How To Add An External Antenna To AirPort Base Station

An anonymous reader writes "I came across this article yesterday on how to add an external antenna to an airport base station 2.0 in order to extend its range. Takes about 20-30 mins to complete and with the instructions is very easy."

Hmm

[CptChipJew]

By Airport 2.0, are you referring to the Airport Extreme base station?

Re:Hmm

[Oculus Habent]

The AirPort 802.11b "Snow" as opposed to the "Graphite"

I like the simplicity of the "one name" naming scheme, but it's a PITA to figure things out when someone says, "It's an iMac."

What color?

Blue.

Bondi, Blueberry, or Indigo?

It's a light blue.

Does it have a DVD-ROM drive?

I dunno.

Is it slot-loading?

What does that mean?

It means I'll come over tomorrow.

Re:Hmm

[MalleusEBHC]

Apple used to have an easy solution for this by giving logical names to the different Powermac models such as "Yikes," "Yosemite," and "Sawtooth." However, they abandoned this in favor of non-descript names like "Quicksilver" and "Mirror Drive Door." For the life of me, I can't figure out how people remember model names now.

Re:Hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Same way when a car pass them, some people can name the Make, Model and Year of a car.

Re:Hmm

[Phroggy]

Actually Yikes, Yosemite and Sawtooth were internal code-names, never intended to be used by the public. The official public names of Yikes and Sawtooth names are "PowerMac G4 (PCI Graphics)" and "PowerMac G4 (AGP Graphics)" respectively, and the systems are distinguished by the orientation of the headphone and microphone jacks on the back (horizontal or vertical, I forget which is which). And, the code-name "Yikes" actually did make sense - Sawtooth was supposed to be the motherboard they used when the G

Overcompensating

[Phroggy]

The problem is, Apple used to have lots of confusing model numbers.

Which is better, a 5400 [lowendmac.com], a 6300 [lowendmac.com], a 7200 [lowendmac.com], or an 8100 [sunrem.com]? Normal people couldn't figure that mess out. The only clear rule seemed to be that three-digit model numbers were m68k and 4-digit model numbers were PowerPC.

Then they introduced the PowerMac G3, and ditched model numbers entirely. This was around the time Apple acquired NeXT and Steve Jobs; I don't recall whether the naming of the G3 systems was before Jobs' arrival or not. In any c

huh?

[commodoresloat]

Which is better, a 5400, a 6300, a 7200, or an 8100? Normal people couldn't figure that mess out.

What part of "more is better" couldn't "normal people" understand?

Re:huh?

[Jeremy Erwin]

CPU frequency of the fastest version of each model;
8100: 110 MHz PPC601
7200: 120 MHz PPC601
6300: 120 MHz PPC603e
5400LC:200 MHz PPC603ev

The 8100 had 3 NuBus and one PDS slot, the 7200 had three PCI slots, the 6300 had a LC PDS slot, and the 5400 had one PCI slot.

btw, the 6100 also came in an AV model. The 6100 was the entry level powermac.

source [apple-history.com]

Re:huh?

[commodoresloat]

yeah I had forgotten about that; you're right. But Apple didn't sell these at the same time, I don't think - At any given time, the current Apple line made some sense in terms of model numbers. But you're right the overall effect is needlessly confusing. At least it made a little sense though - the newer naming scheme is just ridiculous. I still don't know if my G4 is "quicksilver" or "mirrored drive doors," and I'm not sure I want to. Which iBook with 2 USBs is the one known as the iBook Dual USB? Wh

Re:Hmm

[dwightk]

What kind of PC do you have?

-uhh... it's greay and has some stickers on the front...

Does it have USB?

-whats that?

Is it a Dell or what?

-I get email on it...

don't really see the difference... sure there is an Inspiron 230000000 and a 2300000001, but what is the difference between the two?

Possible for version 1.0, too

[Anonymous Coward]

Here's a tutorial to get external antenna for the first generation Airport Base station:
http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/Airport/Airpo rt.html

Better tutorial, better pics

[Sillypuddy]

http://www.vonwentzel.net/ABS/ExtendedExtreme/ Also tells you the difference between the modem version and the regular version of the airport extreme -joe

Re:I wouldn't go messing with apple hardware again

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah. dell doesn't offer a warranty on morons attacking Apple hardware either.

Re:I wouldn't go messing with apple hardware again

[commodoresloat]

yeah I think this is a troll too but just for the record in case it's not... some g4s really were louder than fsck and Apple replaced fans and power supplies after issuing a (kinda) recall. They only were charging $20 for shipping the new power supply and fan. So if there's any truth to the story, a quick search through the apple website should help you solve your problem for $20, and probably without having apple check first whether you moronically voided your warranty by installing random parts into the

Or you could buy what you need

[littleghoti]

There are two models of the airport extreme base station, and the other model ships with an antenna port. Of course if you want to save money and invalidate your warranty, then thats your business.

Re:Or you could buy what you need

[YouHaveSnail]

Or if you want to extend the range of the AirPort 802.11b base station that you already own, and whose warrantee has very likely already expired, then that too is your business.

It's useful to point out that the performance of any 802.11[abg] base station, Bluetooth node, cell phone, cordless phone, or really any RF device depends an awful lot on the environment in which it operates. Obstacles, reflections, and interference from other devices all play a role. So your AirPort base station may work great when you bring it home, but not so great when you move to a different apartment with different walls. Adding an antenna to your existing unit may improve the performance for a lot less money than adding another base station or replacing your entire network with AirPort Extreme.

Why not Dr. Bott?

[xanderwilson]

The Dr. Bott antenna (which you just plug in and reboot and it works) isn't much more than the one they recommend.

Alex.

Re:Why not Dr. Bott?

[gdarklighter]

And that would be all well and good if he was using the upper end Airport Extreme base station. He is using an Airport Base Station 2.0, which does not have an external antenna port.

Next on Slashdot...

[floydigus]

Wiping your backside - a howto with easy to follow diagrams.

I mean - did this really need the photostory treatment?

Re:Next on Slashdot...

[proj_2501]

Here's a great step-by-step procedure for wiping your backside [everything2.com]

Also coming soon...

[speechpoet]

How to do absolutely anything to a Mac

Tools and materials required: Torx wrench, grounding strap, spirit gum, blowtorch and soldering iron.

1. Back up your hard drive.
2. Repair permissions.
3. Zap the PRAM.
4. Rebuild your desktop.
5. Run Conflict Catcher, Norton Disk Doctor and DiskWarrior.
6. Launch Terminal.
7. Close Terminal.
8. Reboot in single-user mode.
9. Reinstall the previous version of the operating system, using the archive feature.
10. Reboot in OS 9, and run ResEdit.
11. Reseat the RAM board.
12. Reset the PMU.
13. Boot from th

Too bad...

[azav]

That this guy doesn't know how to spell. You can't drill a whole in anything. You drill a hole.

Re:Too bad...

[Anonymous Coward]

You can't drill a whole in anything.

I can drill a whole bunch of things!

Re:Too bad...

[Mononoke]

That this guy doesn't know how to spell. You can't drill a whole in anything. You drill a hole.

Looks like his spelling is just fine. His word choice could use some work, though.

You've never seen me use a drill.

[porkchop_d_clown]

There ain't a whole lot left when I'm done.

Already published on /.

[adelayde]

I already had an article I wrote [flakey.info] regarding pigtailing the Airport on Slashdot [slashdot.org]back in April, so why the same story? I notice that there's a bit of repition here, there was another story published on /. recently [slashdot.org] that was also covered in the same article I wrote [flakey.info].

I'm not trying to say I did it first here and I appreciate that others may have different or better information, but to be honest, I can't see that this article improves over what I wrote before. My article covers pigtailing the airport and the use of a number of different types of home made antennae with the base station, including range tests as well as disecting both the Aiport and Airport Extreme.

Perhaps the editors should check a little harder about previous postings when weighing up whether to publish new ones?

Re:Already published on /.

[hexdcml]

... you're new here aren't you ;)

Re:No sympathy (here's why)

[geoffspear]

Except you're thinking of an iBook, and have obviously never seen either a tiBook or this troll before.

Re:No sympathy (here's why)

[bhtooefr]

A tiBook is a Titanium PowerBook G4. An alBook, therefore, is an Aluminum PowerBook G4.

Re:No sympathy (here's why)

[bhtooefr]

BTW, that was the cluestick. Use it wisely.

Re:No sympathy (here's why)

[geoffspear]

So you're saying I should beat you with the cluestick, since my point as that neither the tiBook or the alBook allow you to install an airport card under the keyboard, unlike the iBook?

idiot.

Re:No sympathy (here's why)

[bhtooefr]

I had thought that the person you were replying to didn't know WHAT a TiBook was (and therefore, probably what an AlBook is too).

Re:Be Careful If You Try This! (My Experience)

[godawful]

today you spent 5 hours, its only 10:47am when you posted this, perhaps sleep depravation of putting in airport cards at 5:47 am is what happened?

"i spent 5 hours installing airport cards and it still takes 20 minutes to transfer a 17 meg file!"

Re:Be Careful If You Try This! (My Experience)

[Anonymous Coward]

What kind of computer guy emphasizes going INSIDE THE MACHINE.

That's like an plumber who says, "The,n I had to go UNDER THE SINK."

Or an auto mechanic that says, "Then Ford told me I had to go UNDER THE HOOD."

Re:Be Careful If You Try This! (My Experience)

[sylencer]

You obviously ignored two important things:
1.) RTFM - Apple has excellent documentation for their hardware, even if it is quite old...
2.) If you have to use force (or even a file) then for the love of god STOP IT and leave it to someone who knows how to do it

Re:Be Careful If You Try This! (My Experience)

[Sillypuddy]

you are such a troll.

I brought my ibook and airport seperate and I had it install in the machine running in 5 minutes.

I assume you are like a regular "guy" and didn't read the manual. If you did then it tells you to take out the aerial cable BEFORE you install the card. blaming the machine for your lack of knowledge is low.

people who don't understand something general go back to what they are familiar with, it's like when people found out the world was round they refuse to believe it

it's it a fluke th

Come on guys...

[SillyWilly]

...he's only 16 after all.

Re:Come on guys...

[gamgee5273]

And 16 is just the time to teach him that spelling counts, IMHO.