increasing wireless search?

My school has wireless signals across campus but they are only strong in certain areas. From my dorm room, theres a wireless spot about 100-200 feet across in a neighboring building. I can barely catch the signal (sometimes if I put my laptop by the window) it may be able to get a 1 bar signal.

is there any hardware I can use that will be able to better search for these signals? I really don:t want to go across to the other building to use it, especially since I rather use the comfort of my own room to browse online.. that and the other building where there is wireless built in, is a loud music recital room.

 

Something like this?

http://brentevans.blogspot.com/2007/09/hack-your-wifi-antenna-for-5-cents-and.html

 

I've also seen a few usb adapters that have attached antenna's, similar to the old bag cell phone antenna's.

I think I had one by Netgear. It would give you better range and reception............

EDIT:
Here's what I found--
http://www.netgear.com/Products/Adapters/RangeMaxNextWirelessAdapters/WN121T.aspx

I'm not recommending it, but it's worth a shot. At least you wouldn't have to set your laptop on the window sill.......

You can get 1 for about $30 on Ebay..........

 

If you have a antenna that is removable, switching to a high gain will help. But in any case you need a BEAM Antenna to concentrate on the remote signal and canceling back ground noise. Something like these http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/antennas_2400_out_directional.php

 

hey guys, I ended up buying this..


The Buffalo tech, WLI-U2-G54HG
mostly because I'm in Japan and it was cheap (about $30).

but it STILL can't catch the wifi signals from the next building.


here it is on Google Earth.
The building on the left is where the wi-fi hot spot is, the yellow pin is where I am. the Yellow line is how far the wifi signal extends. after going beyond that line, my wireless can't detect it anymore. its so frustrating because its only a few feet more!
(about 66 yards from my room to that building)

anything else I can do? get something better? some of the guys at the tech store think there's nothing they have that can go that far unless I want to buy something expensive thats meant for businesses.

 

If you can find someplace safe (and authorized) to set up your own range-extender/repeater, then you could purchase a device like that which would technically be a part of your local machine network, but which would have the effect of boosting the signal from the remote WLAN to the point where your machine's internal wireless card can get a useable signal.

 

Would something like the Super Cantenna work for you?

 

Do you have a line of site to the building or is it obstructed by those trees?

 

go into my how to build a computer thread, then find the link to my youtube video of my computer. taht has my wireless satilite... try that

 

thanks for the feedback guys. I just emailed Cantenna to see if there's any place I can find their product in Japan.

where'd you get that dish? its huge