Wireless amplifier ?

[matt150 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close matt150]

Mum and Dad live on farm about 4km in a straight line from me. They have adsl2 Telstra wireless Internet that struggles most times. Telstra tell them when the national broadband network gets rolled out, everything will be great. I predict that will be in about 100 years or most likely half past never.

I know it's easy to buy a wireless distribution amplifier for inside the home, but what can I buy to better catch the available signal coming into the house ???

[winniliss Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close winniliss]

You might me able to connect an external antenna like my brother has done.They have theirs mounted inside the house next to the window.

Just google the modem model number in relation to external antenna connection etc. A good website for info is www.whirlpool.net.au

Winston.

[Max Member Find all posts View Profile Close Max]

...They have adsl2 Telstra wireless Internet...

Is it ADSL or wireless (3/4G)? They're very different and depending on what they've got you could get a bit more speed without too much cost.

As winniliss mentioned, whirlpool is a good resource to see what others in your area are experiencing with their ISP. If everyone's in the same boat then you probably don't have much hope but there are plenty geeks on there who love sharing their knowledge

[matt150 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close matt150]

Actually I think you are right Max, it's wireless 3G Telstra. Mum's got this little USB thumb drive thing that picks it up. Yeah, I was hoping I could add an external type aerial or something to help out the speeds.. ?

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

I would piss the thumb drive off, get a 3G router with an external antenna connection and fit a 3G antenna outside the house on a high point like a chimney etc.

[Max Member Find all posts View Profile Close Max]

Go with D4D's suggestion if you're going to stick with a mobile data connection. Connecting a portable aerial to a USB modem isn't going to make much difference.

You can save yourself some grief by checking the signal strength first. Take a smart phone (with a Telstra SIM) up on the roof and see if your signal improves. My S3 will show data connection type (E, 3G, H or H+) which can give an indication of the speeds you can expect.

A wired connection is generally better if they can get it. If they've got a landline, you can check what ADSL variants are available at their exchange here

http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/

Distance from the exchange plays a big part in what speeds you'll get on ADSL

http://www.internode.on.net/resident...d/performance/

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

Matt,
Here's an idea which is pretty rough and ready but it may help . Get yourself a large wock metal dish or a satellite dish . Find the focal point by pointing it towards the sun and find the hot spot out in front of the dish . Make up some attachment to locate the USB wireless stick in this position and connect it with USB cable back to the computer . Point the dish towards the local node and see how you go .
Cheers
Ross