wireless internet reception

[belowMDA]

Folks, I have signed up to wireless internet as it is my only practical option with internet access. Note: this is not ADSL with a wireless router in my house.
I have a poxy little antenna that is connected via usb to my laptop. I also have a booster aerial that can be plugged into the main antenna. I get patchy and sometimes fluctuating signal quality but always full signal strength. Frustratingly I cannot monitor these levels while connected, it will only show them when disconnected.
Does anyone have tips for where best to position the antenna or booster to increase the reception levels. The booster comes with suction pads so I normally attach it to a window, however will the aluminium framing interfere with the signal? For that matter I have not really seen the booster provide any increase in performance, is this a symptom of having good signal strength but poor quality and therefore a transmission problem?

[drauk]

You'll get best reception if you have line of sight between the basestation's antenna and your own antenna. Do you know where the base station is located? If so make sure that your antenna is facing it with as little as possible in between.

In South Africa I've used a wireless provider who was a few kilometers away, by having a big antenna on the roof. And in fact, that was just a relay station on the top of a hill, which then beamed the signal 40km to Capetown. This was all using bog-standard wireless routers, but good antennas.

[SilentlyScreaming]

re. Inability to monitor stats for wireless network during use
Try here (www.netstumbler.com), I use netstumbler for a few different PCs, its worked well so far...