too sure if u will be able to buy directly from this place
but this is the kind of thing u need to get a better signal!!! so look hard in australia for a item like of this calibre!



p.s how crafty of u to do what you are doing!
p.p.s its very cloudy still in uk summer has not arrived just yet as u head into winter!

Thanks for the replys guys, im not i can use that antena psd, ive had a look at there doesn't appear to be any place to connect an antena to the laptop unfortunately.

I thought there may be some crafty way of having some kind of booster plugged into the USB or something. Its such a pain not being able to connect!!

Ive heard some bad things about dodo, and all the ones that dont require you to have a contract also want you to pay about $300 set up fees! Its a nightmare, if only i wasnt a nerd!! ;-)

There are a few people in pc review land that i thought would have the answers to this, is there anyone else still there with any ideas? Basically, i can see a weak signal, just need something to boost it so i can check my emails at night. It is an internal one Ian, one of those built in wifi 802.11b/g things.

HELP!!

http://www.hawkingtech.com/prodSpec.php?ProdID=239

Something like this?

Yeah, thats what I was thinking of Chris - there is one on that page specifically for laptops (http://www.hawkingtech.com/prodSpec.php?ProdID=234)