External Antenna with an Airport Extreme Base Station

[|MP|Nomad]

I was wondering if anyone has an external antenna with their airport base station (ABS) to extend their range.  My bro recently purchased the new extreme ABS with the INTERNAL antenna.  We first wanted to try and see if the internal antenna would be sufficient with the range we needed.  Well turns out that it was not, so it was obvious that we need the external antenna.  We bought the Mac certified Dr. Bott ExtendAIR Omni Antenna.  Well after installing it, which was easy, we found that it did NOT help one bit, the signal strength (solid bars) was exactly the same amount that I got with the internal antenna in the ABS, despite the fact that the Dr. Bott ExtendAIR Omni Antenna advertises an extended range of 75m (http://www.drbottkg.com/prod/ExtendAirOmni.html).

I would like to know if anyone has or knows someone that has the other extended external antenna also from Dr. Bott, the Dr. Bott ExtendAIR Direct Antenna (http://www.drbottkg.com/prod/ExtendAirDirect.html).  This advertises an extended range of 150m (500ft).  I want to know if it works better than the other antenna, although I am thinking that if the other antenna (Omni) did not work, since it covered 75m, which is more than enough of a range that I need, then the Direct one may not help either.

If anyone has some suggestions/advice I would appreciate it.  

[Ace]

You can't go wrong with the ever classic Pringles can.

[BFG]

There isn't a antenna out there that has quite the same fragrance two it!

[cO.gabe]

Nomad I do have a Dr. Botts ExtendAir omni antenna.  It didn't help my signal one bit.  The other antenna you are talking about, the ExtendAIR direct, says the signal reaches up to 500 ft.  It achieves this by focusing all the waves in one direction but nowhere else - so you can just point it towards your computer and you are supposed to get a much better signal.  I wouldn't recommend getting this antenna if you have multiple computers on the network in different parts of the house, or if you have a laptop and are using it in different parts of the house.

A few weeks ago, after I purchased the ExtendAIR omni, I went to the Apple store and talked to one of the people there.  They gave me a few tips and suggestions.  

One was to try connecting the omni antenna to the base station instead of your computer, or to your computer instead of the basestation, whichever way you have it.  

Second, he asked me if I have any wireless, especially high powered phones or anything else that would produce radio interference, in my house.  This was sorta funny because just a week or so before i got my g5 with the airport, my mom had gotten a set of really high powered phones - the kind where u can take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood while talking on them.  I tried unplugging the phones completely, and that helped my signal a little bit (of course, my parents made me plug the phones back in, and my signal went back down again).

The third thing he suggested, and which I am going to do, is to call up Dr. Botts and ask them about it.  Tell them your situation and see if they can help you with it.  If you are still unsatisfied, you should try to get your money back.  Personally, i wont tolerate paying 100 bucks for an antenna that doesn't do any better than the one included with my computer.

The fourth and final thing he said is that the signal isn't generally as high on titanium powerbooks as on machines with plastic cases.  He said that sometimes the metal casing can obstruct the signal.  So if you have a powerbook, that is one thing to think about.

If you want to do a little experimenting, you could buy a second omni antenna and hook one to the basestation and one to your computer, if your computer has a slot for it.

Ok, thats about it I guess...if you have anymore problems with it maybe I can help you.  I suggest you call Dr. Botts though.  Anyway, peace dude.

-    :cO:.Gabe