[kismac] Re: wireless equipment

<sorry to dup a few of Brad's comments here, just read his msg after 
writing this. I don't mind Andrew picking on me, these arguments 
possibly will work out to get us all better antennas through the 
desings of either flavour. Brad, do you have links to the coffee can 
spreadsheet?>

At 17:48 -0400 03/10/01, Andrew1300@xxxxxxx wrote:
>      Man... whatever happened to the pringles can antenna?  I build 3 of
>them and use the all the time.  The $12 pringles can antenna perform
>better than the $50 directional wireless antenna I purchased at Frys
>(Trendware TEW-IA06D).  =P  I admit I didn't buy the highest end antenna,
>but come on now... if a pringles can can beat it, that's sad.

Various sources on the web, including sites that publish downloadable 
spreadsheets to calculate optimum tube size and antenna stub 
placement, show argumentedly that a pringles is not the most optimal 
or easiest design.

And, after 9.11, you run a serious risk of being arrested for walking 
around with a ground-to-air missile lookalike when you use a pringles 
can. The pattern of a pringles can is not really one wants when doing 
surveys of LANs, I guess,  unless you are generally surveying from 
the top of your house. I hope you don't live near a landing strip in 
that case  d8-)

>I admit  not all of mine do though.  Two of mine work great, one 
>works like crap.

See? ;-) My patches worked all (three of them) without a hitch. And 
they are more 'stealthy' too; less bulky.

>  Anyway, I can use my Airport AP from over a block away with a
>pringles can pointing to it.  =P  And while "war"driving I can pick AP's
>that are often two blocks behind the house I point the can at.  Are you
>just too lazy to make it?  It really isn't THAT hard.  There are a good
>50-60 tutorials online right now.

The pringles make me sick, and I'm raised with the idea not to throw 
away food, no matter how bad tasting, nor to harm other peoples 
health (read: feed them pringles). The patch antenna I quoted is, 
well, really simple, easier to reproduce than a pringles antenna. The 
latter needs millimeter accuracy on various details, in a tube, the 
patch antenna I can just cut with  my kitchen table scissors with 
overall mm accuracy on flat sheet materials. And I cheated by using a 
simpler design (no drilling). Heck, I even soldered using a stove 
rather than a soldering iron!

>      I looked at that that patch antenna...  I honestly don't even want
>to try it, it looks kinda sketchy.  But I'll give it a shot and test it
>compared to the pringles and let you guys know how it compares.

Please do so. It probably looks way more difficult than it actually 
is. I've contacted the author of the mentioned site and when time 
permits, I'll send him photographs of my tackle, which he might use 
to extend the website. Possibly the weekend gives me an opportunity; 
too much rain to have fun war-walking ;-)

Here is a preview of the images, this is after the original setup 
(notice slugs)
<http://www.xs4all.nl/~amtha/kismac/MVC00257.JPG>
and this is the more streamlined version of the same setup, & easier to make:
<http://www.xs4all.nl/~amtha/kismac/MVC00254.JPG>

ard

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