poor connections with wireless card

[tom88]

I have a wireless card in my desktop but get poor signal strength and
sometimes no connection. Can I put a better antenna on the card or is
there a card that might get better reception?

Thanks,

 

[RobertVA]

I have a wireless card in my desktop but get poor signal strength and
sometimes no connection. Can I put a better antenna on the card or is
there a card that might get better reception?

Thanks,

Have you tried things like relocating the router so that there are fewer
obstacles between it and the client computer(s)? Is it high enough to be
above any nearby furniture, CPUs and displays? What materials are in any
walls (and how many walls) between the router and the client computer?
Is the back of your laptop facing towards or away from the router? Have
you checked on the availability of better antenna(s) for the router?

I would imagine a conductive material near (within a foot) the router's
antennas might affect reception, even if the nearby conductive object
isn't along the direct signal path.

Don't forget that wireless networking is a two way radio based
technology and any high density material, especially electrically
conductive materials (and ANYTHING electrical or electronic WILL contain
conductive materials) in the DIRECT path between transmitter and
receiver will weaken the signal. Of course SOME will be tolerable, but
if you are experiencing reception problems it may be worth a little
rearranging.

 

[smlunatick]

I have a wireless card in my desktop but get poor signal strength and
sometimes no connection.  Can I put a better antenna on the card or is
there a card that might get better reception?

Thanks,

Without the details on the make / model / connection type (internal,
Centrino or USB,) no one can tell if you can change antenna.

Desktop wireless adapter with "screw on" external antenna, most of the
time you can replace the antenna.

Internal Centrino wireless adapter -- No, all antennas are built in
and are inside the PCs / laptops.

USB adapter -- a few can accept a better screw on antenna. Very
limited.