Why? A mile wifi range isn't really very much. The record is something like 300 km.
That is with highly directional and large antennae on both sides. With only a tiny crappy antenna on the receiver side and no space for a good amplifier there either, 1 mile is pretty good. That is assuming they did use a standard WiFi sender with a non-boosted signal.
You can bet that when some DEFCON types say "were able to trigger payloads at over 1 mile" they had the best directional antenna they could build on their side, and the best geometry possible. With a crappy embedded antenna on the device side, a mile is about right. You might even run the embedded radio at lower power because it can't be easy to dissipate heat from inside that cable housing.
But if they can do this, in a city by the way, with a small thunderbolt/USB-C connector at a mile why do I have problems just getting a decent wifi signal from one end of the house to the other?
Well, 1) They do not have a "decent" connection, just one they can get some data over 2) They were using the best RF hardware they had (makes a huge difference) 3) They probably had a meter-long antenna precisely pointed at the receiver 4) Some walls are really hard on WiFi signals
Incidentally, you can get external directional antennas for WiFi hardware with signal connectors and that may make a lot of difference. You can also try with power-line repeaters.
But yes, WiFi is not the best part of the spectrum for this, it was just a part that was available.
over 1 mile wifi range (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Why? A mile wifi range isn't really very much. The record is something like 300 km.
Re: (Score:2)
Why? A mile wifi range isn't really very much. The record is something like 300 km.
That is with highly directional and large antennae on both sides. With only a tiny crappy antenna on the receiver side and no space for a good amplifier there either, 1 mile is pretty good. That is assuming they did use a standard WiFi sender with a non-boosted signal.
Re: (Score:2)
You can bet that when some DEFCON types say "were able to trigger payloads at over 1 mile" they had the best directional antenna they could build on their side, and the best geometry possible. With a crappy embedded antenna on the device side, a mile is about right. You might even run the embedded radio at lower power because it can't be easy to dissipate heat from inside that cable housing.
Re: (Score:2)
But if they can do this, in a city by the way, with a small thunderbolt/USB-C connector at a mile why do I have problems just getting a decent wifi signal from one end of the house to the other?
8^)
Re:over 1 mile wifi range (Score:2)
Well,
1) They do not have a "decent" connection, just one they can get some data over
2) They were using the best RF hardware they had (makes a huge difference)
3) They probably had a meter-long antenna precisely pointed at the receiver
4) Some walls are really hard on WiFi signals
Incidentally, you can get external directional antennas for WiFi hardware with signal connectors and that may make a lot of difference. You can also try with power-line repeaters.
But yes, WiFi is not the best part of the spectrum for this, it was just a part that was available.