Wifi question

[ToxicBug]

Hello guys

I live beside McGill University now, so instead of subscribing to an ISP, I just connect to the university's wifi network. I'm perhaps 300 meters away from the nearest university building, so with my laptop's built-in wifi receiver, I get very low signal strength and a "1 to 5.5mbps" speed. In reality, DU meter shows that I get from 0 to 300kb/s, depending on the time of the day and the weather conditions outside. My laptop is placed on the window ledge.

Here's the weird thing: if I download something, I might be getting <1kb/s, but if I move the laptop 5mm to the left, the speed soars to 60-100kb/s for a minute, then drops again. Then I move it 5mm to the right and it soars again. Can somebody please explain this and possibly give me advice on how can I get a constant good speed because of this?

Thanks in advance

[AmIdYfReAk]

Get something with a remote antenna, there are a few USB based adapters that accept Remote antenna's,

or, you COULD just get a Router that is supported by DD-WRT, and Configure the router to run in Client mode.

[Foo]

Your arms are enhancing the signal as you reach over to move the laptop.

Or faeries.

[AmIdYfReAk]

*cough* on a serious note.
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

and here is the guide:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Cl ... e_Wireless

Then you would be able to plug your lappy/computer/computers behind that and they will all become a client to that wireless network...

Then you can leave the router in its best spot, and actually get better signal then you would with your lappy.

p.s. Most likly, the whole signal thing is due to where the Transmitter is located, the radius of its broadcast and you're windows relation of it...

[+JuggerNaut+]

if you go the router/client route, make some parabolics for it

http://www.freeantennas.com/

[AmIdYfReAk]

its true, if you have an External antenna of any kind, a Parabol would be mint on it, and you'd be able to "tune" the signal and get the best possible signal.

nice link juggs.

p.s. 11DB @ 40º gain? Fuckin hell, a good link? pfsht, this is an Ace link.

[obsidian]

You can also give network stumbler a try...

http://www.netstumbler.com/

Their download page is currently down, so you can try the mirror.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/netstumbler.html

[+JuggerNaut+]

its true, if you have an External antenna of any kind, a Parabol would be mint on it, and you'd be able to "tune" the signal and get the best possible signal.

nice link juggs.

p.s. 11DB @ 40º gain? Fuckin hell, a good link? pfsht, this is an Ace link.

[ToxicBug]

Hello everyone!

I've successfully installed DD-WRT v24 std on my Linksys WRT150N router. Now need to set it up to connect to my university's (McGill) hotspot. The hotspot requires authentication, these are the settings that windows uses to connect to it:

Network authentication: WPA
Data encryption: TKIP

Protected EAP
Trusted Root Authentication Authorities: Thawte Premium Server CA
Authentication method: Secured Password (EAP-MSCHAP v2)


Then a dialog pops up and I need to enter my McGill username and password.

Now how can I set up my router in client mode to connect to that?

[AmIdYfReAk]

i think that has been covered in the DD-wrt Forum, you'd have better luck in there.

[ToxicBug]

Nobody replied to my topic. Looks like its not possible to set it up with that authentication, unless someone made a plugin.

[AmIdYfReAk]

Gah, it would have been key to have mentioned that MSCHAP portion before you started this...

all three Colleges that I've been do all have had open wifi networks, so that is what i've been basing my calls on.

Anyway, You could write a Script on the router to wait for the ACK from MSCHAP ( this is usually when you get a login ) and for it to send a packet with the correct information..

Then again, this is a loose way of doing it, i'de be almost inclined to Spoof the MAc addy of the wireless in the WRT to your lappy and Auth with the lappy, then try and get the router to take over..

there are alot of options that could be done....

Also, Talk to Your local tech support and ask them if there is a general Key ( WPA/2, WEP, etc ), or a Radius Server that you could log into to gain access to the network.
They may have another option for you.. ( you may need to make up some BS Story that you are using a old LAppy with Windows 98 or somthing on it that wont Auth with MSCHAP )

[ToxicBug]

Thanks for your help, AF, but I don't know how to write a script and I have no idea about what I need to do to make it work the way you've explained. Where could I find some information about this, maybe a tutorial? Have you ever come across one? I'm sure that I'm not the only one who's trying to connect to a WPA university network with a certificate...

By the way, they have a software application for people who don't know how to configure the settings of their wireless, so that's what they would tell me to use if I said that I was on windows 98.