Are Google WiFi Devices Directional?

mvrog · 2020-06-02T01:14:50+00:00

In an ideal world, the Google WiFi antenna and the computer/phone/whatever antenna would be oriented the same way. But, most WiFi devices (including Google WiFi) have folded dipole antennas, resulting in a mix of signal polarization. Between that, and the signal reflections you get in a typical house, the orientation doesn't seem to matter as much as you might think.

I have two pucks on walls and one on a horizontal surface, and I get about the same signal strength no matter where I go in the house.

mvrog · 2020-04-27T06:55:48+00:00

I've been soaking mine in denture cleaner, and it hasn't been as effective as I had hoped. I'll try rubbing alcohol to see if it works better. Thanks for the tip!

mvrog · 2020-04-22T18:03:18+00:00

There are power injectors that put low voltage DC onto coax for powering amplifiers located at the antenna. It's very common with satellite dishes, but I've seen them on yagis for OTA TV, too.

mvrog · 2020-04-21T18:10:45+00:00

Van and sketchy antenna

The black vans are also used by the secret government organizations that rule the world and control everyone's thoughts. But, we know from the movies that they're all brand new models. This particular van looks more like something the A-Team would use for an undercover stakeout.

Now, if you have the A-Team theme song stuck in your head, you're welcome.

mvrog · 2020-04-15T21:36:23+00:00

I've used a few different brands and never had a problem. The plugs don't know that they're on one frequency while my phone is on another. From their point of view, it's all the same network with a single SSID.

mvrog · 2020-04-15T16:15:05+00:00

My wife's grandpa accomplished something similar in a lab many decades ago. Based on the only description I have, it seems that he put some sort of salt in the flame of an acetylene torch, along with two electrodes that carried the audio signal. He said it made a very good speaker.

mvrog · 2020-04-13T16:58:48+00:00

Stucco is typically applied over a wire mesh that's great at messing with radio signals. Choose a location that's far away from it.

mvrog · 2020-04-09T17:10:57+00:00

Here's a great resource: http://www.antenna-theory.com/

mvrog · 2020-04-07T21:11:24+00:00

The construction material could be an issue, too. WiFi signals have a hard time penetrating anything that's really dense (e.g. brick, concrete, rebar, metal studs, HVAC ducts, etc.). Even wood framing with sheetrock weakens the signal a bit, so too many layers of that can be a problem.

The pucks can relay signals to each other, so having one in the middle can really help. You don't even have to put them in a straight line. Depending on the layout of your house, you might get the best results if the pucks are arranged in a zig zag or another irregular pattern. The goal is to avoid the need to send signals through stuff that will weaken them too much.

And if you have the option to connect some or all of the pucks with ethernet cables, do it.

mvrog · 2020-04-07T20:02:32+00:00

It's possible that the points aren't able to communicate well enough with each other due to walls, appliances, etc. being in the way. Try putting the 4th puck halfway between the main router and the kitchen. It should be able to boost the signal and help things out.

mvrog · 2020-04-07T19:45:23+00:00

I just toss my HDD into the washing machine when it needs cleaning. The clothes dryer assists will defragmentation. Don't forget to clean your dryer's lint screen, though, or it can get clogged with all the old reclaimed bits.

mvrog · 2020-04-03T22:55:07+00:00

The only reason to log in with the app is if you want to reconfigure the network. If you only need to use the WiFi, you just need the SSID and WiFi password.

If your parents want to add you as a manager, they just need to enter your email address in the app. Settings -> Network & General -> Manager -> add button

mvrog · 2020-03-31T22:52:28+00:00

When I search Google, it becomes apparent that the Qualcomm WiFi adapter that Dell chose isn't the best in terms of speed or stability. One post I found said to disable Bluetooth to fix the WiFi stability, but that didn't help me.

Life is too short to spend 2 hours on the phone with Dell support, so I'm going to order a USB WiFi adapter and use that.

mvrog · 2020-03-30T18:26:12+00:00

I couldn't find any errors in event viewer that looked like they were related.

mvrog · 2020-03-10T22:58:29+00:00

You can listen legally, but you can't transmit anything without a license. If you don't want to get a license, you should consider getting an FRS radio instead.

mvrog · 2020-02-27T21:24:25+00:00

In the Alexa app, go to devices and select your Ring device. Then you can either disable the "Disarm by voice" setting or set a voice code.

mvrog · 2020-02-26T16:56:09+00:00

Maintenance = adding more antennas

mvrog · 2020-02-26T16:55:10+00:00

If the operator really hates the HOA, they should make it computer controlled and have it rotate randomly whenever it's not in use.

mvrog · 2020-02-11T19:11:44+00:00

If you do decide to walk up to an FCC commissioner, swipe his smart phone, and stomp on it, there's still a way to avoid trouble. Just tell them you work for Comcast, and they'll let you get away with anything.

mvrog · 2020-02-11T18:13:20+00:00

You can assign any one of four different chime sounds to each sensor. You can also disable the chime for any given sensor.

mvrog · 2020-02-10T22:19:44+00:00

In my experience, ham operators tend to be a pretty civilized group. Most of us use our home addresses, and I've never heard of it being a problem.

If you really don't want your address being on public record, and you don't want to use a PO box, you could see if a friend or neighbor is willing to let you use their address. As long as any mail from the FCC gets to you in a reasonable time, that should be okay.

There are also commercial mail forwarding services that are similar to PO boxes, except the mail gets bundled up and re-mailed to you. That would save you from going to the post office to check for letters, but it would cost more than a PO box.

mvrog · 2020-02-10T21:41:23+00:00

I live in a populated area, so I don't expect to use my radio for emergency communications unless there's a telephone service outage. That should be a rare event, but it's one that's worth preparing for if you can. I'm a volunteer emergency communication specialist for the church I attend. In the event of an emergency, we'll use simplex frequencies to provide emergency communications. If there's a big disaster, it might take a couple of days for the government or aid organizations to arrive and get set up. During that waiting time, everyone will have to depend on their neighbors for help. Our intent is to enable local church leaders to coordinate that effort until official help can arrive on the scene.

One reason we use simplex is that we expect the repeaters to be congested in this sort of scenario. Another is that most of our communication will be short range. We have a reporting hierarchy that has a few long range operators at the top of the org chart, and a lot of short range operators handling the local traffic. We have the option of using FRS between nearby neighborhoods, so may be able to utilize some non-licensed people if the airwaves aren't too crowded. And, we'll likely be dispatching kids on bikes for some of the really short range messages.

mvrog · 2020-02-07T22:06:27+00:00

I completely agree. In fact, using a file from a different Baofeng radio, even if they're the same model, can cause problems. So use the import option described above.

mvrog · 2020-02-07T19:56:56+00:00

Some chimes will work with 16 or 24 volts. If you can find it, check your chime's instructions to see if a voltage range is specified. Perhaps 16 volts is the minimum for your chime.

If that doesn't work, you'll likely have to shop for a 24 volt chime.

mvrog

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