[kismac] Re: wireless equipment

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

 - Andrew

>>i'm looking to acquire a pcmcia wireless network card AND an external
>>directional-antenna to go with it.. I use a powerbook/1ghz/osx10.2.6 and
>>would like the benefit of being able to modify my mac-address, as well
>>as superior uhm.. range with the aid of said antenna. any good ideas?
>>of course, the card must be supported by the glorious kismac!
>
>As far as the directional antenna goes (pun intended) I found the 
>easiest to do yourself antenna is the patch antenna.
><http://www.geocities.com/lincomatic/wifipatchantenna.html>
>A piece of copper sheet and a can lid plus connector suffices to make 
>this design, which is very easy to reproduce.
>I've tried many others and they usually have similar characteristics 
>but they are generally way larger and much harder to reproduce. A way 
>to make this antenna very directional, is to put it in front of a 
>satellite dish; that will narrow the opening angle down from 60 
>degree cone to a few degree beam. You won't be able to walk around 
>with it unnoticed however ;-)
>
>Personally, I made four support poles, one on every corner, by 
>putting a 'slug' of silicone mounting paste between the 'lid' and the 
>copper sheet and minimised the thickness of the whole contraption by 
>mounting the socket on top of the lid, having it 90 degrees tilted 
>with respect to the images on the URL above and having its coaxial 
>axis in a direct line with the plane of the sheet.
>
>It then all fits nicely in the lunch box, with the wire extending 
>from the side of the box. The whole can be put in a backpack; the 
>computer sits on your back, the card sticks out on top, the wire runs 
>down the powerbook and enters the lunchbox from above, which is 
>bottom to bottom with the powerbook. An earphone plugged into the 
>powerbook emerges from the backpack under your arm and makes things 
>clearly audiable.
>Plug in the USB-GPS and your walks are mapped too.
>The directionality of the thing as described is hindward, in a 120 
>degree cone or donut pattern. This makes a very comfortable 
>war-walking in densely populated areas, and it is especially fun to 
>walk past side streets: bells and whistles all over you.

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