External Bluetooth Antenna for Increased Range!

I wanted to listen in on some bluetooth at my local Starbucks! but the antenna range on most bluetooth dongles is so short. so i had to increase the range! Here is my epic journey to do so.
This idea of awesome proportions is from thisthis site.

Step 1: Getting the Adapter.

FIRST THINGS FIRST
Music, for this hack i listened to an iTunes Genius playlist based on Evil by Interpol. Including CSS, The Bravery, Modest Mouse, Yo La Tengo, Menomena, MGMT, Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab.
it was beautiful.

In order to do this, I of course needed a bluetooth dongle! (I love saying dongle. dongle dongle dongle!) After shopping, I pulled out the trusty credit card (lifesaver of the unemployed) and purchased this mighty little dongle.

http://www.meritline.com/premiertek-usb-bluetooth-wireless-dongle-adapter-w-antenna.html

it even has an external antenna! great for hacking into a better one.

upon receiving my package in the mail, and pulling out the usual junk (except the nifty USB extension cable! SWEET! a female USB plug for my next project!) I came to the mighty dongle of justice. the first thing i noticed was the case was already coming apart... so i finished the job and oh my! discovered that it has no external antenna. just a faux one.

so after some googling. found thisthis fancy instructable, on adding an external antenna.

Comments

[graywoulf]

I would like to know what bluetooth software you are using. The only one I have found is Blue Soleil and it sucks! There has to be a more simpler and straightforward bluetooth software out there. Thanks!

[AndyPipkin]

Broadcom?

[Ganoderma]

 Personally, I think the bluetooth software inside windows vista and windows 7 works great. You just need to know how to handle it (tell windows you're disconnecting a bluetooth device on vista or it'll have trouble connecting the next time). Pretty straightforward to connect stuff. 

[Fire Cat]

Hey! One good one is WIDCOMM! You can  it on the samsung website in the download part for the N310!

[Kwitmeh3]

 can you link it, i cant find it

[Fire Cat]

Here goes: http://www.samsung.com/fr/consumer/detail/support.do?group=it&type=notebook&subtype=netbook&model_nm=NP-N310&language=&cate_type=all&dType=D&mType=DR&vType=&prd_ia_cd=05010100&disp_nm=N310&model_cd=NP-N310-KA01FR&menu=download

Its the first of the list for WIndows 7 and tenth for windows XP.

[Kwitmeh3]

 im wondering why is sez BROADCOMM when you said WILDCOMM

[Kwitmeh3]

 10-Qs
i'll look at it later as it is 12:21

[ali8889]

hello and tanks

How can this device distance?

[terr]

i have the same bluetooth device but no drivers where can i get the drivers for that non branded device

[nawaazib]

cool stuff!!! what about its range now?? how about the antenna,where it come from?

[renegadex]

acdal: panu ba yan gagamitin. its easy.. simply plug that into your pc and use it to connect to other bluetooth devices (eg. cellphone). i will (theoretically) have longer range because of the antenna...

[glarianzz41]

hello i want to build tv bluetooth antenna for my final year project..can you help me n guide me how to build this tv bluetooth antenna??please..

[uz2bnuty4]

I know what yiu mean. My 7 inch TV needs some help. The cord one the antenna that come with them are always in the way or too short. I purchased a separate one that gets a stronger signal but the best place to put it is on top of my head. Then I have to be verrry still (<_>)

[konger]

That's why the stock photo shows 360 degree movable!!! Since it doesn't have any connection, you can couple with a motor and rotate it as many turns as you want....

[konger]

The one you've shown in the picture doesn't have any function of antenna, I had many of these. The antenna like thing is only for show. It doesn't have any connection....Inside the dongle it is the same circuit with PCB antenna.

[acdal]

panu b yan gagamitin

[danielemur]

Bluetooth is the brand name.

[ReCreate]

What does the 360 in the image mean? The antenna is only rotated at a 90 Degree angle XD

[digitalkiter]

NEVER HAD MUCH SUCCESS WITH BLUSOLEIL. TRY USING THE TOSHIBA OR BROADCOM STACKS.

[H3xx]

It appears that you've mounted a weapon on it. A weapon of mass Connection! (damn that pun sucked.) :(

[mrbolloks]

If anyone is looking for them on the super cheap check ebay. I just ordered 2 for .99 cents each with $2.50 shipping from Hong Kong. For under 5 bucks you can get two and hack to nonsense out of them without spending much. Has anyone tried acking one of those mini dongles?

[RickN]

Sorry dude, but you start right out telling the world you want to listen in on other peoples' phone calls. That's a violation of the Communications Privacy Act, a federal rap. Why bother? most of the calls are dead boring anyway...

[vnxdragon]

you're ASSuming he's in the US. Laws are not universal. Who isn't breaking the law by making these mods? You must never break a law before in your life!

[bubkis]

how are you able to tell where the antenna connections are on the usb adapter? I have a linksys usb adapter but I'm not 100% sure if I'm looking at it correctly to determine where I should be soldering, do you have any advice?

[Onimi]

What's the Range on it now?

[crapflinger]

and then what do you do with it again? also...what a rip that it's a fake antenna....that's so stupid

[PKM]

What company made the bluetooth adapter? I need to add them to my mental blacklist of companies never to buy anything from ever. What a massive gyp.

USB BlueTooth Wireless Dongle Adapter w/Antenna for Best Receptions

>_<

[ReCreate]

yeah you could have bought the model that doesn't come with anything in it

[Popcornfilms]

agreed. but NOW it has antenna for lots of best receptions ;)

[thepaul1993]

does it work

[admanrocks]

i still have no clue what this does

[Popcornfilms]

sorry it wasnt clear, i changed it up a bit. it just gives a bluetooth dongle a much longer range.