[kwlug-disc] Tip: USB WiFi dongles

[Khalid Baheyeldin]

Got it re: antennas. Though the USB dongle is really tiny. It is the same
size as a mouse's dongle. Not much room for an antenna, unless it is
looped over and over.

Thanks about the hint to auto channel. Changed that, and the router
selected a different channel, though the other conflicting router's
signal was weak.

On 8/30/17, B.S. <bs27975.2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> You switched adapters, and therefore, by definition, antennas. (Thus Bob
> & Charles point.)
>
> I get that you didn't need an additional external antenna. And not to
> say the antenna in the dongle is all that big.
>
> I wonder, given Charles & Bob's points, and AFAIK electronics like
> internal Wi-Fi chips don't degrade, they either fail or haven't yet,
> whether the connection between your internal Wi-Fi adapter and internal
> antenna degraded from laptop lid opens and closes over time.
>
> Given Bob's point, you might see if your router is set to auto-channel
> select. I can't speak to the efficacy of such, but I have seen where the
> number of routers and channels in the neighbourhood changes over time,
> and years later I've had to switch to a (now) less congested channel
> than the least congested channel I choose at time of installation.
>
> Mayhap a bit of Velcro on the dongle to the top of the laptop near the
> hinge would improve reception while tucking the 'tail' out of the way.
>
>
> On 08/30/2017 01:33 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
>> On 8/30/17, Charles M <chaslinux at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Khalid we've noticed this with different laptops on the same shelf -
>>> some
>>> get a stronger signal than others. Whether it's how they implement the
>>> antenna (usually around the screen) or the wireless chip itself, we
>>> haven't
>>> investigated yet. As you've pointed out we've had better success with
>>> external Wi-Fi+an antenna.
>>
>> I did not need an antenna at all.
>>
>> Just the $2.20 USB dongle and things are back to good speeds and good
>> range.
>>
>> Only drawback is that you have to wait for a month to get it.
>>
>> And nothing outside the ordinary to fiddle with.
>>
>> Just go into the Network Manager icon and disable the built in adapter,
>> and then configure the USB one (which SSID to connect to, password,
>> then make it the default). That is it. No drivers, no settings, ...etc.
>
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-- 
Khalid M. Baheyeldin
2bits.com, Inc.
http://2bits.com
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