Wireless router - Signal quality problems
More bang for your buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: land of the clanger
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Or just buy one of these: Compact High Gain Directional Corner Antenna for Wireless Networks : Wireless Network Antenna : Maplin
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
In theory, a metal shield at the PC antenna on the opposite side to the direction of the desired base station could be beneficial in helping to reduce the strength of unwanted signals - but only from that direction. It wouldn't help with signals from the same direction as the desired base station.
The real problem, though, is that the reflection of the signals coming from the desired base station (and any other extraneous signals) by the metal shield could cause destructive interference at the PC antenna and actually lower the strength of the desired signal!
The real problem, though, is that the reflection of the signals coming from the desired base station (and any other extraneous signals) by the metal shield could cause destructive interference at the PC antenna and actually lower the strength of the desired signal!
For your router 'transmitter' you can have a reflector buy it must be at the correct distance otherwise it will cancel the signal. A program such as netstumbler will allow you to observe the signal/noise ratio as you move the reflector or as you angle the antenna.
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The best shield for this situation would actually be dense but non-reflective material. Masonry and timber would be better than glass or metal.
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![Wink](https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/wink2.gif)
Well known method to use for shielding places you don't want people sniffing EM from.
Also used for shielding all things nuclear that are hot hot hot.
Can't claim the kill on that problem it was the big Russian speaking bloke who debugs in hex that did it. But we were all in the restaurant that was having the problem with its electronic POS waiter units. The 6'x8'x1' fish tank certainly screwed the signal.
Spoon PPRuNerist & Mad Inistrator
Interestingly, while water is very, very good at absorbing RF, glass is quite good as a reflector / scatterer in its own right - and even better if it has a metal content or coating.
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