[rescue] Poor Man's WiFi extender

[Sheldon T. Hall]

velociraptor wrote ...

> I know some folks were talking about ways to extend Wi-Fi, I found
> this interesting site:
>
> http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

FWIW, we're able to connect to WiFi access points on the other side of Puget
Sound (about 8 miles) with a home-made "bi-quad" antenna fed from a normal
WiFi card in a laptop.  At one time I contemplated using that for general
'net connectivity, but large ships interrupt the connection.

We can also connect across the water with a high-power WiFi card equipped
with external antennas, from the bar in my office.  The ships interrupt
that, too.

Once, the interrupting ship was a Princess cruise liner, and we were able to
get a login screen from their onboard "pay by the day" hotspot.

Lounging on the deck, connecting to passing cruise ships is a fun
fair-weather sport.  We call it "war-sitting."

-Shel