Question : Problem: Problem with hooking up amp and external antenna to a wireless desktop adapter

I am using a Compaq Evo D510 desktop computer running Windows XP Professional.  I installed a D-Link 802.11b/g desktop wireless adapter (http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=475).  The signal that I am trying to reach is an omni-directional antenna about 100 yards away, so I'm using an external antenna and an amp.  The antenna is http://www.pacwireless.com/products/echo_series.shtml and the amp is http://www.hyperlinktech.com/item.aspx?id=69 and for some reason they don't want to work together.  When I use the small 4" antenna that the wireless card came with, I can get one bar of signal, but when the use the amp and external antenna, I don't get anything.  

Answer : Problem: Problem with hooking up amp and external antenna to a wireless desktop adapter

At first glance, it appears that the D-Link adapter is not compatible with the amplifier module - the module instructions indicate it is to be used only with the a specific pc-card based transmitter - the product brief states:

'In the US these amplifiers are FCC certified with and offered for sale only for use with XI325 PC Card models listed below. Refer to product manuals for full details. '

However, the antenna/amplifier combination appears to be OK and, despite the warning above, the amplifier work with a 2.4 GHz input, provided it has an appropriate input connector and a correct impedance match with the driving device (the D-Link card in your case).

There are a number of different cable/connector combinations possible and the key issue in interfacing these devices is getting the correct impedance match - most are set up for 75 ohm impedance connections.  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that the D-Link card will have a compatible output - it is a proprietary transmitter/antenna combination and may not have a good impedance match with the input side of your transmitter.

Your best bet for a turnkey system would be to use the pc-card device recommended by the transmitter vendor (see above).  If you can't do that, make sure the connectors and cable are 75 ohm type devices - 2.4 GHz signals are easily lost if incorrect connectors and cables are used.

wb