[tanked_sender]

Sorry for being slightly off topic, but...

It's been mentioned in the past that those old Look-TV antennas cannot be used for OTA, which is understandable.

However, I was looking to build a WiFi biquad dish antenna to enhance my wireless signal, when I realized that I still had an old Look TV antenna. I understand that Look TV broadcasted in the 2.5 - 2.7 GHz range. Would this be a suitable antenna for standard WiFi ?

 

[300ohm]

Wifi b/g is 2.4 ghz, so yes.

Whats the distance youre looking for ?

 

[tanked_sender]

About 350 meters with obstructions. Not sure if this is really possible, but I've read about some folks getting wifi signals over a few miles with the biquads.

 

[topherpaquette]

seriously,

i can't wait to see the results as i have one kicking around mom and dads

cheers

 

[300ohm]

About 350 meters with obstructions.

350 meters isnt a problem with higher gain antennas, but the obstructions are. You really need a clean line of sight for wifi distance.

237 miles is the distance record, but you need to be on the peaks of an Andes mountain range, heh.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/19/venezuelans-set-new-wifi-distance-record-237-miles/

 

[byebye_cable]

How would you attach a wifi antenna to your laptop/desktop?

 

[downbeat]

Some wireless routers have an external antenna connector.

 

[300ohm]

One way is to use a wireless network card that has a detachable SMA type small whip antenna. Then use low loss 50 ohm cable with the proper SMA connectors. Thats what I used on my wifi biquad. The low loss cable still has a lot of loss, so youre limited to about 10 ft max cable distance, without some kind of repeater.

Another option is to use a weatherproofed usb b/g adapter for the antenna element and a usb extention cable.

 

[stampeder]

Yep, don't go using 75Ω coax, it has to be 50Ω.

I needed some 50Ω coax in a hurry once to fix a 2-way radio so I stopped into a big box store's automotive department, bought a replacement AM/FM car antenna, sheared off the Motorola connector, cut the remaining 3 feet of cable off the antenna and soldered the right connectors on, all for about $7. Worked perfectly. Some stores have an extension cable for car antennas which would do even better.

 

[byebye_cable]

Cool, I actually have an MN-730 I'm not using that has a detachable whip antenna (just unscrewed it!), and, a couple USB b/g adapters too.

What would the approx limit be using a USB extender cable on with the USB wireless thingys?

EDIT: No antenna jack on the router - I gues that just would have made too much sense.

 

[300ohm]

Q1: How long of a cable can I use to connect my device?
A1: In practice, the USB specification limits the length of a cable between full speed devices to 5 meters (a little under 16 feet 5 inches). For a low speed device the limit is 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches).

http://www.usb.org/about/faq/ans5

So, with 15 feet to a powered hub, and another 15 feet to the usb b/g adapter, about 30 feet.

 

[byebye_cable]

I just built a mini-reflector for my router out of tin foil

Will see if it improves the situation in my bedroom any. I mean the reception of course

 

[byebye_cable]

It helps a lot!! I'm going to make a better one, more shaped to my situation.

 

[mnm1969]

"Look" antenna for WiFi/WLan? (Not TV)

Hi,

Can I use a old Look Communications antenna (2.5 Ghz) for WIFI (2.4 Ghz) ?

======================
Thank you in advance.
Sorry for my bad English.

mnm

 

[Jase88]

For those who don't know: now-defunct, LOOK TV was a terrestrial based MMDS (Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service) provider in Ontario, offering TV and internet services.

In theory, it should be possible to use these antennas for WiFi. My understanding was that RG6 coax was used between the antenna and the receiver. Therefore, you may need to use a matching transformer to convert the resistance from 75Ω to 50Ω, and find a connector that would enable you to connect to a WiFi antenna port....

I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before (haven't checked). So you may wish to do a quick search and see if any other members have reported success or not.

Good luck!

 

[mnm1969]

Thanks Jase88..

 

[HDTV Junkee]

My understanding is that there is an N-Connector attached to the cabled "converter" piece.

I am not sure how it all fits together, but I would think that you could attach an RG6 connector to one end and then an SMA connector (available at small electronics stores) to the other end (through 50 ohm cable -- which is available at best buy). Then attach the SMA to a specific router called a repeater.

You should be able to scan the internet for Wifi antennas. Lots out there these days with next generation technology.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[300ohm]

Keep in mind coax losses (even with "low loss" coax) at 2.4GHz are extremely high. You may only get maybe 20 ft before losing all of it. Even with only 7 ft of coax, youll lose at least half the signal (3 db). 2.4GHz preamps are very pricey.

If it doesn't work for you with the above mods, you can still use the parabola for Wi-Fi by attaching a weather sealed usb Wi-Fi adapter.

Then attach the SMA to a specific router called a repeater.

That should work too, if the original head is taken off and replaced with a weather-proofed Wi-Fi repeater.

 

[Jase88]

Good point regarding coax loss, 300ohm. Which leads me to suspect that Look employed frequency conversion between the antenna and their receivers...similar to what an LNB does with satellites. If that's the case, the OP will need to remove this conversion device to use it as WiFi antenna.

 

[mr.eous]

I still have a CalAmp #2141/020 LNBY kicking around, similar to this, that was used with Look TV; it's an integrated downconverter (as Jase88 guessed) so it requires phantom power to operate (the RCA set-top boxes for Look TV provided this) and the antenna's output frequencies wouldn't work for wi-fi use.
Things got even more complicated (and therefore even less compatible for reuse for wi-fi) if it was one of the rarer antennas that Look used for their two-way internet service.
Unless you have a 'passive' antenna, it's unfortunately not much useful for anything other than a perch for birds, as your picture shows...