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wifiguy · Jun 26, 2005, 10:20 PM

Has anyone heard of the WaiMAC?
I found a product in Japan that is a handheld wifi scanner the even detects WEP. Then when you find a good hotspot plug the scanner into your USB port on the laptop and surf the internet.
I like it because I won't have to walk around with my laptop scanning. It looks like a cell phone to. COOL! I ordered one and when I get it I will post my review. Now I won't have to lift up the keyboard to plug in my external antenna. Oh yeah. it is at www.wifijp.com

Hi I'm Ben · Jun 26, 2005, 11:05 PM

FINALLY! Go away.

wifiguy · Jun 26, 2005, 11:22 PM

No I won't go away. Do you have a powerbook 12" or I book? I don't think so! If you did you would understand why this USB antenna is so exciting to me. I don't have a pc card slot so I have to use the airport card. If I want to use my 6 Dbi antenna I have to lift up the keyboard to plug in the MC connection. After a year of pluging anfd unpluging I broke my builtin antenna cable. Most of my friends have PC's and had USB antennas years. This is LONG OVERDUE for the Ibook. So I won't go away, Ignore Ben,
Has anyone heard of the WaiMAC?
Does anyone have one?
What is the Dbi of the builtin ibook antenna?
It is not in the sepcs. I asked Apple and they never answered me.

Nerozwei · 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by Hi I'm Ben

FINALLY! Go away.

This is awesome news since it pretty much confirms the G5 iBook AND the return of the Newton

Anyway the product looks decent, but I'm not really that nailed by the marketing talk on the site. From what I gather it's not an antenna, but a complete adapter (with a sniffer as an addon). I thought the iBook was supposed to be pretty good at WiFi reception, so it seems that the numbers (up to 300% improvement!!!) could be:

a) taken from a TiBook (really poor reception if I recall right)
b) taken from the top of their head

My bets are on b. If I was buying one I'd be a bit weary on the driver support in the future as well... I might buy one if it was cheaper, but ~30000 Yen (around $250?) seems too costly since WiFi gear is chhhhhhhheap these days.

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 02:53 AM

I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean

"This is awesome news since it pretty much confirms the G5 iBook...
__________________"

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 03:13 AM

sorry the lower half of your mail just showed up.
The data sheet said it has a flip up antenna "kind of starterkie" I'm gonna buy it. $250 is allot but as usual all the cheap stuff are pc only. I have an Ibook so I cannot use the buffalo PC cards.

Nerozwei · Jun 27, 2005, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by wifiguy

sorry the lower half of your mail just showed up.
The data sheet said it has a flip up antenna "kind of starterkie" I'm gonna buy it. $250 is allot but as usual all the cheap stuff are pc only. I have an Ibook so I cannot use the buffalo PC cards.

There are other USB solutions on the market. Don't know about the reception, though. And don't get me wrong, the product looks decent. I'm just advising you to take the marketing talk with a grain of salt.

I hope it serves you well and please do post a review

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 03:28 AM

What is there? I can't find any for Mac.

Link · Jun 27, 2005, 03:36 AM

The D-link DWL-G122 is an external 802.11g adaptor that has OS X support (you can download the driver somewhere, can't remember at the moment), and is USB2 of course.

The only thing is for 1/5 of the price you don't get a wifi sniffer, but you can buy one of those

To me that thing looks like a toilet.

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 03:50 AM

Thanks Cheap only $50 but ir is only 2Dbi I think the builtin mac antenna is 3Dbi. With Wifi bigger is better. You should see the 8Dbi I clip to my screen.

Randman · Jun 27, 2005, 04:07 AM

You can use free apps like Stumbler to find Airport signals. Why pay that kind of money for the same thing?

andretan · Jun 27, 2005, 05:52 AM

I think what the threadstarter was looking for is a device that allows him to scan the area for a wireless network, and display the number of SSIDs found on the screen, without taking out the laptop to scan for a network.

But frankly speaking, there are lots of Wi-Fi scanning devices out there (keychain sized ones) that go for about US$20 or so.

It's not as if this USB Wi-Fi antenna can get better signals or something.

bleee · Jun 27, 2005, 07:33 AM

It would have almost been perfect if it was bluetooth as well so you don't need cables =(

Ω · Jun 27, 2005, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by andretan

I think what the threadstarter was looking for is a device that allows him to scan the area for a wireless network, and display the number of SSIDs found on the screen, without taking out the laptop to scan for a network.

See this is where you and me differ. I think that the thread starter is nothing but a spammer who pretends to "find" this great "new product we all must buy!!!"

Seems to be the new trend in the spamming world.

Case Exhibit 1:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=261274

Randman · Jun 27, 2005, 08:28 AM

The fact that almost all threads of the op are here and the name, wifiguy, lends credence to the spammer theory.

Ω · Jun 27, 2005, 08:41 AM

It's not like it really matters. Seems to be that all the Mods/Admins are MIA at the moment.....

Nerozwei · Jun 27, 2005, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by wifiguy

You should see the 8Dbi I clip to my screen.

We're interested! But a photo'll do. You or one of your friends must have a digital camera...

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 09:24 AM

radman and Ω
God can't we just yak techie. OK? I have been into wifi since the roots. I haven't paid for internet for 3 years. On top of this I am a mac nut! Enough! I'm not spam if you don' t like go harrass another threader.

bleee
Wifi to bluetooth to the mac? That's an idea. Maybe next year or the next.

I bought thr kinsington wifi keychain scanner. OK, where there are few signals. But I live in Tokyo. There is one spot called shibuya . Where I open stumbler and I get 20+ signals. The frickin thing is always green. I still have to booy up the laptop. Needless to say it was useless 3,500 yen junk. Even macstumbler is usless if their are to many hotspots. I can't sort like netstumbler
What I need is a devise that can tel WEP from Non WEP.
BVS has them but they are overkill http://www.bvsystems.com/
Another promising one was the hotspotter but he gave up http://hotspotter.scottcressman.com/index.php

Radman
"You can use free apps like Stumbler to find Airport signals. Why pay that kind of money for the same thing?"
I have no idea. I'll let you know when I get it.

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 09:26 AM

and yes I'm drunk Can't you tell from my spelling

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 09:33 AM

Radman
the whole idea is to not have to walk around with your laptop open looking for hotspots. I know! I have been doing it for years. Just now more people know whatI am doing and give me dirty looks. Do YOU know any keychain devises that show WEP?

wifiguy · Jun 27, 2005, 09:39 AM

Ω
I looked at the link you put on my thread. The difference is I DON'T HAVE MINE YET. I am NOT recomending it. I will if it works.

Randman · Jun 27, 2005, 10:18 AM

Why would I need to know where a WEP signal was if I didn't have my PowerBook open and searching for a network?

turtle777 · Jun 27, 2005, 10:46 AM

I'd call it SPAM.

-t

Randman · Jun 27, 2005, 12:12 PM

Spam reported. He's doing this in another thread.

turtle777 · Jun 27, 2005, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by Randman

Spam reported. He's doing this in another thread.

Tell me about it

-t

Hi I'm Ben · Jun 27, 2005, 06:33 PM

I called it spam forever ago i guess my sarcasm didn't catch on.

Ω · Jun 27, 2005, 06:35 PM

But that is because you are "perfect".

ghporter · Jun 27, 2005, 08:39 PM

We're not all MIA-it's just that in general, we do not have priveleges for all forums, just the ones we're responsible for.

I closed wifiguy's identical thread in Networking because I think it's spam-and he hasn't PM'd me to try to convince me otherwise. If it's not that important to him, I'll consider that an admission that it IS spam-and then recommend that he be banned. That's what happens to spammers here.

turtle777 · Jun 28, 2005, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Hi I'm Ben

I called it spam forever ago i guess my sarcasm didn't catch on.

You mean that ?

Originally Posted by Hi I'm Ben

FINALLY! Go away.

WOW, it has SPAM written all over it...

-t

wifiguy · Jun 29, 2005, 11:17 PM

Guilty until proven innocent?
I have nothing to gain from this thread except information from others that have the same product. I feel this forums "Regulars" have nothing better to do than cast doubt and throw accusations around. I'd prefer to talk Mac and Wifi not waste my time proving anything

mpancha · Jun 30, 2005, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by wifiguy

Guilty until proven innocent?
I have nothing to gain from this thread except information from others that have the same product. I feel this forums "Regulars" have nothing better to do than cast doubt and throw accusations around. I'd prefer to talk Mac and Wifi not waste my time proving anything

u learn after awhile to ignore the snide comments you receive from a select few, dont let them get to you.

back to the wifi antenna .... I've got a few plans for a house wide sound system, and one of my hurdles is getting wifi connectivity to systems I'll have built into walls of certain rooms. If this wifi antenna works, it'll be one of the more cheaper solutions to my dilemna. When u get the product, please do post a review.... and pictures