WIFI Extender

[JudyJB]

Wanted to update you all on how this device has worked out. I am still having problems staying within my Verizon allowance because of my teaching online, and adding data Gigs is just way too expensive. I have been having to supplement my 40 Gigs from Verizon with whatever free stuff I can get.

So, the other day, I parked at the Volusia Mall just west of Daytona Beach. When I had gone in to do some shopping, I had noticed a sign on Dillards' door mentioning free Wifi, so I sat in my RV and pulled out my extender. Would you believe that not only could I use Dillards' WiFi but also got signals from JC Penney and the nearby AT&T store, the million books store, AND Appleby's??? Not all were good signals, but they worked. Yea! I occasionally would get one signal dropped, but could always pick up another.

Another day, I went into a McDonalds to use their internet. Afterwards, I tried it in my RV, which was parked in a dirt lot across from a side street from the restaurant. Worked there, also!

So, it looks as if big malls are hotbeds of free internet if you have an extender. I could get only a weak Dillards signal without it. This really makes it a lot more convenient--no need to sit in a restaurant and order food, when you have stuff in your own refrigerator that is perfectly good! (Course it is nice to eat out once in a while.)

[JudyJB]

One last thing. Best Buy carries several extenders and I got one there for my son's house, but be aware that many if then plug into a 110v wall plug. Not good for working out of an RV in a parking lot or in a restaurant. Mine that I got at Camping World plugs only into my laptop so no 110 v plug needed. It comes with a suction cup to stick it to a window or a looped cord that I hang from the knob of an overhead cabinet. Long cord too.

[monik7]

So is this just for computers? I ask because I don't travel with my computer - just my iPad and iPhone?
Sandi

[JudyJB]

I don't know. Do your devices have a USB port??

Maybe you could borrow one and try it out. I would think the ones you plug into the wall would work with anything but then you would need power all the time. I'll be back in California in December So you could try mine then

[MandysMom]

Sandy, look up RVSue and canine crew and at the top of her blog she has a link still to her set up for wifi including her Wilson extender. Her tech friends who participate,in the blog I know can answer that question. If the link is not at top, find latest blog page and post question and someone will answer.
Velda

[JudyJB]

The problem is that my extended does not gave that setup. It just plugs into my computer. I just looked up the Wikson brand and they seem to make cell phone boosters. Mine just boots the Wifi signal. Does not help cell phone at all.

It looks like that would work if you want to use wifi through your cell phone but I am trying to pull in free internet signals

Or maybe I do not understand what she has. I'm

[snowball]

I want to get an extender chiefly to use at my daughter's house...she has wifi but I'm parked far enough away that it's just out of range
like 20 ft...it would help me to be able to do some of the work that I take the computer up to the house to work on...since I would be plugged
in that wouldn't be an issue out here in the desert there isn't wifi close enough to pick up in camps again it sounds like it would help
pull in the signal
what is it that I want to ask for? and about what does it run?
sheila

[JudyJB]

Here is what mine looks like. The only place it plugs into is my laptop with a USB plug. I hang it from a cabinet knob so it is in front of a window. It is about 10" long and looks sort of like a black sword.





I got it from Camping World: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... na-3/76530

It was more expensive than the one Bikerchic got, but I needed one in a hurry so picked this one off the shelf from Camping World for $89 because I was desperate. It does not require any power from an external source--gets it from the computer battery. If there is a very weak signal in the area, it pulls it in and makes it much stronger. I used to have problems in commercial campgrounds who said they had WiFi but it was so weak as to be unusable. For example, a signal that used to show one bar, now shows as four or five bars on my laptop. Now I pull in Wifi signals from several hundred feet around, even from neighbors. Obviously, I can only access the ones that are free and have no passwords.

This one has only a USB port, and I do not know if it will work on any other devices than a computer. The Camping World website says it requires software installation, but I don't think mine did. Anyway, you should do more research. As I said, I am more than willing to let anyone try mine, but unfortunately, I am in Florida right now.

[Bethers]

The Wilson antenna was a pita. The wifi extenders were so much nicer. Mine cannot be set up without my computer, but then can be used by my other devices once connected. I'll double check that though. I know with mine it makes the free network password protected, thus safe

Sheila, one of these would do the job at your daughters.

[Cudedog]

Thanks for sharing. Will look into this directly!

Anne

[snowball]

sounds good will need to look into it they are just called extender's?
sheila

[JudyJB]

I think they are called extenders, boosters, or antennas. Mine says it is an antenna, but I think those are all the same thing.

[bikerchic777]

Still using and loving my "BearExtender Long Range WiFi PC". Bought it on Amazon. It is very small and has two separate antennae. The only thing I don't like is the short cable, but could buy a longer one if I think of it at the right time Nice to know about the mall WiFi. Here in AJ, I'm mooching off of Ken's neighbor's WiFi.