Is it possible to use a WiFi Booster Antenna to pick up FRee WiFi at branch library
 

There is a Branch City Library and also a Kentucky Fried Chicken place that have free WiFi that you can use there or outside of the Building on the Street but not much further then that.

I live about 1/4 mile away. Assuming I am within range could I pick up the Free WiFi with a WiFi Booster Antenna?

Please note that I know little about wirless internet. I do have a Laptop that I take to the Libirary and use the free WiFi on.

There is a City Park that is closer to me that is also supposed to have free WiFi but it it too hot to sit out in the parking lot there.

Google wifi antenna boosters and then start checking out Craigslist or Ebay for a used rooftop sat receiver.

You don't use a normal Yagi antenna; you have to have a parabolic reflector going into a klystron tube. Or in other words: You need a used sat dish like Dish Network or Direct TV uses.

It all looks rather easy, but check out the You Tube videos on this subject and see what you think about them.

Seriously!

Thanks, but could us some more comments.

Have been looking at the product reviews on Amazon and apparetly what is sold wich is not a Sat Dis but an antenna all by itself works for some and not for others.

However, My Mother used to rent out a room in her house and there is some sort of Dish left by a previous tennant.

Thanks for the advice. A seller on eBay is selling a kit to do the conversion of the Dish.

There is a U-tube vid on building the what I gues is the amplifier.

I guess I need to take my time and learn what I need to know first.

I can't remember if the Dish that was left on My Mom's House is rond or oval. I keep calling it My Mom's House but she passed away last year and it is actually My House but we have yet to completely move their.

From the Sellers Ad.
"Most powerful booster available to pick up a weak WiFi signal miles away from public libraries, coffee shops, restaurants etc.....

Complete easy setup, everything is included, except Dish. Convert your dish into powerful (18" dish equivalent 1Kwatt ) Wi-Fi long range antenna/booster. Reuse your old Dish or get one from scrap metal places or pick one up when you see on the side of the road. You will need computer with available USB port even without WiFi card installed."

Below is the Sellers pic. Unfotunately the Dish does not come with it.

If I were you I'd use the money you are about to spend on various bits of kit to get yourself a decent connection of your own.

In my experience the bandwidth of the free wifi is not that great. Most of these services are designed to chuck you off the router after a certain amount of time.

It is also not that secure - in principle it is quite a bit easier for "any passing 13 year old" to hack your computer if you're connected to an open wireless connection.

I've been running a WiFi Signal Booster on my laptop for many years now. Mine is rated @ 1/2 mile, LOS capable. I use it both at home and when away from my homebase. Although it works OK, unless you're right on top of the WiFi signal DVR, you'll still get skip in the continuity of the signal. There are much more sophisticated systems on the market today that actually can lock on to a WiFi signal. That's what you want to get.

Obviusly when you go cheap and free you cannot expect the best.

Who maks the 1/2 mile range one that you have?

How far is the signal from you?

And is there anything like Hills or Buildings inbetween you and the signal?

If I remeber correctly from my Roof I can see the Library. So except for a downward angle it is a staright shot to it.

I have talked to truck drivers that use the free wifi at some of the roadside parks in Texas. They all said they had to go to a system like you are describing due to too many factors to list.

But once they upgraded they were happy with their purchase.

And the State of Texas? They are happy to provide the service as the cost for state resources has gone down due to a reduction in accidents among truckers. Anything the state can do to get a trucker to pull over for just a few minutes rest cuts the huge cost associated with the DPS working a semi accident.

I asked a guy who is a bit of a techie if he could shed some light on this and he said he knew someone who built such a system using a garbage can lid as a dish.

I think that is taking it a bit far when used sat dishes are so available.

You do realize this is theft, don't you?

No different than splicing (illegally) into a cable feed.

Depends on their policy...most places make you agree to terms and conditions...you'd likely be violating those rather than an agreement with an Internet provider.

To the OP, What happens to your fancy satellite doohickey when the library realizes you're sapping their internet and blocks your MAC address? You don't think they're going to notice bandwidth being consumed from an outside address when they are closed for business? All it takes is them to block you to render your contraption useless.


Sent from an abacus

I am not seeing the Theft aspect. When I go to the Library and use the
WiFi I log on with My Ligrary Cards number and a Pin Number. When I use the Kentucky Fried Chicken one you have a usage agremment you need accept but there is no passwords of so on.

I have not ever been able to access the Long Beach City Parks one but I am guessing that there is no password or pin needed.

All I am doing is instead of being inside the Library or being out side in the Library Parking Lot (which can be done during times the Library is closed) with My LapTop I will errect the WiFi Antenna and access it from My Home.
Also the Library is piad off by some of My Tax Money and I am a resident in the City I am speaking of.

So I am not hacking into some private parties WiFi.

As one of the other Posts suggested Cities are starting to want to give free WiFi to the Citizens because it saves them money and passes on info that the City would otherwise have to mail out to people.
It won't be long before there will be Free WiFi for everyone in their home with out special equipment.

Apparently there are versions that do use the Yagi antenna and on the one site it shows someone making a small Antenna and mounting that where the Dish Focuses instead of using the mentioned klystron tube (eBay seems to be selling a bunch of these froum Russia).

All of this is new to me so I am going to have to decide on something that is within my skill level to do.
I am 99% sure that the Dish on Mom's house is suitable so that will be free.

Once in awhile folks throw those TV Dishes out in the Trash. I have no issues scrounging them out of the Trash but in the past I had no reason to do that. I have not seen any lately.

Anyway you guys are giving a buch of info that is giving enough info to point me in the aproximate direction.

Read the usage agreement. Most I have read limit use to on-site/while patronizing the establishment.

Then - think about it morally. Why is it any different that you are making use of something a company or a government agency is paying for instead of a private citizen?

If/when your town or city builds out a free WiFi network, that would (in my opinion) be completely different than using bandwidth someone is paying for with no intention of providing it free to you in your home.