The higher frequencies require shorter cable runs, as does a lower level signal.

But in the examples given... the VHF and HF verses the WiFi; the WiFi is much higher in frequency and is intentionally power limited (it is supposed to be a local signal.)

VHF and HF are both down in the Megahertz frequency range, (150-160MHz and 2-30MHz respectively)... while WiFi is 2.4, 3.2 and 5 Gigahertz AND is less than 1 watt, typical at the transmitter. Usually around 200miliwatts.

So folks, long antenna runs are a bad idea for WiFi. It is a very limited range signal, and if you happen to be lucky enough to get a good strong signal sometimes... well, good on ya.

Now someone mentioned a long USB cable going to some sort of WiFi antenna set up... the "antenna" is probably a whole WiFi receiver, and the wifi data is coming down the USB cable, not the RF signal. WiFi can be done in a single IC chip, so it would not be unusual to design some device that uses a local antenna and receiver and then converts the incoming RF signal to the data stream you need, and that data stream is sent down a "long" USB line. But USB has a length limit too, due to the timing of digital signals.. 5 meter length limit.