On Tue, February 24, 2009 10:44 pm, Carl Lowenstein wrote: > On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 10:48 AM, Lan Barnes <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> On Sun, February 22, 2009 8:15 pm, Carl Lowenstein wrote: >>> On Sat, Feb 21, 2009 at 7:14 PM, Gus Wirth <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Lan Barnes wrote: >>>>> I suspect the reflector from a large flashlight would do the job as >>>>> well. >>>> >>>> Probably not unless the reflector came a really old flashlight and is >>>> made entirely of metal. Modern flashlights have reflectors made of >>>> plastic with a very thin aluminum coating. The coating isn't thick >>>> enough to be a good reflector of RF. >>> >>> Flashlight reflectors are really not big enough. Remember, the >>> wavelength is about 4.5 inches. >>> >> >> Would that be the radius or diameter? I have a flashlight reflector >> about >> that diameter. Even if it's plastic, it could be lined with foil. And it >> had a hole for the antenna and is guarenteed to be a parabola. > > You can't position the circular flashlight reflector or the stove > burner drip pan to reflect from the linear antenna that most WAPs > have. > The drip pan would work really well with a point-source wireless > device like a USB wireless dongle. Somewhere on the web I have seen a > picture of such a device. > >>> Go see freeantennas.com and look at the linear parabolic antennas made >>> to match the linear antenna that sticks out of your wireless access >>> point. I have been using their cardboard and aluminum foil model for >>> a few years. >> >> Yes, they have planar parabolas as opposed to circular. >> >> Question: does surface-crinkled foil mess it up? My guess is yes, it >> scatters it. > > You aren't thinking about the complete CB route of recycling used foil, > are you? > > The crinkles are small compared to the wavelength, and might diffuse > the focus a bit. I used a cardboard file folder cut to size, and > glued foil cut from a Reynolds Wrapper onto its back side after > bending to the parabolic shape. The reflector is about 4 inches high, > matcning the length of the antenna, and 6 or 7 inches wide. > (hand-waving size measurement) > > I had a two-antenna Linksys box, and built two reflectors. When I > changed over to a single-antenna Netgear, I put one of the reflectors > away in a safe place. If I could only find the safe place again I > would give you the reflector to try. > > carl
Thanks but my reception is great as is. Any qualitative difference between shiny and dull side? -- Lan Barnes SCM Analyst Linux Guy Tcl/Tk Enthusiast Biodiesel Brewer -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-newbie
