CTR-350 vs PHS-300 Wifi signal strength

wtleaver

Has anyone else used both of these? The wifi signal strength of the PHS-300 seems far weaker than the CTR-350, just wonder if anyone else has observed the same?

I don't guess it matters much, as I'm picking up the MBR1000. But, for now I'm usin the PHS-300 but finding that I can't, for example, park the car in the restaurant parking lot and still get a signal inside the restaurant, at distances where I could with the CTR-350.

I suppose they may have lowered the output figuring people would carry the PHS-300 around and use the battery? Or, perhaps for battery life they had to under-power the wifi radio?

JoeCHecht · EVDO Junkie Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 345

I believe I get the same results comparing the CTR-350 to the PHS-300.

I am also gonna pick up an MBR100. My only question is how much of a regulated voltage power supply will it require when powering from a 12 volt auto or marine battery system (I dont want to leave an inverter on all night just to pwoer the router, even if I do have an isolated battery system for the inverters).

If I understand it correctly, the unit requires 12V@1.5amp.

I am guessing that is a regulated 12V (note that auto/marine systems can go up over 16V or more when charging, and hover between 11.whatever and 14.whatever volts), so the unit may require a regulated 12VDC TO 12DC adapter if you are going to power it from a auto/marine system.

Joe

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jackrodgers · EVDO Addict Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 1131

There may be reasons for weakening the signal of a battery power truly mobile device.

One being that whereas a fixed wifi device would be adjusted for interfering with neighboring devices using the same channel, a mobile device could cause interruptions and disturbances throughout its journey.

A weakened signal would be a courtesy towards all of those fixed wifi networks you surf through.

I wonder if the FCC mandates this?

Alex · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 7:38 am Post subject:

my wifi range testing showed that CTR and PHS had very similar range.
is it possible you adjusted wifi power setting on PHS300 by accident?

JoeCHecht · EVDO Junkie Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 345

wtleaver · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:42 pm Post subject:

Hardware · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 141

It doesn't happen often, but you can overpower your wireless radio and cause huge amounts of packet loss.

You can set it to low and see if this is the case, but it's unlikely.