Just in case anyone is trying to squeak a little extra range out of their wireless card...
Aluminum foil.
My signal was marginal so I placed a half-cylinder of aluminum foil around the back of the USB adapter at about 5cm from the antenna (5cm is about half the 2.4 GhZ wavelength). The result is the signal power that was uselessly being directed away from my access point is now all being directed there, and the signal from the transmitter might be constructively interfering too.
I was able to get a whole 1 more bar of signal strength (low vs. very low). The only caveat is that your adapter needs to remain oriented the same way with repsect to the access point at all times (if you move the foil between the point and adapter you will lose most of the signal in that direction). Have fun.
Aluminum foil.
My signal was marginal so I placed a half-cylinder of aluminum foil around the back of the USB adapter at about 5cm from the antenna (5cm is about half the 2.4 GhZ wavelength). The result is the signal power that was uselessly being directed away from my access point is now all being directed there, and the signal from the transmitter might be constructively interfering too.
I was able to get a whole 1 more bar of signal strength (low vs. very low). The only caveat is that your adapter needs to remain oriented the same way with repsect to the access point at all times (if you move the foil between the point and adapter you will lose most of the signal in that direction). Have fun.