Wi-Fire extends wireless range to 1,000 feet

A new Pennsylvania-based startup, hField Technologies, has just gotten FCC approval for their new supercharged WiFi antenna, the Wi-Fire. The USB antenna boosts reception of faint WiFi signals, extending the range of existing networks up to 1,000 feet. hField's founders, recent Lehigh University graduates, had originally built the product for a student entrepeneurial challenge, and won first place, including the prize of $2,500. Earlier this summer, hField also recieved $25,000 of funding from a state-funded development organization, and the rest, as they say, is history (waiting to happen). The Wi-Fire is now on sale through hField directly for $150, though unfortunately without Mac support for now, it seems -- although if you have a Windows computer, it's guaranteed to put as big of a smile on your face as this girl's, though not nearly as big as these dudes'.

[Chris @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:08AM]

I know these guys! I signed up for beta testing but they never sent me a unit :-(

Yay for them!

[Little Joe @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:20AM]

links?

[Tek @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:38AM]

THAT'S ONE BIG ANTENNA! Good lord! I don't know which is more important--strong wifi connection or how silly I will look. I guess if you really need to use a Skype phone, this could help??

[Patrick @ Nov 6th 2007 6:34PM]

lol! I understand what you wrote, but the wording is a little off. What you wrote reminds me of the Jack Handy(right?) quote: "I'd rather be rich than stupid.".
I personally would say that a good wireless connection is much better than looking silly, but only marginally better than looking normal.
No worries though dude! :)

[Dan @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:54AM]

But look at those before and after pictures!! She looks so happy! I must buy!

[Chris @ Sep 2nd 2006 1:07AM]

@ Little Joe:

Beta testing is complete, if that's what you meant by "links?"

[DR BUZZ0 @ Sep 2nd 2006 1:08AM]

Um wait. I'm a bit confused here.. what exactly is the inovation here? They're saying that if you use a wifi adapter with a big antenna and a preamp that it will give you greater range than a standard wifi adapter with a small internal antenna? Was this invented by Captain Obvious? Wow. I never knew you could win a competition by submitting something that's been done. They should have put forward the idea of passing electricity through a tungsten filiment inside a vacuum chamber and using it as a light...

[Nathan M @ Sep 2nd 2006 1:28AM]

DR BUZZ0: I don't see these coming out of the major manufacturers, so I don't see the problem. It may be obvious but it's still new. :P

[Grimm @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:07AM]

Someone asked for a link.

http://www.hfield.com

[jack notebook @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:46AM]

wow its will solve my problem with my local wifi :D
i should try :)

[pets lover @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:51AM]

why she smile after use that antenna?

[Charles Taylor @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:59AM]

w00t! Go Lehigh! (brother and his wife met and graduated from there)

[Gr33n 3y3 @ Sep 2nd 2006 4:17AM]

This got me thinking. Would it be possible with current hardware to have a router connected to the antenna and have THAT connect wirelessly to the laptop? So you can walk around YOUR house, connect to YOUR signal which is meshed with any signal that your antenna is picking up?

If not, would it be because you would need some sort of system actually controlling the interlacing of the antenna and router? Like its own processor? Or could you somehow trick the antenna into feeding what its picking up into the router (tricking the router into thinking that the signal is coming in over wifi)?

That would be a product that I would buy...

[quanta @ Sep 2nd 2006 11:14AM]

@Gr33n 3y3

This product is a wireless adapter /w a really big planar antenna. The real innovation here is, compared with a PC card, you can mount or hang the antenna anywhere because it's connected via a USB cable.

There are similar products out there (e.g. SmartAnt comes to mind). If you just want more gain in your router, find a router with removeable antennae, and just buy a longer/bigger antenna. The size of the screwhole is typically one of three industry standards.

[Istrancis @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:27PM]

Thanks for the link there, Grimm! This thing looks neat!

[Jason @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:53PM]

I will give them credit for the form factor they have achieved, but this is far from "ground breaking". To answer to much asked question, "Why not from big business?"

http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=60&ProdID=280

[chris mansley @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:57PM]

I also applied for the beta test and never got a reply. The girl is sitting in the courtyard of the library at Lehigh University. See kids dreams to come true.

[NAvstar @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:59PM]

Nice form factor. Obviously Jonthan Ive had nothing to do with this. Really... engineers, please stay away from the CAD software.

[d @ Sep 2nd 2006 5:41PM]

yea, saw these guys at lehigh a few days ago advertising their product. it was for sale for 200 bucks or something? it seemed interesting but lehigh has wireless practically everwhere you'd want so i didn't buy it

[Chris Mann @ Sep 2nd 2006 7:33PM]

Considering the impact this could have for so many - it is ironic that NONE of the giants could create something like this before these students :?

It's not ironic at all. The reason they couldn't come up with it is because they had 500mw power restrictions.

[KAZ @ Sep 2nd 2006 9:58PM]

"Unfortunately, no Mac support"...bahahah.

If you choose to go with the machine that costs more and has two percent of the market share, you get what you overpaid for.

[ElectroGeek @ Sep 2nd 2006 10:52PM]

Good range but a bit of overkill for home/SOHO use I think. I guess nobody heard of a Netgear RangeMax setup. That's the goofiest looking antenna I've seen on this thing. I use a RangeMax Router and matching PCMCIA card and it rocks. I'll stick with it for now. (Don't ever call Netgear tech support though)

[Mark Starr @ Sep 3rd 2006 1:01AM]

This is ridiculous. Its easy to get 1500 feet with *any *802.11g units and standard antennas out there. The key is LINE OF SITE. If both antennas can see each other, using the standard omindirectional ones that come with them, you can go 1500 feet (in my case, through a pecan orchard, over a pond, through a gazebo). I connect my mother across the field and get 70% signal stregth. Putting an empty 50 CD pack clear case covered in aluminum foil on the inside in a half circle around one of them, it boosts up to 90%, and I still get enough signal on the the other side of the foil. Operates 24/7 anywhere from 24-48mbs. Using Dlink Gaming Router and Hawking Repeater. Total distance between end points... about 2500 ft around a house thats in the way (therefore the hawking repeater in between).

[kitana @ Jun 6th 2008 5:56PM]

but um, your way sounds more complicated =/

we all know people love the easy way.

[Gr33n 3y3 @ Sep 3rd 2006 1:43AM]

@quanta

I know what it does, but I'm wondering if it can be connected to a wireless router instead, so that a laptop can connect to the router which would be wired to the antenna so that you can walk around your house and be using the signal that is far away. Basically making the router/antenna combo into a signal booster for the OTHER signal.

[xhazeleyes01x @ Sep 3rd 2006 10:48AM]

Yea, I was one of those beta testers. The beta unit didn't work too well for me, but I think the guy installed it wrong. I never got around to reinstalling it, after seeing this, I believe i'm going to have to, considering I got it fo' free and they are selling them for 150. Rock.

[blueshead @ Sep 3rd 2006 2:36PM]

Here's antennas for macs.. O gee..We've had 'em for awhile..

http://www.quickertek.com/PBConnect.php

[Matt @ Sep 4th 2006 3:13AM]

she should still be frowning... looks like a dell

[Fredrik @ Sep 4th 2006 7:43AM]

I guess size does matter.

[Keith @ Sep 7th 2006 4:55AM]

Sounds like a good gadget to have! Any rough idea how much this thing will cost?

[jjiimmyy @ Sep 7th 2006 9:54PM]

I heard that the company doesn't have any way of launching it because the VC fell through...and by that the investors found out it wasn't a new idea and said "No Way" and now they can't deliver for the units ordered. Anyone know if this is true or not?

[Alex @ Sep 15th 2006 8:54PM]

Nah, I saw it yesterday in the Lehigh University Bookstore, and it's now online too from their website. Not sure about them not being able to keep up with their deliveries, but I read in the local paper here something about that they raised some serious VC cash and are now making a killing on this product.

[deanlovewell @ Sep 23rd 2006 2:13PM]

"It's available for $109 - See www.hfield.com/mm5/merchant.mvc

[Bob @ Nov 6th 2007 4:41PM]

Is the hfield website certified for credit card transactions ? Seemed like personal information could be misused on there ...no verisign , no thawte ?

[LastJedi @ Jan 18th 2007 8:19AM]

careful with the lappy tho..lest it burst into flames..

[Gr33n 3y3 @ Mar 21st 2007 7:55PM]

))) = Far Away Wireless Signal
}}} = Your Wireless Signal
r = Other Router
R = Your Router
A = The Antenna
L = Laptop
- = Wired Connection

r))))) Signal is connected to Antenna A-R}}} L

That's what I mean (I have no idea if this helps, but...)

[Mario @ Nov 8th 2007 12:15AM]

So you want to steal someone's wireless internet connection?

[dean @ Jun 5th 2007 3:59PM]

I bought my Wi-Fire last year and it's exceeded my expectations. It's really convenient for traveling and set-up was a piece of cake.

[Bob @ Nov 6th 2007 4:17PM]

Is the hfield website certified for credit card transactions ? Seemed like personal information could be misused on there ...no verisign , no thawte ?

[Mario @ Nov 8th 2007 12:10AM]

Back in a minute.