I used to use a bridge to connect to campus wireless from an outlying
campus parking lot when I was living in the van for a semester. I had
to keep the VOIP phone going to make calls to my wife while she was
overseas!

The Bridge
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/EL-2611CB3-PLUS/Senao_NL2611CB3_Plus_Deluxe_Wireless_Client_Bridge__Access_Point_200mw.html

With a directional antenna
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/ZZ-R2T24-19/24GHz_19dBi_RooTenna_Compartment_Antenna.html

And appropriate pigtail (to connect antenna with bridge).

I then had an ethernet connection in the van that worked just fine
with my laptop. The bridge associated with the wireless network and my
laptop then used it just like a wired connection. It wasn't seamless
as I sometimes had to select the access point SSID (in the bridge
config pages) and tune the antenna direction, but it worked from 1/4+
mile away from the nearest building. The highly directional antenna
had to be mounted in the window behind the closet just right. But once
it was working, it worked great. An onmidirectional or less
directional antenna would probably suffice in most areas. Also, since
it was a wireless to ethernet bridge, I wasn't using wireless on the
laptop. This bridge didn't do that at the time. it may now, but I
don't know. I would call and ask what they recommend...

Oh yeah, I was also using an inverter, but it could probably be run
off of the van's 12V as the power supply was 12V as well.

Aaron
'85 Westfalia

On Jun 4, 2008, at 10:54 AM, Christopher Gronski wrote:

> There is so much free Internet out there, I was wondering if any
> Vanagon
> Volks were successfully using a device to boost an incoming free hot
> spot. I
> found a couple of solutions online:
>
> http://www.cellamericas.com/MotorhomeWiFi-Antenna-with-Link-Gauge-FREE-SHIPPING-pr-16424.html
>
> http://www.fjcomm.com/generated.asp?id=100
>
> I like the idea of a bridge, where the device connects to the Internet
> through wi-fi, and also allows devices to connect to it directly
> grabbing
> that connection. So if you had several wi-fi devices they
> effectively share
> the antenna.
>
> If someone has already done the legwork I'd love to hear from you....
>
> Christopher
>
> P.S. Would these thing work THROUGH an AW or Westy top?