Zellers - Dlink Omni-Directional antenna $7.79 ANT24-0700

[inhobbok]

I was at Zellers, getting the Michelin Optimum wiper blades.
In Electronics, i found the Dlink Omni-Directional 7dBi antenna, model ANT24-0700. The price posted was $49 but it scans for $7.79. i don't have SKU number - receipt shows UPC Code 790069273643

This antenna can be used to increase wireless signal range of your wireless router, or your wireless card in your computer. Compatible with SMA and TNC connector types, so can be used with dlink, linksys, most brands.

[ibear]

good price.

[Viz79]

Can anyone else confirm that this is not location specific?

This deal would be extremely hot if we're able to apply the D-Link's Spooky Saving $20 MIR (http://www.dlink.com/promotions/rebates/) offer. :P

~V79~

[kmchow]

sku or product#?

[lhsonic]

how do you install this thing? obviously, you don't just replace your existing antennas with it XD

[jdewit]

how do you install this thing? obviously, you don't just replace your existing antennas with it XD


Actually, you do just that.

[RenegadeX]

Can anyone else confirm that this is not location specific?

This deal would be extremely hot if we're able to apply the D-Link's Spooky Saving $20 MIR (http://www.dlink.com/promotions/rebates/) offer. :PYeah, it's always sweet when you can buy a product AND get more money back than you spent on it. Done that a few times in the old Staples 150% price-matching days... ;)

Unfortunately though that Halloween D-Link rebate is not available to Canadian residents, as D-Link USA does not honour Canadian purchases unless specifically stated on the rebate form (and D-Link Canada is not offering a rebate on this product at this time).

Tiger Direct actually has the product with a TD-exclusive $20 rebate from D-Link USA that's open to Canadian & US customers. But their price is $48.99(-$20) (link (http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1271181&CatId=374)).

If you can get it at Zellers for $7.79, that's a deal.
However, be warned - read the reviews... it might be a waste of money even at that price. I guess you could always eBay it though if it didn't do anything for your network.

[Morphector]

Do not ever buy that antenna, there's more loss in the wire than gain in the antenna, not worth 7.79$

[opilion]

Do not ever buy that antenna, there's more loss in the wire than gain in the antenna, not worth 7.79$

Actually, reviews on Amazon.com are somewat mixed, but generally quite positive.

Link (http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-2-4GHz-Omni-Directional-Antenna-ANT24-0700/dp/B0007XXU3E)

[nychtos]

Here's an interesting link to a video on how to make your own high-gain antenna...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/837885/wifi_antenna_hack/

[brunes]

Why do people take all the time to come on here and post the deal but not the SKU or item number?

[T3rry]

i bought a couple of THESE (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160142511608) off ebay, they work great! (unfortunatly the seller is "no longer registered")

[h00ch]

How about this one?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330172373323&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=160142511608&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget

[T3rry]

How about this one?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330172373323&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=160142511608&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget

yep, that'll do the job...

[neo1973]

Here's an interesting link to a video on how to make your own high-gain antenna...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/837885/wifi_antenna_hack/
Thank you for the link. I'll give it a try.

[h00ch]

Here's an interesting link to a video on how to make your own high-gain antenna...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/837885/wifi_antenna_hack/
I can't view that link here at work. What kind of antenna is it?

[SeeWhy2]

None in the Kingston store!
FYI,

[T3rry]

I can't view that link here at work. What kind of antenna is it?

it's actually better than i expected, it's a guy who gives a tut on how to disassemble your stock antenna, take a piece of wire, replicate the coil on the high end antennas, and solder it to your original, then use a straw as the "casing"


It's worth a watch if you're a DIY techie

[h00ch]

it's actually better than i expected, it's a guy who gives a tut on how to disassemble your stock antenna, take a piece of wire, replicate the coil on the high end antennas, and solder it to your original, then use a straw as the "casing"


It's worth a watch if you're a DIY techie
Thanks, I'll def have to check it out then.

[inhobbok]

Why do people take all the time to come on here and post the deal but not the SKU or item number?

sorry - newbie mistake.
Receipt just shows UPC code. updated original post.

The metacafe link is interesting! I'll have to try that. thanks nychtos

[willpoon]

Where is this antenna located in the electronics department? I was looking thru the routers and didn't find it.
Any suggestions?

A upc code would be helpful.

[Deal]

I can't view that link here at work. What kind of antenna is it?

In summary

http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/6342/diyantennaerl9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[h00ch]

Awesome, thanks!

[raskal]

thanks OP! got the last one in my local store. Cheaper imo than making it.

[T3rry]

thanks OP! got the last one in my local store. Cheaper imo than making it.

not cheaper, and defiantly not as efficient.


You honestly think a 5" peice of wire, and a drop of solder costs more than $7?

[Riddick]

thanks OP! got the last one in my local store. Cheaper imo than making it.

Where are they? I checked four stores and didn't see any sign of them. Were they with the routers?

[Aristophanes]

or try this. a DIY signal booster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUTT8wdN_VA

i have a computer on the other side of the house. the signal was "very low" before and after this, it was registering as "low".

Eh, worth a try. it worked for me. not bad for less than $1 worth of material and if you got 5 minutes on your hands.

[T3rry]

or try this. a DIY signal booster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUTT8wdN_VA

i have a computer on the other side of the house. the signal was "very low" before and after this, it was registering as "low".

Eh, worth a try. it worked for me. not bad for less than $1 worth of material and if you got 5 minutes on your hands.

that one is directional, not omni directional like the topic of this post.

[raskal]

and defiantly not as efficient.

sorry,... did I miss the part where you got your electrical engineering degree,... or did you get it by watching Youtube videos?


You honestly think a 5" peice of wire, and a drop of solder costs more than $7?

since my chargeout rate is a measly $75/hr and it's going to take more than 6 minutes to make, yes, it's more to make it!

(and I was already in Zellers buying a watch.... unless you make those too)

[raskal]

Where are they? I checked four stores and didn't see any sign of them. Were they with the routers?

It was on a bottom shelf among other junk, but all in the Electrical area (Webcam's, cables, etc.)

[T3rry]

sorry,... did I miss the part where you got your electrical engineering degree,... or did you get it by watching Youtube videos?



since my chargeout rate is a measly $75/hr and it's going to take more than 6 minutes to make, yes, it's more to make it!

(and I was already in Zellers buying a watch.... unless you make those too)

no, but you must have missed the part that half the reviews on this are that it's trash and you're better off with the stock antenna... and at your *way over priced* hourly fee, it'd cost you $7.50 in labour + $0.05 in materials,

And it probably took you at least a few minutes to find this anyways... last i checked watches were not in the electronics dept :)

you still lose

[raskal]

no, but you must have missed the part that half the reviews on this are that it's trash and you're better off with the stock antenna... and at your *way over priced* hourly fee, it'd cost you $7.50 in labour + $0.05 in materials, you still lose

whatever.
I already had one and bought another.

also, interesting how you can define my chargeout rate as "way over priced", yet have no idea what I do.

Now, go get your wire, take apart your old antenna, get your straw from MacDonalds, wind the wire around the screw, solder it all up, colour your straw and put it all back together.... you have 6 minutes to complete this task.... GO!

[Kingmoo]

whatever.

Now, go get your wire, take apart your old antenna, get your straw from MacDonalds, wind the wire around the screw, solder it all up, colour your straw and put it all back together.... you have 6 minutes to complete this task.... GO!

is this a race?

cuz I got nothing better to do...

[nychtos]

Be nice, people!

Just remember that the wifi hack that I posted earlier can be used for multiple antennae... especially now that the new Draft N routers have up to 3 antennae. The cheap-man potential here is pretty great.

[raskal]

Just remember that the wifi hack that I posted earlier can be used for multiple antennae... especially now that the new Draft N routers have up to 3 antennae. The cheap-man potential here is pretty great.

I agree, very cool stuff, it's just that my dealings with CB radio antennas has shown that there are differences in wires... no idea if any of that is transferable to WiFi.

I also really liked Aristophanes' directional cheap solution, but would be hard pressed to put that into a fortune 500 company :)

/promise to be nice now

[flashmeister]

I am trying to understand the theory behind these antennas...

Optimal dipole antenna would be 1 wavelength long, correct?

I believe Wifi operates at 2.4 GHz, so that corresponds to 12.5 cm wavelength, no?
(using the speed of light in a vacuum, 3X10^8 m/s, which is a good approximation for air, correct?)

If this is the case, all we need for an "optimal" dipole antenna is a straight piece of wire, 12.5 cm long.

I am assuming the only reason these antennas have a coil (can't really call it a coil since it so loosely wound) is so that it can be shorter. ie. take a 12.5 cm wire and reduce its length to something more compact by wrapping it a few times loosely.

1/4 wavelength and 1/2 wavelength would also make decent antennas - I assume that the stock antenna would be a half wavelenght at 6.25 cm in length.

Anybody know for certain if what I am saying is correct?

It has been 16 years since I took electronics and even then we didn't spend any time on antenna theory...

Greg

[akachyan]

I picked up on at Market Mall in Calgary.
There are four left..

I will check the performance..

Thanks anyway.

:cheesygri

[Z]

My friend bought one of these over a year ago and it dramatically increased his signal reception from something like 20% to 80%.

1st of all these are really good for those PCI cards with the antenna at the card, without any wire to allow for it to be moved around. This was my friends case.

His computer was on the floor and he's in the basement. His signal would be best at 40% and sometimes his speed would also drop to compensate for the week reception.

After changing out the antenna, he no longer lost signal and his speed increased/became steady.

He paid like $50 + taxes from Office Depot and it was money well spent for him.

For under $10, it's worth a try if you got one of those PCI cards with the antenna stuck to the back. Just make sure your antenna is replaceable.


Yes you can make your own and save the $10 and maybe end up with a much superior one; however it requires you have the time and knowledge. Some RFDers can justify the time and some cannot; some RFDers have the ability and some don't. Now everyone play nice.

Anyhow, I got in on the deal and a big thanks to the OP! Yes, it increased the reception quality and signal strength for my cheap Belkin "B" network card. Some would argue that I'm better off buying a new wireless nic, but this only costed me less than $10 and a few minutes of my time to pickup the antenna from Zellers and to hook it up (no opening up the computer & swapping out the card and hoping the driver install will go smoothly).

[zzzzoooo]

Recently I made two DIY omni directional antenna based on the link below as well.

Easy Homemade 2.4 Ghz Omni Antenna (http://wireless.gumph.org/articles/homemadeomni.html)

I made the first antenna using RG214 cable and the second using RG402 semi rigid coaxial cable. I guess any 50 ohm cable (possibly RG58, but not RG59 nor RG6) can be used to build DIY omni direction antenna of very high gain.

I have access to Vector Network Analyzer at work so I could estimate the gain of antenna is approx 8 dBi or higher (for 8 sectors that I built) but unfortunately the first one was tuned at 2.9 GHz instead of 2.441 GHz.

and you can find some more interesting DIY antenna articles from the above site and the additional links below!

biQuad (and double biQuad) homemade wifi Antenna: 14db ! (http://www.larsen-b.com/Article/201.html)
Wifi canantenna ;) (http://www.larsen-b.com/Article/199.html)

I am not expert in this field but as far as I know higher gain in omni directional antenna means wider horizontal coverage but less vertical coverage since its vertical beam width decreased for gain. So you might be able get better coverage in 2 or 3-stories house through the floors if you bend the antenna 45 degree rather than vertical upright position, YMMV :cheesygri . FYI, See this (http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_tech_note09186a00807f34d3.shtml).

Jae.

[flashmeister]

Calgary Zellers:

Sunridge Mall: No Stock
17th Ave and 52nd St. SE: No Stock
Shawnessy: No Stock (sorry, I bought the last one!) :D

I didn't check any other locations, however Market Mall sounds promising from what the other poster said...

Greg

[flashmeister]

Thanks zzzzoooo!

Lots of interesting reading at the websites you mentioned...

Some really interesting antenna designs!

Greg

[bilyth]

this antenna works really well. makes a big difference.

[Shambo]

I went to the following in Mississauga and found none, no spot on shelf either:

Square One
Sherdian Mall
Erin Mills Town Centre