Re: suggested wireless NIC

["Generic Player" <genericplayer2@home.com>]

> Yeah, the Orinocco PCI cards are just pci-->pcmcia adapters.  That was
> one of the reasons why I happened to like the Orinoccos (other than
> Lucent having the lions share of the market) better than the Ciscos.
> With Orinoccos you can create your own base station and affix external
> antennae--and i dont mean the little ones.  Cisco does offer PCI
versions
> of the Aironet 350s, but when I was buying, their website didnt list
> vendors and none of their sales staff knew where to purchase
them---and
> you wonder why their stocks are soooooo low right now compared to last
> year (they were used to customers running to them).

I think you misunderstood.  Cisco's aironet PCI cards definately work
with external antennae, we were using them like this not long ago, and
they have significantly better range than the lucents we were already
using.  These cisco PCI cards are also just pcmcia cards in an adapter,
like all the wireless cards.  So unless for the pcmcia cards that they
are selling without adapters, they plug up the end for the pigtail, then
pcmcia cards should support externel antennae no problem.  I'm not sure
where you got the impression that lucents cards are somehow magical, but
cisco cards work just fine making your own base station and using
external antennae, we had great links with them over multiple kms.  And
we just called cisco and asked if we could test a couple and they sent
us some, dunno why it'd be tough to buy them.

>
>   If you want to make your own antenae, you can make powerful ones
from
> pvc pipe, pringles cans or old Digital Cable Sat dishes.  The
> instructions are all over the net for any of those home grown methods.
> Try the Bay Area Wireless User groups site, Guerrila Net or one of the
> many fabulous do it yourself sites from the "Land Down Under".  If you
> are really interested, my other comp should have the links---drop me a
> line and I can send em to you.
>
>   Or if you want powerful antennae but dont want to get your hands
dirty,
> you can just buy a Yagi.
>
>

A yagi is not a powerful antennae.  Its ok for going across the
neighbourhood, but its certainly nothing big.  A powerful antennae would
be like what we use for links between cities.

Adam