InventorSpot

The new Wi-Fire Wi-Fi signal booster from hField Technologies is a device designed to boost wireless Internet signals to your computer through the use of a powerful antenna device. The Wi-Fire is designed to sit atop a laptop's display or on a flat surface. The Wi-Fire wireless signal booster is capable of boosting Wi-Fi signals up to 3 times farther than a typical wireless Internet adaptor. What this means is that the Wi-Fire is capable of receiving Wi-Fi signals from up to 1000 feet away, which makes the wireless Internet signal stronger and less likely to drop.

The Wi-Fire signal booster can be used in conjunction with just about any kind of Wi-Fi signal, such as those at local cafes, at your house, or at a hotel. The Wi-Fire does a great job of seeking out Wi-Fi signals that normally are out of range. I was able to test the Wi-Fire, and I was impressed with its signal boosting power. More on the performance of the Wi-Fire later in this review.

Design of the Wi-Fire

In the boxThe Wi-Fire consists of an antenna, which is used to "seek out" Wi-Fi signals, and a USB connection used to connect the Wi-Fire to the computer. Included in the box, along with the actual Wi-Fire device, are installation instructions for the Mac and for Windows XP or Vista. Also included is the installation CD. Installing the Wi-Fire software was a breeze.

The Wi-Fire device is about 4 inches long by 3.25 inches high. The device weighs about 4 ounces. The Wi-Fire has a clipping mechanism which attaches the device to the top of a laptop. I found it a little difficult to get the Wi-Fire to attach securely to my laptop, and when I would move the antenna, the device would sometimes come loose from the top of my laptop. I had a better experience placing the Wi-Fire on a flat surface and using it that way.
Size compared to a deck of cards

The Wi-Fire connects to the computer via USB. The Wi-Fire features a very handy automatic cord-winding mechanism, which helps keep the USB cord from just dangling from the device and thus keeping the cord nice and tidy. I measured the USB cord to be about 4 feet long when fully extended.

The antenna of the Wi-Fire can be rotated 360 degrees, and it can tilt up and down. The Wi-Fire antenna needs to be manually adjusted by the user, by turning it, in order to find the strongest Wi-Fi signals in the area.

Wi-Fire Software

As I previously mentioned, the Wi-Fire software was very easy to install. Within a few minutes, I was able to have the software installed, and I was already searching for available wireless networks in the area.

The Wi-Fire that I received for testing was compatible with Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X 10.3 and higher. The wireless signal compatibility for the Wi-Fire consists of both "g" and "b" Wi-Fi networks.

Once the software was installed to my laptop, I was able to open the Wi-Fire connection manager icon from the desktop of my laptop. The Wi-Fire connection manager screen is very simple to navigate and use. The main screen will show the available Wi-Fi networks that the Wi-Fire is currently picking up. What's cool about the Wi-Fire software is that as you rotate the antenna, you can see the available networks change on the laptop screen. The main screen also displays the signal strength of each available network so that you can choose the strongest signal possible.
Wi-Fire Connection Manager
Overall, the software is simple to use, and it gives all of the necessary information needed to connect to a wireless network including: name of the network, signal strength, and whether the network is secure or not.

Wi-Fire Performance Tests

After I installed the Wi-Fire software to my laptop, I was able to search for wireless networks in my area. I tested the Wi-Fire at my house with my home's wireless Internet disabled. Inside my home, I was able to find up to 5 wireless networks (all of which were residential). The Wi-Fi signal farthest away was a neighbor who lives approximately 600 feet from my house. That kind of range is very good, and hField Technologies claims that under ideal conditions, the Wi-Fire can reach wireless access points from 1000 feet away!
Wi-Fire shows 4 Wi-Fi networks available
The wireless networks that I was able to find with the Wi-Fire were great distances away from where I was (50-600 ft.). Because of this, I wasn't able to get very good signal strength for most of these networks. Using the device in a more open area will produce better results.

With my wireless router turned back on, I was easily able to connect to the Internet from outside of my house with my laptop. The signal was very strong in this case. It's very evident that the Wi-Fire does a good job of extending the range of wireless Internet to new levels.

When using the Wi-Fire, you will get slightly less battery life from your laptop's battery. I didn't test the exact numbers, but hField Technologies stresses that the Wi-Fire is a "low power consumption" device.

Privacy and Security with the Wi-Fire

When the Wi-Fire seeks out Wi-Fi networks, it will find every compatible signal within its range. The Wi-Fire software will tell you whether or not the network that was found is secure or not. This helps to keep you from using a signal that may be unsecure. You may need to enter passwords to use a Wi-Fi signal that is encrypted. You should always make sure that your home's Wireless Internet is encrypted, otherwise other people can gain access to your wireless signal.

Conclusion

I like the Wi-Fire a lot, and I think that it could be a very useful device for many people. It performs as advertised, by extending the range of wireless Internet. The software couldn't be easier to install and use. The only issue that I have with the Wi-Fire is when trying to clip the device to the top of a laptop. It feels a little loose on top of the laptop, especially when turning the antenna or moving the laptop. Maybe it'll work better on other laptops, as I used a Dell latitude laptop that is about 5 years old.
Wi-Fire
With the minor design flaws aside, the Wi-Fire is a great product from hField Technologies. The Wi-Fire is currently available for $79 from the hField Technologies website.

Joe Eitel's Gadget Blog
InventorSpot