Boosting your wireless signal by doing this (video inside)

[BenjaminC]

Hey,

i was looking for something to boost my wireless signal that i have with this card

canyon CN-WF511

(can't post links :damn

i have about 11-12 Mbps, and about 25-30% signal strength. It's a bit week for normal surfing and downloading.

So i came across this video

metacafe.com/watch/837885/wifi_antenna_hack/

(again no link, but just copy/paste it :damn

The dude is basically adding a copper wire with a coil to his normal size antenna, making it practically the same as the "extender" antenna, doubling the range and strength.

1. My main question is if someone has some experience with this? Does it really work?

If it does

2. Does it work with the antenna that i have?

3. Can i use a longer copper wire, and can i make a longer coil? The dude used a wire only couple inches long. Can i use let say a 25 cm long wire? Would that have a good, or bad effect to the signal?

4. He used copper. Would some other (not expensive) material be better?

So that's about it. It looks like a very simple and practically free way to double your signal strength and range. I would appreciate any advice.

:rocker:

 

[I Hunta x]

ive done this before, bumped signal from 70%~ 95-100%~ but its worth picking up a cheap one off ebay to take apart so still have your original

 

[Pyr0]

i'm not sure if just lengthening the wire will help *shrug*

i know for say radio antennas that the length needed should be calculated for optimal results, and presume the same applies to wifi

another way to boost the signal is to make a reflector out of card and tin foil

i found this simple template that claims to boost the signal by up to 12dB depending on the scale used and also makes it directional

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html

not very discrete tho.

 

[I Hunta x]

ive seen that site pyro, not got round to trying it tho, if you wanan go epic scale get a tv dish and longgg usb extenders and you can piggy back loads of open wifi's if your in a decent area,

needed:

1 usb wifi dongle

1 large been can (one of the big mega value things) empty paint cans work aswell,

usb extenders to required lengh

stelite dish (as long as the dish and arm are in ok condition its ok)

1. cut a hole in the can with a knife or drill or what ever big enough to place the wifi dongle in.

2. place the dongle in with the usb port on the outside and tape/secure some how

3. cut the reciver off the dish and then place the can in a similar position and again secure somehow

4.place the dish pointing at a polulated area (i asume it would work best from the balcony of a tower block of similar)

5. plug the usb extender in to the dongle and your machine, set up the required software ect (this should probably be step one)

6. search, if done correctly you SHOULD find more wifi signals (depending on where you live/obstructions/direction), and from what ive seen with wifi connections around 5-25% will be unsercured

this is NOT illegal, if you gained access to a secured cennection then that IS illegal

out of sheer bordom (and wanting internet while camping/festivals/similar) ill probably make 1 and then post up a tut or something

 

[BenjaminC]

I read about both methods, and i'm thinking about making something like this windsurfer reflector, but i think that i should do something to the antenna itself first. I looked on ebay, and found some extender antennas very cheap. From 1-6$, so i'll just probably buy one. If i don't, then i'll just cut this one open, and do the thing from the video.

 

[Rastalovich]

The very basic of antennas are merely a piece of wire inside a rubber pimple. Often referred to as 'rubber ducky'. Alot of usb or pcmcia wireless devices don't even have that. These u can break open the cases, and again, hack onto them a connector to attached better antennas.

The key with the bigger antenna over the stock one (which is just a measured piece of braid or sometimes wire), is that the length of the wire is measured, the turns are measured and the balance behind the turns is also measured - to co-incide with wavelengths.

Simply adding extra wire may give u a better signal just out a freak of chance, but the calculated way as described in the linked video, is a good way to go. Has to be praised for it's cheapness and simplicity.

If u want more reading on antennas, including 5ghz, 2.4ghz and bt, including videos on the various hacks, try here: bsod.tv

Lots of ghetto, cheap alternatives that can blow even this idea out of the park.

It's a good cheap method tho.

 

[BenjaminC]

Yeah, it has to be precise, otherwise people would just take couple meters of copper wire and attach it to the antenna.

I found these 3 antennas on ebay. All 3 are 9 dBi, so i guess it's a lot stronger then mine canyon antenna. Couldn't find that spec. for my antenna, but i see that the stock antennas have 2-3 dBi

cgi.ebay.com/9dBi-Wireless-Boost-802-11g-Antenna-PCI-CARD-Router-New_W0QQitemZ190334445608QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2c50d12828&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

"9dbi Range Extender Antenna with SMA male connector"

"Compliant with AP/Router with RP SMA connector"

that should fit on my card?

cgi.ebay.com/9dBi-2-4GHz-Wireless-WIFI-Antenna-WLAN-RP-SMA-Stand_W0QQitemZ250496723572QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a52c4aa74&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

cgi.ebay.com/Wireless-WIFI-9dBi-2-4GHz-Antenna-WLAN-RP-SMA-Stand-129_W0QQitemZ250496996634QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a52c8d51a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

the other two have RP-SMA (reversed polarity) male. Both with pin, but RP.

I don't get this RP thing. Does that fit me?

 

[sprento]

Check this out, it looks ridiculous, but I assure you that they work. I used to have an A4 sized one before I went back to ethernet.

 

[Pyr0]

nice tutorial video

it's the same reflector i posted from freeantennas.com

 

[BenjaminC]

Can someone please confirm that this antenna fits my wireless card?

h"ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120461232190&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"

if you scroll down a bit you can see a picture of the connector. My antenna has the same connector, but according to specifications i need a rp-sma connector, and this one on ebay has a "Standard SMA female connector, compatible with most wireless devices like AP, wireless router, PCI wireless network card, etc"

Is that the same thing? They look the same.