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This is not very linux-related but does pertain to older hardware.

> >  We are going to concentrate our efforts on adding a few more phone lines
> >  to the neighbor's house and placing her DSL modem closer to our house so
> >  we can pick up the signal directly with pcmcia wireless cards.  Even a PCI
> >  wireless card with longer antenna could not get a usable signal, but it
> >  did detect a weak signal.  Her signal is half strength even inside the
> >  house, so we need to check for interference from cordless phone or
> >  computer. If we make her signal stronger we should also figure out how to
> >  set a password or the whole neighborhood will be able to use it.

Cordless phones etc would interfere only when in use and her computer is 
not near the router.

Another source of interference is using the same channel as most of the 
neighbors.  The router picks up their signals and has to reject them and 
it slows it down.  Available channels are 1-11, local networks with three 
routers are supposed to use 1, 6, and 11 (to keep them 5 channels apart) 
and therefore many routers are set by default to one of these numbers. 
In this local area most of the detected (outdoor,s weak) signals are 11, 
some are 6, and her router is set to 11.  We will set it to some unused 
channel such as 2 or 3.  You should keep it away from large reflective 
surfaces such as mirrors or windows (at least for her own purposes - for 
ours would glass transmit better than several layers of plaster and 
wood?).

In theory you can configure a router (at least some routers) to be a 
repeater, but maybe only the newer ones, and it looks complicated, and it 
is best to connect the several routers via cable.

Placing the pcmcia wireless card at the focal point of a TV satellite dish 
did not help.
> >  Sindi
>
> > From memory, some routers do indeed have DHCP. Though I (or rather my younger
> brother!) tried this; even using DHCP getting 2 routers won't work
> unless they are the same
> and they have WDS. They just won't associate or detect each other.
>
> As for the lack of signal would it be an idea to use an outdoor ariel?
> I'm no electronics
> expert but since wireless signals are transmitted at 2.4Ghz and at low
> power I'd have thought
> that obstructons such as walls would be causing the problem, i.e.
> killing the signal almost
> completely. Satellite TV frequencies are around 2.4Ghz (not the same
> but in the Ghz range)
> and similar obstructions will stop those signals too (e.g. you need a
> clear path to the satellite
> with your satellite dish).

I found instructions for converting a satellite dish to a biquad antenna 
(single quad looks like TV rabbit ears) which can add 7 dBi (quadruple 
signal strength) but you need at least a weak signal to start with, so 
they suggest putting it outdoors.  Even outdoors next to the neighbor's 
house, we only get a detectable signal directly in back with pcmcia 
wireless card (but the PCI card with antenna detected a faint signal 
indoors once in a while).  The biquad antenna (without satellite dish) can 
be placed into a weatherproof container such as a tupperware container 
(melt the hole shut).  You need 50 ohm not the standard 75 ohm (TV) 
coaxial cable from antenna to wireless card (or bridge or router).  For 
$15 you can buy a new high power antenna for sending/receiver (card, 
router, bridge).  Since the neighbor would benefit from a stronger signal 
(faster connection) maybe she wants one.

> One other thought regarding lack of signal, try this though I do not
> know it will work!!
> http://www.exe64.com/mirror/wokfi/

Other objects can be used as parabolic reflectors, such as wok, umbrella, 
or satellite dish, and I even downloaded a template for making your own 
parabola.

> ljones