On 25/08/11 07:28, Tim wrote: > On Thu, 2011-08-25 at 18:04 +1200, Shiv Manas wrote: >> I can happily recommend any Alfa brand USB WiFi adapters - they have a >> long range, are compatible with most distros, and are very affordable. >> Personally I use the AWUS036NH which has a massive 2W output. > Two whole watts?! Seems a bit extreme, unless it's designed for long > distance work (such as across a factory). It's probably more than your > allowed for general purpose networking. > > Just the other day I experimented with the power output from my access > point. It was set on maximum, and my laptop is barely two feet from it. > Yet, Fedora's signal meter was always around 95%, occasionally dipping > down to lose a whole bar on the graphical display (whatever that > actually means), which made no sense. I'd expect 100% being that close, > especially since I've used the laptop in another room, with three brick > walls between them, and not noticed a huge loss on the signal meter. > > So, I've turned the access power down to minimum (12.5%). And Fedora's > signal meter reading hasn't changed in the slightest, nor is there any > noticeable change in network performance. So, I can't tell if the > access point has actually changed signal level, or whether Fedora's > meter is *more* concerned with some other factors than signal strength. > > I don't place a lot of faith in the signal metering. > I suspect that receiver quality is a bigger factor that transmitter power output. I am presently using a Linksys E3000 running DD-WRT which displays some receiving data [SNR, signal to noise ratio]. I have no way of verifying these numbers but have no reason to doubt them either. I have also noticed that signal quality affects the data rates. Good signal, faster transfers ... Bob. > > Wireless Nodes > > Clients > MAC Address Interface Uptime TX Rate RX Rate Signal > Noise SNR Signal Quality > 00:1E:52:86:4B:C3 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -42 -88 46 > 64% > B8:FF:61:35:AC:CC eth1 N/A N/A N/A -52 -88 36 > 52% > 00:1F:1F:A5:D6:84 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -62 -88 26 > 39% > 00:AA:BB:CC:DD:10 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -67 -88 21 > 33% > 0C:EE:E6:84:F3:A9 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -55 -88 33 > 48% > 00:11:85:8C:CC:25 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -61 -88 27 > 40% > 00:02:6F:9B:BA:C4 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -42 -88 46 > 64% > 00:1D:73:C9:11:94 eth1 N/A N/A N/A -57 -88 31 > 45% > . -- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
