Two WiFi questions, (1) Windows WiFi Utility & (2) Adapter mA Rating

[InlineFive]

1. I like the setup of the Windows WiFi Utility better then the Netgear one for my MA401. However I can't seem to get the Windows utility to use 128-Bit WEP which I need. Is there anyway to do this?
2. How do I investigate the antenna mA rating on my MA401? I see that it uses a 30 mA antenna (weak, I know) and I am considering an upgrade to a more powerful card. How do I go about finding this information?

Thank you!

-Por

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo2. How do I investigate the antenna mA rating on my MA401? I see that it uses a 30 mA antenna (weak, I know) and I am considering an upgrade to a more powerful card. How do I go about finding this information?

Thank you!

-Por

Antennae performance is not rated by mA.

The rating of Antennae is a measuring unit called dbi (Comes from Deci Bell which is a logarithmic measure of amplification).

Almost all Antennae on the Entry Level Wireless Router are 2 or 2.2 dbi (SpeedStream Router is 5dbi).

If you router has a removable external Antenna you might benefit from buying a better Antenna. However it really depends on location of the Router and the Client.

Link to: Extending the Distance of Entry Level Wireless Network.

Good source for external antennae.

Link: 2.4 GHz Antennas.

:light:

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: JackMDS

Originally posted by: PorBleemo2. How do I investigate the antenna mA rating on my MA401? I see that it uses a 30 mA antenna (weak, I know) and I am considering an upgrade to a more powerful card. How do I go about finding this information? Thank you! -Por

Antennae performance is not rated by mA. The rating of Antennae is a measuring unit called dbi (Comes from Deci Bell which is a logarithmic measure of amplification). Almost all Antennae on the Entry Level Wireless Router are 2 or 2.2 dbi (SpeedStream Router is 5dbi). If you router has a removable external Antenna you might benefit from buying a better Antenna. However it really depends on location of the Router and the Client. Link to: Extending the Distance of Entry Level Wireless Network. Good source for external antennae. Link: 2.4 GHz Antennas. :light:

Thank you for the help but I was talking about my PCMCIA WiFi Adapter, the Netgear MA401. Not a router. How do I find out what the dB rating on my WiFi Card is? Is lower or higher better?

-Por

 

[JackMDS]

I am not familiar with your card, but PCMCIA Internal Antenna is usually less than 2dbi.

Higher is better.

 

[Dark]

Just to add to what Jack said. You can find rating in mW (1/1000 W). dBm are 10Log(X) where x is in mW for example 1000 mW = 1W = 10log(1000) = 10*3= 30dBm. Usually in you will find your card power rated in mW (example Cisco ACU) This is because your card without the antenna is considered an intentionnal radiator (For example your card is rated let's say 300 mW and the antenna attached to it (it's integreated in the PCMCIA cards) is a 3 dBi (double the signal strengh) the resulting power (EIRP) is 600 mW
Now before you hate me These are regulations by the FCC which force manufacturers such as Netgear to have limitation on the hardware. The rule is that the EIRP for a point (your card/laptop) to a multipoint (your access point) should not go beyond 36 dB or 4W which means that Netgear manufacture their card so that the resulting power would never go beyond 4W. So there is nothing you can do unless you change (illegally) the antenna on your card (not worth it if you ask me)
In access point and cards like Cisco, you can control the power (in mW). for example if you are near your access point there is no need for your card to transmit the signal beyond your walls into your neighbors's soup. Also you can force via the AP, the cards to use certain power upon association with the Access point. needless to say that Netgear doesn't have all those nice feature (you get what you pay for)
What you can do (illegally) is have a card with an external antenna (with cable) and attach an RF amplifier between your card and your antenna, you will be able then to boost your signal to a level where you can fry your own brain