Custom antenna extension

[chasez0r]

Has anyone tried opening up an Alro camera to create an extended antenna?

My issue:

I live on the 6th floor of an apartment building. We don't have a front door camera. I was thinking of cracking open one of my cameras, and sodering a very long antenna, from 1st to 6th floor along the outside of my building. Essentially a 100ft antenna run, that way the camera can connect to the base station.

Anyone try anything like this?

[TomMac]

It would prob have to be  1) a tuned antenna 2) matched  to the impedance of the output

Remember, we're talking 2.4 ghz where a full wave lenght antenna is only 4.9 inches

Mostly use 1/2w at about 2.5"

good luck !

[chasez0r]

Thanks for the input. I have minimal experience with antennas. I understand the basic principles of frequency size to antenna and wattage pushed over that.

Any references / pointers for where to start? Perhaps another way to discribe this problem is. Does anyone know how to or Is there anyway to relocate an antenna at say the end of a coax cable, assuming it could be done on the camera?

Edit: I am starting to think hacking the base station might be a better approach, by adding coax antenna extension cables to that. That way I can get the base station antenna over a brick ledge 60ft above camera. Anyone ever crack open their base station, or know of any websites that have?

[jguerdat]

Rather than (reverse) engineering antennas, would it be possible to put the base station at the wall where the camera would be so it's more line-of-sight in the first place?

[TomMac]

Also IF your thinking of hacking the antenna, remember that at those freqs, coax is very lossy.

You may want to think of a directional antenna if you can't extend the base location ( which would prob be the easiest )

[chasez0r]

Thanks. I am rethinking my approach. I am thinking of running a 50ft PoE Ethernet injected cable into a waterproof utility box, where the Base Station will live. Then placing that on my terrace ledge.

To further explain my situation, I live on the 6th floor and have a 20x60 foot terrace that spans the entire front of my unit. So placing the base station inside near a window for example wouldn't work because the terrace would block the signal 6 floors down. So my idea was either to run an antenna out over the terrace or actually move the base station out onto the terrace ledge.

There it could make connection to my apt on the same plane, and the camera 6 stores below. A right angle of reception.

[A_R_L_O]

Salve, anche io ho la stessa problematica e mi chiedevo come fare per applicare una antenna alla basestation Arlo per amplificare il segnale wifi della Basestation atteso che, anche utilizzando un Range Extender per spostare la basestation Arlo  rispetto alla posizione del Ruter/Modem non risolverebbe alcun problema in quanto resterebbero sempre alcune telecamere wifi Arlo senza segnale. Chiedo un gentile riscontro da parte del Team Netgear, magari suggerendo le antenne compatibili con la Basestation Arlo applicabili alle porte usb presenti su quest'ultima. Grazie.

[JamesC]

Google Translate:

Hi, I too have the same problem and I was wondering how to apply a basestation antenna to Arlo to boost wifi signal Basestation since, even using a Range Extender to move the basestation Arlo respect to the position of Ruter / Modem would not solve any problem as it would always remain some wifi Arlo cameras without signal. I ask a polite response from the Netgear Team , perhaps suggesting the antennas compatible with the Basestation Arlo applicable to USB ports on the latter . Thank you.

A_R_L_O,

At this time, there is no way to boost signal from the Arlo base station to the cameras. If you are having trouble with signal strength, I would recommend moving the base station closer to the cameras (or the cameras closer to the base station) to strengthen the signal.

JamesC

[TomMac]

Or you can use MORE THAN ONE BASE to effectively increase your coverage area ( sync the closest cameras to each base )