Decent Wifi reception

[Mistroma]

Most I've had with my old Alfa AWUS036H was about 5.2nm in good conditions. I was thinking about buying a spare as it won't be available much longer and decided to try an Alfa Tube-U (same chipset as AWUS036H). I wasn't getting much improved range with 9dBi antenna and it refused to tighten properly, so decided it was a making poor connection. Switched to my other antenna, 8dBi model, before leaving West side of Ibiza. Had good Wifi all way over to Formentera and it only failed when I moved really close to town.

However, it came back when I left Formentera en-route to Torrevieja and remained until I was about 12-14nm from any land. No idea where AP was but couldn't have been less than 12nm and I suspect nearer 13nm (unless I was being shadowed by a sub. with a parabolic ant. trained on me for a few days ).

Well pleased with that but it's probably a one-off and I'm not expecting that sort of range again. Really lucky though as I'd left to return home in a hurry and managed to sort out flight from Alicante whilst under way.

 

[RichardS]

Those are phenomenal ranges. OK, it's over sea so probably line of sight but I'm surprised that marinas or bars are using an AP with that strength, even allowing for your high gain antenna.

We probably get double that with 3G but I'm paying for that, of course.

Richard

 

[sailaboutvic]

We have an Alfa AWUS036H and I have to admit I never seen any thing like that range and even if I did I doubt if I would be able to log on to it let alone get any download speed to open a Google page , has I have said before a good signel means nothing , it going to depend how many people there is between you and the wifi your trying to pick up if you get any speed , in he early days you could always find an open wifi connection , now less and less and when you do unless you almost sitting on the thing the speed will be unless . Best just to buy a local sim or sit in a bar on top of the router .

 

[nortada]

Most I've had with my old Alfa AWUS036H was about 5.2nm in good conditions. I was thinking about buying a spare as it won't be available much longer

Why won't it continue to be available? Is Alfa discontinuing the Alfa AWUS036H?

 

[Mistroma]

Why won't it continue to be available? Is Alfa discontinuing the Alfa AWUS036H?

I think that it was about 6-7 months ago when I first saw references to AWUS036H being discontinued. I saw a few similar comments fairly recently but don't see any just now, perhaps it was a ruse to shift a load of stock. I do remember seeing several mentions of it being phased out soon and decided to buy a spare. Eventually bought a Tube U/G as that has the same chipset but easier to bolt on larger antenna.

The chipset in AWUS036H has been around for quite a long time now (in IT timescale), so didn't come as a surprise to hear of this model being phased out. It is still available for around £20. Perhaps someone else will have a link confirming or denying the phase out.

 

[ferroboat]

We bought a Radiolabs enhanced Antenna with built in wifi 8 years ago ( cant remember model without getting my manuals folder out) from http://www.vasari.net/ who built our Marine Atom Computer.

It is mounted on the transom and we easily get a very strong signal up to 9 Miles away.


https://moonshineofmersea.wordpress.com/

 

[Jeva]

Has anybody found a driver for this antenna that's runs on a Macbook?

 

[Mistroma]

Has anybody found a driver for this antenna that's runs on a Macbook?

I assume that you are talking about the AWUS036H specifically when you say antenna. It isn't an antenna but does have one screwed on to it, so just checking you are talking specifically about AWUS036H and not AWUS036NH or even some other device.

I believe that the AWUS036H works on 32-bit Mac only. I don't think that there's a suitable driver if you have a Mac with 10.6.8 or later version running on 64-bit OS. I believe it can be made to work if you boot your computer into 32-bit in order to run the application with device, or get a more recent compatible Alfa adapter.

 

[RobbieW]

...I believe that the AWUS036H works on 32-bit Mac only. I don't think that there's a suitable driver if you have a Mac with 10.6.8 or later version running on 64-bit OS. I believe it can be made to work if you boot your computer into 32-bit in order to run the application with device, or get a more recent compatible Alfa adapter.

Or look for one that is powered and connects via ethernet (I'm assuming Macs have an ethernet port) which requires no drivers at all. Bit more fiddly to install as you need a power injector in the ethernet cable. The Alfa Tube 2H is one such as are most of the Ubiquiti Bullets, I have a Solwise Patriot which I think is a badged Alfa

 

[Yngmar]

Has anybody found a driver for this antenna that's runs on a Macbook?

Yep. Took a bit of search at the time, but this worked for me: http://lnx2mac.blogspot.co.uk/p/realtekrtl81xx-osx-driver.html

Of course mine turned out to be a fake one, so I returned it. The chips are the same though, so above driver should work for the genuine one.