Wifi help. Question about usb wifi adapters?

Question

Can usb cables loose signal strength in 10 feet of cable?

I'm trying to make up my mind which method I will use.
No. 1:
Using a pci desktop wifi card such as this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...
and running an extension cable from there to my roof where I will attach the other end of the cable to my 9dBi omni-directional antenna. This cable would run about 10 feet between the wireless card to the antenna on the roof.

No. 2:
Buying a usb wifi adapter such as this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie... and running a usb extension cable from the computer to the roof where it will attach to the usb wifi adapter. This cable would be about 10 feet also, running from the computer usb port to the roof where the other end of the cable will attach to the usb wifi adapter.

Which would be better for keeping my 9dBi signal strength?

Answer 1

Youve got problems either way you go. First off, the loss in wifi microwave antenna cable is tremendous unless you use high quality cable and its COSTLY not to mention big and clumsy. Your second idea is shot down due to the usb wireless devices poor range. You could however spend the money on a wireless usb device with an external antenna but these are costly. My setup consists of a modified router on in a watertight box, on a primestar dish. The dish has a home brew double biquad element. This all sits atop a TV rotor. There is no where near as much loss in the cat5 cable from the roof to the Main computer. Now retired, I've spent the last year experimenting with home brew antennae and equipment and this method works the best. I have over a quarter mile range in a city of 25000 peep. Here is a shot of one of my fav creations.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb99/trydave/SUNP0006.jpg

This particular unit works well but is extremely directional.

Answer 2

a lot of times dongle/adapter is used interchangebly. there is no real difference in what they do. i have an adapter that COULD be called a dongle as it plugs right into the USB port,but then I also have an adapter that requires a USB cable to connect it and the pc together and is NOT a dongle.

Answer 3

If you need an omni-directional antenna, usb is no good.