Wi-Fi connection issue

[panther_base]

The town I live in is now offering free Wi-fi service, I need a Wi-fi antenna, or something to boost the signal into my house, a good signal gets about 90-100Mbps I'm getting 18-24Mbps on average with a city installed Node at the end of my block. Any suggestions on what to get to boost my signal?

[Paul Komski]

I would ask other residents what they have done to ensure a good reception. Possibly a DIY cantenna (http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html) or a retail one (http://www.cantenna.com/) or a parabolic booster (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=u0uYtm-b3O4) would do the trick. If you solve your problem do let us know how you got on.

[panther_base]

any of those would probably work but I have a usb wireless adapter (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=272959) and so far I haven't found any methods of boosting the signal, although the city suggests using apepwave (http://www.pepwave.com/index.php?view=category&path=14) modem which if no other solution presents itself, I will try and let you know how it works out

[Paul Komski]

One wee trick with a USB stick is to get a metal sieve and stick the dongle into the middle of it with tape and then connect it to the USB port using a USB extension cable. Point the sieve in the direction of the signal beam like a radio telescope.

[panther_base]

I tried something similar to that using the front, metal covering off a desk fan and made something like a dish, that didn't work very well, it dropped my speed considerably, but that may have been how I made it.