Try the long distance WiFi thread as well. But...over a year ago I was trying to figure the same thing out. (Technology seems to have changed quite a bit since then.) I purchased the Alfa AWUS036H (I think...it's on my boat and I'm at home) I would point out that this requires two USB
ports to get the
electrical power needed to drive it. I also purchased two 15 ft active USB
cables. I've used it in different ways, depending on how far I am from the WiFi router that I'm trying to access.
Sometimes I just hook it to my
laptop and set it on the table in the
salon. Sometimes I open the
hatch and just set it on the
deck. If I really want to get some distance I hook up the two USB cable extensions and run the Alfa up one of my flag halyards almost to the first spreader. I can do that and still run the
cables through the
hatch and sit comfortably in the
salon. It doesn't work in bad
weather though because nothing is waterproof.
The one thing that I would do (and will do soon) is to
purchase an 8 dB omnidirectional antenna to screw on the Alfa. I suspect that will really increase the distance. But even now I can get over a half a mile, usually.
This is a pretty
cheap and painless way to go.
Bill