>>2732365 (pb)
your thoughts on wifi opsec are good.
a cantenna is easy to make (I use 64oz V-8 can, hole is about 1 inch from bottom, insert dongle halfway per pic, can be inserted more / less for 'tuning' )
>pic related
then use a USB extension to connect to laptop
This will allow you to connect to a wifi hotspot from well beyond the expected distance.