Uni-Directional WIFI Range Extender

Step 1 Tools and Parts Needed

You need only a few parts for this project and they all are pretty cheap except for the USB WIFI adaptor. ( I got mine on sale for $10, just check the ads)

1 - Metal Strainer/Steamer
1 - USB WIFI Adaptor
1 - USB Extension Cable (I chose a 10ft long)
½ Drill Bit (I like to use stepper bits for metal)
Gorilla Glue (Epoxy works well too)
2 - Zip Ties

Comments

[Planet_Jeroen]

I have seen a lot of antennas that are supposed to be easy to build etc. etc.

This is still the ultimate winner for both simplicity and gain: www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html

[Asmodeous]

This did nothing for my network.

[Planet_Jeroen]

It enables me to use internet through 4 concrete walls and boosts the 5Mbps connection to across the street to 54Mbps here. I did make it on A3 sized paper tho (twice the original size) and used quite a few layers of foil.

[The Legendary Samurai]

holy cow... this actually works... as i sat here and read this i looked over to my wifi adapter hanging from the window and said "im gonna try it..." i remember seeing one of the steamer things but i couldn't find it... so i found a deep fry basket looking thing about the size of a basketball, found a pair of metal snips and cut a small flap in it... i stuck the cable through it and bent the flaps down cause i didnt want to wait for glue to dry.. and i almost have perfect signal now... i've been looking for something to help get my neighbors wifi and here it is... THANKS!!!!.

[frostyhog]

This does it too..... it's exactly what I wanted it for..... www.wifi-x-tender.com

[sanderson111]

Try using a concave metal strainer mesh it gets about 2.5 times stronger signal then this method. As the mesh soacing just so happens to be to the right spacing between each neiboring mesh hole for the 2.4 GHz freq. range. Actually I have a friend who was able to get over 4 miles with the mesh. Even better for people is get a hold of a Sat. dish the bigger the better. Play with the USB moving it away from the center point and focus the dish outwards towards the city. I know two people who are sharing internet access across the bay one living up the side of a hill about 17 miles away. And also picking up WIFI's from almost 30 miles away. Don't get caught as it is not legal. Also just so you know some USB software drivers will give you an error as you will pickup more then 255 WIfi's with this method and some software drivers crash I would presume because of a 255 limit?

[maneter112]

its not illegal in the USA if you are from some where else and if ur from here its illegal only if it is a protected network

[bsclark6804]

If I may ask, where did you find your "concave metal strainer mesh"? Also, what is the correct spacing between mesh holes for the 2.4GHz frequency? Thanks

[Kerry.Lord]

Do you have a picture of a "concave metal strainer mesh "? What size? Thanks

[kaarapuzz]

Have a question. I got two kind of Strainer/Steamer, one made from Stainless steel another one from Aluminium, witch could be better to use? thx :]

[hdez94]

it will be better to use aluminium:)

[KalynSS999]

Aluminum I would assume seeing as most antennas are made of Aluminum. I tried this instructable with a Stainless Steel Strainer and it didn't work, so I'm going to retry with an Aluminum one.

[flipper133]

I had it coming... With my zero kitchen experience, I stopped by the local homeware store only to get overwhelmed by a choice of 3-4 types of strainers... (by type I mean the proportions between the flat-middle round surface and the concave metal leaves surrounding it). I was sure I was getting one with dimensions similar to that in tm36usa's photos. Boy was I wrong... I wonder if any of the radio/signal folks in on this project could give us an idea of the reflector dimensions we are aspiring to, i.e. those that should give the best gain, given the frequency used by wi-fi (is this 2.4 ghz?). Thanks a lot in advance, Flipper

[mattgatten]

Awesome 'how to'. I'm building one this weekend, hopefully. I found a boatload of USB WiFi adapters here on Ebay. Starting at 5 bucks each. Less than 10 with shipping if you dig a bit. Woohoo.

Cheap USB Wi-Fi Adapters on Ebay

[320I S]

sup peeps!!! was just wonddering if this will work for getting wireless internet from school if u live 150 meters away of that school. in my case, i got a laptop and as i work from school to my place, i still got wireless internet from school .... untill my door. there the connection shuts down, breaks. I was just wondering if there is sumthin that could help me gettin that wireless internet from a distance of 150 meters.. thnx

[wi-fi astronomer]

Chances are it will not work over the 150 metre distance. You can try it, but no guarentees. You can try the wok-tenna method or you'll have to make a dish type antenna. The dish type antenna aka radio telescope is easier to make than you think. An old satellite dish can be gotten on eBay, both the large ones and the DirecTV size dishes. Put your cantenna or wifi fob at the focus and try it out. Once you build your dish-tenna you can try a stationary variant of war-driving! If you can get wifi until you shut the door, you are in range - barely. That might work out with the wok-tenna. Are you already using a wifi fob? If so, you are potentially in luck. Note that improving antenna gain by any method will also increase interference from undesired routers. That problem is directly analogous to interference found by radio astronomers. Good luck! I get the same problem with my setup where I use an old satellite dish. I tried the wok-tenna but it failed. Your mileage will vary, hopefully for the better. All manner of matter attenuates the signal at the 2.4 gigahertz. That's why you lose the connection as you shut the door. Since you are barely in range explains why the attenuation is just enough to kill the connection. At that frequency, RF behaves a lot like light itself. As you design the antenna, it helps to think of the RF as like invisible light. If you are already using a wifi fob, it just might be enough to get USB cords to put it outside that door to catch the signal. Do that and put the fob in a wok-tenna, and you should get a good signal.

[tm36usa]

Yes it should work just fine 320, provided there are not too many objects in the way. (but if you receive it with the stock antenna on your card at your door then you should be fine.

[kyzonz]

hello Can u give me what is wifi (how they work,intall, and constructs)

[DeusXMachina]

The internet, which is a series of tubes linking across the globe, is very cumbersome and doesn't easily fit on the back of the truck. So, in order to make it mobile, they invented wireless internet by vaporizing the tubes and wafting them through the aether. Wifi adapters work by collecting the ionized tubes like a butterfly net.

</sarcasm>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wifi