Getting Free Wifi using a booster in a box up a tree

Firefox

Firefox

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I just wondered if I put a booster aerial in a waterproof box 6m up a tree (eg Plastic foodsaver box) so I have line of sight to Tesco (200m away) and elsewhere, and connect using a long USB cable if this will be worth setting up. Will there be any waterproofing issues, or signal degradation on a long cable? Will the tree foliage get in the way during summer?
 
I was thinking of a plastic lunch or food box aka Tupperware/polythene/foodsaver. These have an airtight seal and should also be waterproof. From above at least, although the cable exit could be sealed with sikaflex or a grommet.
 
Ah yes, thx for reminder on the sunlight issue. I was forgetting that again!

I partly answered my own Q on signal degradation:

USB Cables and Adaptors

This link says 5m is the limit on a normal cable so I will need a 10m booster cable or a repeater cable which amplifies the signal.
 
I am alone in thinking that this is, to say the least, morally ambiguous? What if dozens of people who live within a few hundred yards of Tesco were to follow this route? How long do you think it would be before Tesco starting blocking your I.P addresses? This scheme is designed so that shoppers can log on and check prices, or use it for other occasional and moderate surfing. It's not in place provide free wi-fi for the neighbourhood.

It reminds me of when Nationwide offered an account which gave free cash withdrawals when abroad, as long as you used this current account as your main account and deposited a certain sum each month. So what happened? Thousands of people opened an account, got the card and simply transferred a few hundred quid into the account, only to take it out again a few days later. Nationwide lost money on every one and pulled the plug, so people such as me who used it as a proper and only current account, lost the privilege.

I've just been offered a new Nationwide credit card, which also allows no-fee purchases abroad but I notice that it's only being offered to those who have proper current accounts and not 'artificial' ones.

I've no problem with sitting outside McDonald's or Tesco and logging on for a short time as I patronise both establishments occasionally, but I worry that if Tesco find the scheme is being abused they'll just make it more difficult for those who do it.

If you can make this work with the right booster I'd be careful about cancelling your existing broadband supplier. You could end up with no wi-fi and find that you've wasted a lot of money on equipment that is no longer any use. And of course if your I.P. address is blocked you'll probably find that you're blocked in every other Tesco store as they'll have your Clubcard number, which you need to access this service.

Sorry to me negative, but I really do think that anyone considering this should give it some serious thought.

Edited to say: I'm sure I read somewhere that Tesco is already limiting users to two hours a day, so it would appear that they are already aware that there could be abuse of the service. So they obviously have the technology to block your I.P. address whenever they want. All the more reason to be careful!
 
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Any such connection would be subject to their fair use policy of course. But I may also be using the aerial to pick up other wifi services in the area so it wouldn't just be Tesco.

Good point about land line broadband, but I've already canceled that months ago. I'm going completely wireless now, which I think is the future, but at the moment am using a combination of various wireless technologies, I just need back up connections. I hope to add BTfon/broadband wireless roaming which I think is only about £11.00 a month.

As a technical point they wouldn't block my ip address. My ip address is provided by their router via the DHC protocol or whatever they use each time I log on. But they could place a limitation on a club card account or MAC address which is machine specific.
 
The plastic box you use needs to me a microwave safe type. Wifi operates at approx 2.4GHz, similar to some microwave ovens. To test box put in microwave for increasing lengths of time, if it gets warm, then it's absorbing signal so no use for what you want. Probably find that Anti UV agent stops microwave energy, bugger.

Fyi if you try to receive WiFi through the coloured windows of your MH then they absorb quite a lot of your signal as do Pilkington "K" glass in your double glazing (I get a 3 dB loss or only half the signal strength through mine, a crude test, but look at the signal strength with doors closed then again with doors open) Similar with MH windows.

Out of interest have you tried the Tesco experiment from your loft? The signal strength will vary when it rains.

I was using FON in Cardiff earlier this year through some trees, as the wind blew you could see the signal strength change and when it rained, the leaves got wet and for a time I lost the signal.

Have you tried using inssider to look for signals, there's a graphical representation of the visible signals, helps if you have a planar/yagi type directional antenna.
 
Nothing naughty using FON, that's why you joined, but I agree as long as it's not abused.

BT reconns that you get about 500 kbps of throughput via FON, I'm finding that I get between 500-800kbps most of the time. Very useable, in fact that's exactly what I'm doing right now.

Almost went over my monthly allowance, so for today I'm using a neighbour about 400m away from home, tried closer ones to see if throughput is any difference, but this is the weakest FON signal I can connect to.

You could always register a number of club cards???
 
according to yahoo news just now,using wi fi laptops can damage sperm. you all seemed so happy thought i'd chuck in a downer.
 
There is a central BTopenzone thing operating in my area but I only get 3 bars in the van normally. I was hoping for 4-5 bars with my tree aerial!
 
I thought the Repeat IT and other Faculty X antennas were already weather proof. Why put it in a box or am I missing something? Leave ours up on the back ladder of the van all the time when Im parked up. I suppose if its out there year round though its going to go a bit green especially in a tree.

I think my Repeat it would pull in a good signal at 200 metres no matter what the weather or leaves did.

I agree with previous posters though, Tescos will soon get wise to over use.
 
I wish I'd known about the wi-fi sperm thing a few years ago... I could have saved the discomfort of the 'snip'!! Especially as I spend most nights keeping my legs (and things) warm with a wi-fi laptop!!
 
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