Joining a third-party net via Base Station?

[ephraim]

Hi there,

I'm trying to connect to my school network. Their transmitter is about 300 feet away, so my G5's antenna won't pick it up.

I bought a Dr. Bott directional antenna and have it pointed at the transmitter, but I'm still not getting anything.

I could probably get a better signal if I had the antenna aiming out a window down the hall, but then its cable won't reach the computer.

So... Could I get an AirPort base station, stick it near the window with the antenna, and then connect to the base station from the G5? Or, to put it another way, can the AxBS pick up and repeat a third-party signal?

Thanks very much if you can help in any way!
-john

 

[IanCT]

So... Could I get an AirPort base station, stick it near the window with the antenna, and then connect to the base station from the G5? Or, to put it another way, can the AxBS pick up and repeat a third-party signal?

If the school network was using an Airport Extreme you could use WDS with your own base station, or an Airport Express. Otherwise, you're best bet is the antenna idea, but without being close to the window where you have a signal, it's hard to say. Using a wireless access point might work, what does the school use for it's wireless network?

 

[ephraim]

If the school network was using an Airport Extreme you could use WDS with your own base station, or an Airport Express. Otherwise, you're best bet is the antenna idea, but without being close to the window where you have a signal, it's hard to say. Using a wireless access point might work, what does the school use for it's wireless network?

The school is using some sort of miscellaneous Wintel wireless gear, which I now understand won't work with an AirPort base station in terms of WDS extension. So I guess my only viable solution is to move my computer closer to the window..