How cool is this!

Uberlanders · 03-18-2006, 04:33 PM

Here I am in the driveway, in my airstream, surfing my life away on the internet. I installed, by myself a WIFI system, encrypted it and everything.
I am feeling so techno cool right now I can't even stand it.

Now I too can enjoy the wonders of the internet in my trailer!!! yippeee!

**Stefrobrts** · 03-18-2006, 05:33 PM

Awesome, where's the wifi coming from? Because we have a wifi system at home, but it doesn't work well out in the driveway where the trailer is. We've even tried adding a repeater (probably not the right word) and the signal is still weak out there.

If I had wifi in the trailer I'd NEVER come inside again

Uberlanders · 03-18-2006, 05:43 PM

I installed a D-Link 802.11g/2.4GHz wireless router in the house on the PC which is connected to a fiber network. It came with a trial for Nework Magic so that you can observe who is accessing your wireless stream, also block people from using it, as well as share printers and files amongst the computers in the house/wireless area. I found it a bit distrubing that when I turned on my brand new laptop yesterday, I could access at least 3 wireless streams that were not protected. So I knew it was important to encrypt the signal. The software came with an easy to follow wizard to set the whole thing up.

I'm not sure how far its range is....I'll have to drive around to experiement.

I told Jim this would be great for him in the garage to be able to research info on how to fix something on the truck/car/moto he's working on. He said....um, I would never come out of the garage again, and I don't think you want that.

bill benton · 03-18-2006, 05:55 PM

If I had wifi in the trailer I'd NEVER come inside again

Today 04:33 PM

I wouldn't either except I don't like having to dump my tanks while I'm in my driveway. I don't know why your wifi doesn't reach. my wifi works out in my trailer and its about 25yds from the house.

**wahoonc** · 03-18-2006, 06:25 PM

Stef,
What WiFi system are you running? Some of the older ones have a weaker signal. I use one similar to what Uberlanders has and mine has a range of about 250 feet give or take. It works great out back in my AS. I also use a repeater at my inlaws house and a beam antenna to reach the barn repeater about 400 yards away. Mine is normally encrypted...but I have been having some issues so it is running barefoot at the moment, however given where I live the only way you are going to get to my wireless is by helicopter...so if I see on hovering

Aaron

**Stefrobrts** · 03-18-2006, 06:43 PM

Ha ha! Yes, ours is encrypted too, but considering it doesn't work in our driveway, I'm not too worried about anyone snooping in on it!

We use a DSL modem with wireless built in. It's an actiontec. We had a system prior to that, a belkin wireless G, and we bridged them and set the old router out in the front room near a window to try and get wifi to work out in the shop but it still is iffy at best, and incredibly frustrating as it will barely work sometimes, and then stop working completely, sometimes in the middle of entering an order.

silver 67 · 03-18-2006, 07:53 PM

I'm excited for you Kathleen, I really am.... I just don't understand all the techno babble, but I sense that all of this is important.

I guess I'm still living in the tin can and string age here.....if I want David to stop working on Moby and come in from the barn,.... well, I just stick my head out the door and yell.

And of course, I still haven't learned to program the numbers in my cell phone...... I think I was born too early to adapt...

But I am happy for you... I really am.

Uberlanders · 03-18-2006, 08:03 PM

Well thanks for the support eventhough all of this is way to "infowhelming" for you. My husband has no idea what I'm talking about either.

65glbtrotter · 03-18-2006, 09:17 PM

WIFI in the AS is so neat, I have a wireless network set up at my house and I set my daughters PC up wireless so I don't have to run wires all over the house and I have a wireless print server so I can sit in my AS and if I find something I want to print I do and then my daughter will go get it when she hears the printer come on and then brings it to me.

Kintscher · 03-18-2006, 09:17 PM

Good work on the Wi-Fi Kathleen. It's one of my favorite technologies. Beign able to share and use the broadband access anywhere is great.

Stephanie, have you tried a different channel on your router? Lots of things conflict, from wireless phones to microwave ovens. I had a flacky wi-fi setup and switched from a Netgear router to a Linksys and it's much more stable.

Zeppelinium · 03-19-2006, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Stef,
... I also use a repeater at my inlaws house and a beam antenna to reach the barn repeater about 400 yards away. ...
Aaron

So, how do the cows like their wi-fi connection, or is the "barn" another term for what we call the "Pout House"? And is your beam antenna a #10 can with a piece of coat hangar inside? I've got one like that which works pretty good.

One of these days I'm going to understand the 802.11B spec that says it can handle networks up to 130 miles (I assume that is a round-trip latency issue). I can't quite figure out, when you have a repeater, which device initiates the conversation and how the base station/router, repeater, and laptop decide who to talk or listen to?

But without any understanding, I'm just glad they're so easy to install. It is sheer laziness, but I have a wi-fi router in the the trailer so that I can transfer mapping data back and forth to the laptop in the TV so I don't have to unplug it and carry it back to the desk in the trailer. OK, the real reason is that I got tired of switching from peer-to-peer to base station mode, between talking to the laptop in the trailer and going out for email at a hot spot.

Now, if I just had an Internet link via satellite.... instead of stopping at every hotspot for a 2 minute email hit.