wifi in your home?

[spindown]

Can you pickup wifi with an antenna, amplify the signal, and send the wifi
throughout your home? What equipment would be necessary to do this?
Thanks Paul

[haklesup]

That would be called a "WiFi repeater" (search on that) and is usually used to extend the range of a WiFi network to a large area. You could also use a WiMax router that has expanded range without a repeater. (let me guess, you want to use your iPad in the pool but the network won't reach )

If you are looking to sniff out a neighbors WiFi and amplify it for use in your home, while this might work probably isn't cool with the neighbor nor would you have any control if they secured the connection or turned it off at night. Many ISP now have monthly usage limits as well that you would be siphoning off. (if it's your network, disregard preceeding paragraph)

I am not sure what it takes to configure a repeater, you may have to have access to the original network settings to properly configure it. It certainly needs to be in range of the original network although they do have high gain WiFi antennas which would allow you to streach that even more.

If you want to have a WiFi network at home, you need a modem AND a wireless router with WiFi capability. (except with very rare instances of cities that provide citywide free WiFi like Milpitas CA, which isn't all that fast and may not last forever)