Wi-Fire Long-range WiFi Adapter

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Wi-Fire Long-range WiFi Adapter
hField Technologies www.hfield.com
MSRP $79

Do you sometimes have connectivity issues using Wi-Fi hotspots in campgrounds?

WiFi is low-power, two-way radio. Just as with any other radio, a better antenna will give you a better connection. Wi-Fi technology was designed for small offices, home offices and coffee shops. Campgrounds and RV parks present difficult challenges for connecting with many obstructions and reflective surfaces.

The Wi-Fire Long-range WiFi adapter is a better radio and antenna than what is built-in to your computer. With it, you can connect reliably from a much greater distance.

Installation Video: (be patient, it can take a minute for the Play button to appear)

 

FEATURES
The unit combines a high powered Wi-Fi radio with a high gain directional antenna in a four ounce package which can be mounted on a laptop or LCD screen or just set on a table or shelf. A 4’ retractable USB cable connects to both older 1.1 and newer 2.0 ports. It is compatible with 802.11 b and g protocols in the 2.4GHz frequency range (standard Wi-Fi). WEP, WPA and WPA2 security are supported.

Support for Windows XP or Vista and Mac OS X are included on the supplied installation CD. Also on the CD is a Window’s Connection Manager program. Support for Linux is available on the website.

PERFORMANCE
I have been using the Wi-Fire adapter for a week in the RV park where we are staying. I tested the Wi-Fire at several distances from the access points. Our site is 200 feet from the tower. I get excellent signal with the Wi-Fire and good signal with my built-in. Browsing experience is about the same with either adapter inside my RV. I see 3 more APs using the Wi-Fire. Testing again at 330 feet, I can still connect with my built-in, but browsing is slower. With the Wi-Fire, signal is good and browsing is fast. In the far corner of the park 460 feet from the tower, I could still connect with my built-in, but browsing was much better with the Wi-Fire. Outside the RV park at over 500 feet, I couldn’t stay connected with my built-in and the Wi-Fire connected and browsing was acceptable.

BEFORE WiFire:

List of available networks before installing the Wi-Fire

AFTER WiFire

List of available networks afterinstalling the Wi-Fire

The included Connection Manager software is good and does not interfere with Windows configuration utility, in fact, it works with it.

SUMMARY
Not all WiFi hotspots are the same. When you connect using WiFi, you are not connecting directly to the Internet. You are connecting to an access point which is connected to the Internet. If you are close to access point, your built-in Wi-Fi will work just fine. As you put distance and obstructions between you and the access point, you need a better device to connect reliably. This is where the Wi-Fire Long-range WiFi adapter excels.

The mount is a bit clunky and the antenna fell off a couple of times while I was aiming it. Because the antenna is so directional, it takes more time to get the best signal. The retractable USB cable is easily tangled.
The Wi-Fire adapter is a good affordable solution for better connections at WiFi hotspots.

Jim Guld
www.GeeksOnTour.com

RV Cooking Show - How’s That Tango Made?

Today I’m departing slightly from my normal cooking segment to instead show you how the new RV Cooking Show’s Tango trailer was made. Join me as I learn “how that Tango’s made” during this fun and informative Tango factory tour. Walk the production line, listen in on interviews with key designers and staff, and poke around a couple cool Tango travel trailers. I was certainly impressed and I think you might be, too.

Happy Camping!
Evanne Schmarder

Destinations & Sightseeing – Part 2 – Bernice’s Tips

One of the blessings of RVing is the ability to pursue our passions. By traveling to events and destinations related to a particular hobby or interest we expand our knowledge in a hands-on, experiential way. To help your experiences be as pleasurable as possible, below are some continued tips related to destinations and sightseeing.

• Check road maps for upcoming rest areas or picnic areas and welcome centers. (You may not think you want information at a welcome center as you approach it, but experience tells me that every time I pass one by, I later wish I had stopped either for a map of that state or for general information that would help me identify what I was seeing.)
• Pay close attention to the directions to your campground and orient yourself using a map. You may need to know later how to go into town and back.
• The Grand Balloon Ascension near Tucson, Arizona, is known as one of the 10 best hot-air balloon events in the nation. It’s worth a special trip.
• When you’re heading for higher elevations, watch out for altitude sickness. Allow extra time to acclimate yourself to the thinner air. It’s a good idea to stay at 5,000 feet for a day or two before going higher. At 5,000 feet, it’s normal to notice a faster heartbeat and increased breathing rate due to lower oxygen levels. For the first two or three days, some people may experience dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nasal congestion, and difficulty sleeping. If the altitude starts to bother you, take deep breaths; avoid overexertion; eat high-carbohydrate foods; go easy on alcohol, caffeine, and salty foods; and drink more water than usual.
• You’ll take more pictures if your camera is handy. Keep it beside the passenger seat and have a purse or fanny pack that’s big enough to hold it.
• If you’d like to travel to a remote location such as Alaska but are not sure you can handle it on your own, consider an RV caravan. Touring by caravan has a lot of advantages. The sponsoring group plans the itinerary and makes advance reservations for campgrounds and group activities such as meals, ferries, sightseeing, and shows.

Enjoy your RVing!
Bernice

The Wii-Fit Experiment

When confronted with how to stay fit while traveling in an RV, many of us think of walking, hiking or bike-riding. One RVer decided to try a different route and launched the Wii-Fit Experiment.

Can you identify a Stroke?

First I want to apologize to my readers, we have been working on finding and buying a house and have had several close calls but came up short on each of them for one reason or another. We do have to be out of our apartment very soon or suffer a major rent increase, so much so that we have stepped up looking to a fevered pitch and even started packing, and this has caused me to miss several weeks of articles. I do want to report that we have found a nice place (old farm house that has been remodeled) out in the country with 10 acres and once again (cross your fingers!), barring any unforeseen problems, we should have our Own place shortly! And it even has a garage big enough to store the camper in it; we just have to put another door in it! Now back to our regularly scheduled articles on health and safety!

Today I want to talk about a problem that is becoming more common as we start to have an older population, that is of strokes. In the medical profession, we call them CVA or Cerebral Vascular Accidents. Most of us fear being left with the crippling after-effects, or maybe I am speaking only for myself. But know this, in today’s world, there are more treatments than were possible even just a few years ago.

But what is a stroke or CVA? Well, there are two types.

First, let us begin with the most dangerous type which is the least treatable; it is called the Hemorrhagic Stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and begins bleeding (or hemorrhaging )into the space around the brain. The reason this is so serious is that the brain does not tolerate pressure very well and, unless the bleed is very small or clots off quickly or you have a brain surgeon very handy, the damage can be wide spread and quickly progressing. This type usually begins as a very sudden and very severe headache (Patients will often say it is the worst headache I have ever had!) and often quickly progresses to unconsciousness. This can happen in a very short time depending on the size of the bleed. The best treatment if the bleed is small is surgery, otherwise this condition is often not treatable. Thankfully this type of CVA is not the most common. If you think anyone is having a hemorrhagic stroke immediately call for a ambulance, make the patient comfortable and do not give food or liquids.

The second type of a stroke is the most common and the most treatable. This is the Occlusion stroke, which is when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked. This is often sudden but painless in most cases. Sometimes the patient doesn’t even know it is happening, especially if it only effects a small area of the brain. The larger the vessel the more brain tissue is effected. This is the stroke that, if the area effected is part of the motor control portion of the brain, can cause paralysis. Symptoms are often one-sided weakness (or paralysis), facial droop, slurred speech and trouble communicating; sometimes it can only be a small part of the body affected or not being able to say certain words. To test ask the patient to repeat a sentence like "You can’t teach a old dog new tricks"; if they miss words or can’t remember it, start to worry. If the patient has any of these symptoms, please call 911immediately. The paramedics will often test these and other symptoms and use what is called the Cincinnati Stroke scale or the LA Stroke scale to evaluate the patient.

The important thing is to get the patient treatment as fast as possible. The drugs that a few years ago were used to open clotted heart arteries are now used to open vessels in the brain. The key is not to delay treatment as the window that these drugs can make a difference is measured in hours, not days. Do not let the patient try to deny the symptoms and delay treatment as this can make the damage permanent. Please note the time the patient was last seen "normal" and record it as this can make a difference in the method of administration of the drug. And, for all of you that say "My camping friends aren’t Ever Normal", I have to agree that most of mine are the same way, but I want to keep them around for a few more years to harass me! Keep the patient calm and comfortable and don’t give food or liquids.

Strokes or CVA’s today aren’t the permanent damage or disfiguring strokes of the past. The key is to recognize the symptoms and get the patient to help quickly!

Your Obedient Servant,

Gary Smith, Jr.

Staying Fit: Budget Friendly Tips

By Lynn Difley
In keeping with our Blog theme currently, I’d like to offer some suggestions for budget minded exercises. It needn’t cost an arm and a leg to workout, you can keep both arms and legs, as well as the rest of your body in tip top shape without spending your hard earned cash or your kids inheritance.
Walk. Last time I checked, it was free. Walking is the best all around exercise for keeping a handle on the waistline. It is recommended to improve the cardiovascular system, blood sugar, cholesterol, circulatory system, and mental outlook, to say nothing of its benefits as a bone and muscle builder, and it’s joint friendly.
The truth is that walking, done for 30 minutes minimum most days of the week is the single best thing you can do for your health, short of stopping smoking (but you already did that I hope). Take your walk in the morning to get a jump-start on the day, at noon for a great energy boost at a time when your stockpile is dipping, or afternoon to put an end to a great day. Anytime you take it, a walk is a great way to increase your fitness, improve your health and it’s absolutely free. Even more points are earned if you take your walk with a friend, loved one, pet or outside in the fresh air, all are proven stress reducers as well as mood elevators.
If you have errands that are just a little too far to walk, consider riding your bike. OK, so you haven’t had it out in a while. Go find it, dust off the cobwebs, oil the gears, pump up the tires and you’re ready. You don’t have to invest in a high tech racing model, your old trusty Schwinn will do just fine. The Cliff Bar people have issued a challenge, the 2-mile Challenge, and you can enroll and keep track of your mileage along with others. The idea is to reduce carbon emissions, a worthy cause, but you will benefit as well, getting exercise, fresh air, and saving money on gas and auto maintenance. They have maps so you can find out the 2-mile perimeter around you and plot which of your frequent runs to the store, post office, or activities fall within the two-mile radius. Most people find that once they take the two-mile pledge, they find it so much fun that they increase the distance, and since the web site 2-mile challenge.com keeps track of it for you, you are encouraged to increase and compete with others taking the same healthy, and free step.
Next week we’ll talk about some free strength building exercises you can use to keep up your massive muscle bulk and maintain high metabolism calorie burn and maintain high metabolism calorie burn.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2703120430_25c90222a2.jpg

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/dogwalk.htm

Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness RV Campground — at Halloween!

Airstream RV Blog #57 - Disney’s Fort Wilderness from Sean Michael on Vimeo.

Recently, someone asked us to name a few favorite camping locales we’ve discovered on The Long, Long Honeymoon. I’m partial to remote, rural, dry camping sites out West, in obscure places far removed from civilization. But my wife has different tastes. Her favorite is probably that little full hookup spot we found down in Florida. What was its name? Oh, right… Walt Disney World. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Any way you slice it, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground offers an outstanding RV camping experience. Here are a few thoughts about camping with Mickey… Read more

Casino Camping Location Reports - Joliet, IL and Michigan City, IN

Lately I’ve been writing about casino camping locations across the Midwest.  Last week I told you about the Quad Cities area of Iowa/Illinois.  After that stop we headed east, visiting the Empress Casino in Joliet, IL and the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, IN.  Read more

Is Synthetic Engine Oil Worth The Buck$?

The need or value of using synthetic engine oils has been a controversy for nearly as long as they have been available. Originally they were wanted solely for their duration and ability to extend the need for an oil change by double or more.  Rumor has it, that when Mobile 1 came on the market, General Motors was approached and pitched on offering their customers’ vehicles that would only need an oil change once every year.  It was supposedly shot down by their dealers’ need to get the customers back in for regular service, a needed steady money maker.

Well, it appears synthetic is no longer thought of as an extender of oil maintenance as nearly every engine manufacturer warns against extending the duration of oil changes regardless.  Still there are people that believe it is possible and will work well.  I’m not one of those as I prefer to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.  It may also be questionable as to the quality and type of filtering that we use today equaling the performance that these oils can apparently deliver. Read more

Wifi In Motion - Make Your RV An Internet Hot Spot!

Airstream RV Blog #86 - Wifi in Motion from Sean Michael on TheLongLongHoneymoon.com.

As a devout online blogger, an Internet connection is as important to RVing as fresh water, diesel, and smores. More than once we’ve made overnight camping decisions based upon the answer to one crucial question: “Do they have wifi?”

Thankfully, we no longer have to ask that question. Now we have our own wifi. We’ve installed a kit from Wifi in Motion (wifiinmotion.com) in our RV, and so far have enjoyed great results. Here’s how it works… Read more

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