Wardriving/wifi equipment sugguestions

Im buying me this here laptop with plenty of spare batteries (read the specs and you will understand)
http://www.powernotebooks.com/specs/Sager/5680specs.php
Wunderbar!
Im just getting the 2.6ghz cpu to *try* and make the batteries last longer.
Anyway...

Theres a starbucks across the parking lot from my work and they have a wireless access point hooked up to a T1. Its probably... 1.5 city blocks away from the breakroom at work (large parking lot) and the signal will have to go through 3* walls... So yeah
I need suguestions for a good laptop wifi card. Preferabily a 802.11g. The access point is a b network but Im putting a g access point in at home. Its gotta have a hookup for an antenna. And can anyone sugguest a good cantenna and a good car antenna for the said wifi card?
Heres a drawing with my mad paint skills

http://www.bigredwa.com/Forums/wifi.JPG
Ovbiously ill be sitting at the table in the breakroom, or on one of the comfy chairs. Anyway its about 1500ft or so away. Would a decent antenna with a decent card be able to get a signal? I still need equipment sugguestions anyway

BigRed said:

I still need equipment sugguestions anyway

Click to expand...

Pringles cans act as errily good antennae as the length of it's major axis corresponds beautifully with the Wifi standard..

Re: Re: Wardriving/wifi equipment sugguestions

Cjwinnit said:

Pringles cans act as errily good antennae as the length of it's major axis corresponds beautifully with the Wifi standard..

Click to expand...

Yes they do, but the only problem is, he is trying to connect to a WiFi signal that isn't focused, so a line of sight antenna is sort of out of the question. I have seen a signal go more than a block, but it was very low (maybe 5-15% signal strength). Now, you have 3 walls in the way. What you could do, is set up an antenna by the employee entrance, and then run high quality coax or HAM radio wire from the antenna to your laptop. Now, your boss probably won't let you do this. As I see it, you most likely won't get signal from the breakroom, but proably could if you sit outside the employee entrance.

Erm correct me if im wrong but isn't war driving illegal ? and if so talking about it is in breach of forum rules

FarEast said:

Erm correct me if im wrong but isn't war driving illegal ? and if so talking about it is in breach of forum rules

Click to expand...

Just maping access points in a city isnt illegal. Connecting to a secured private network is.

I have another option, On the far left side of the building is where the deli is located (I can take my breaks there too) and its about 500ft closer. That would cut the distance down and eliminate 1 wall. It might work there.

Anyway how about some equipment sugguestions?

FarEast said:

Erm correct me if im wrong but isn't war driving illegal ? and if so talking about it is in breach of forum rules

Click to expand...

It is not illegal.

War driving is not illegal. It's the act of mapping out wireless
networks. Saying it's illegal is like saying that owning a computer
leads to piracy. It all depends on what you do with it.

As for Starbucks. You have to pay a monthly fee, so I doubt
he's going to be stealing bandwidth from them, because they
sell it!!

BigRed said:

Just maping access points in a city isnt illegal. Connecting to a secured private network is.

Anyway how about some equipment sugguestions?

Click to expand...

The absolute best? Get yourself a Spectrum Analyzer, a horizontal and vertical omni, and a standard laptop.. The SA is guarenteed to 'see' the signal irreguardless of any steps taken for security, it will allow you to see what frequency range is in use, and signal strength.. It does not analyze to packets though nor differentiate AP's, thats where the traditional laptop and wireless card comes in.. The majority of Ap's use Vertical polorization, but there are some that use horizontal, you will typically loose 20db+ if cross polorized and you may not 'see' an ap that is oppositly polorized... *note: There is also spirally polorized antennas as well..