based on a couple of forums i've visted, i'm betting none of you have done this...BUT, as many of you are much more experienced than i with this type of thing, i thought i'd bring it to you

the idea is that you take a bluetooth adapter with an antenna, pop it open, and solder the wire of an external antenna to the place where the built-in antenna was originally attached...popular science says that they were able to extend their bluetooth up to nearly a mile away...they used a linksys USBBT100

why do this? well, i, personally, want to be able to do this so that when i take my computer with me out of the country and use skype to make most of my calls, i don't want to be limited by having to sit relatively close to my computer while i talk

i have a couple of questions y'all might be able to answer:
1.) wouldn't my blueant x3 have to be able to transmit this distance as well?
2.) does it seem feasible that this would work with any bluetooth adapter that has an antenna? because i can get one of those for $15, 1/3 the price of the linksys one (and if i mess it up, it's a lot cheaper)

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/51460e0796b84010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

Quote :

"Instructions 1. Use a flat screwdriver to gently pry apart the case along its seam [A]. 2. Remove the electronics module [B] from the case. 3. Use a soldering iron to heat up the existing antenna cable [C], and gently pull it from the shield platform [D] and antenna feed-thru hole [E]. 4. Press a desoldering braid against the circuit board to clear excess solder from the shield platform and hole. 5. Strip the rubber outer insulation [F] of the new coaxial cable. 6. Trim back the outer shield [G], leaving just enough to reach the shield platform. 7. Add a small amount of solder to the shield to make it semisolid. 8. Strip the cable again to expose the center conductor wire. Leave a little of the plastic insulating layer [H] between the shield and wire to prevent electrical shorts. 9. Insert the wire into the thru-hole, then bend it 90 degrees so that the shield rests on the shield pad. 10. Solder the shield to the pad. Don’t let the iron linger too long or you could melt the insulating layer. If you don’t get the solder applied within 30 seconds, wait a minute before trying again. 11. Flip the board over, and solder the center wire securely in the thru-hole [I]. 12. Clip the excess wire poking through the hole. 13. Place the module back in the case, and reassemble the two halves. Use tie-straps, glue or tape to hold it together if needed. "

2/8/2007 1:49:15 PM

I think your extension will vary greatly based on your topography. I definitely wouldn't recommend having a 1 mile bluetooth radius in Europe but YMMV.

Can you explain how your skype is going to work a bit more? I remember you having a thread about it. Are you going to be using a cellphone as a point of connection or your computer connected to a dataport?

2/8/2007 2:16:05 PM

yeah, i just can't seem to make up my mind about any of this

for the full month i'll be in sweden, i will have broadband access...sometimes it'll be hardwired, sometimes wireless (though i'll be bringing my linksys travel wifi router with me)...i was debating buying an unlocked GSM phone, but decided against it...i already have a bluetooth headset that works with my laptop and skype, so i figure why not use that instead, since broadband is available to me? my only concern is range - i don't really want to be stuck sitting close to my computer the entire time when i'm on the phone

2/8/2007 2:20:44 PM

i dont see the point of this, it will only work one way unless you rig your headset too (which would kill your battery)

2/8/2007 3:08:04 PM

^ that's why i actually asked that question

another site shows them sending a 1mb file a distance of 1 kilometer using a PDA and this setup

2/8/2007 3:16:09 PM

uh, most every bluetooth device already has a range of about 30ft.

If you jack in like this mod is talking about, you will probably get 3-500ft of "universal" reception, because bluetooth is pretty sensitive to walls and obstructions, especially over the 325ft range (max defined in the spec btw)

If you just want this for relatively short-range operation (ie under 100ft), you can probably get away without any crazy hardware modifications at all. on the dongle, just get one with an external antenna, and on the headset you can make a dirty external antenna and maybe boost the power if necessary

2/8/2007 5:35:33 PM

well, in case anyone is interested, i just bought a bluetooth adapter with antenna for $7.50 off ebay...should be here next week sometime...i'm going to try this mod, and we'll see what we get, eh?

2/9/2007 12:18:43 AM

you can get 60 feet from Bluetooth Class 2 devices.. 30 feet is limited to Class 1.

2/9/2007 7:42:45 AM

if I were you I would just buy one of those skype wifi phones.

2/12/2007 10:37:07 AM

^ i'd like to...but i don't really want to drop $150-200 on it

2/12/2007 10:50:43 AM