[FRIAM] 802.11g enhanced coverage?

[Steve Smith]

Stephen/Owen -

You reported some pretty amazing results using a directional antennae 
with 802.11g 6 months or more ago.

I'm trying to solve a problem for my mother-in-law (pressure is ON) 
where she formerly picked up her network via 802.11g from her son's 
house about 100ft from hers.  

A few weeks ago something changed abruptly and the apparent signal at 
her house (in the window facing the window his router is in) dropped 
from marginal to abysmal...   basically she can no longer get network 
from the wireless from inside her house.

I'm  looking at the possibility of repeaters and of external antenna(e), 
etc.   I haven't seen the router, it was provided by Qwest and doesn't 
sound like a Linksys from her description.  They've done some channel 
hopping on the off chance it was just interference, with no results.

Both houses may be "well shielded"... he is an architect/builder and I'm 
pretty sure used reflective-foil fiberglass insulation in his walls and 
he clad her entire house in corrugated steel.  This is why I wasn't 
surprised before when she had to go to a window in her house to get his 
signal.  Actually I was surprised she got anything at all.

These two psuedo-faraday-cage houses are why I imagined a repeater (in 
her window) and possibly a directional antennae (in his window) would 
likely do the trick.

Any thoughts/ideas/observations?   As much as I like to experiment, I 
don't like doing it in front of my in-laws (I'm probably about to find 
out they are subscribers to this list!)

- Steve