Wifi Signal Strainer (WokFi) Long Distance

Step 3: Testing the Signal Strainer

Testing the Signal Strainer:

1) Find your favorite access point!
2) get as far away as possible! (While keeping line-of-sight)
3) Use software like NetStumbler to see the signal strength.
4) Adjust your Signal Strainer where necessary.

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wavemandan says: May 27, 2009. 8:05 AM

You still got the site.

wi-fi astronomer says: Jun 7, 2007. 8:02 PM

I tried to make a "wok-fi" radiotelescope but it failed. The USB fob was the likely culprit. I chose a different way to make my rig. A friend gave me an old satellite dish, then I got a Hawking wifi-fob with detachable antenna and got the little bidirectional amplifier. Then I made a cantenna to put at the dish focus. This rig works great. The feedhorn is just directional enough to illuminate the dish and receive. The bidirectional amp serves as the low noise preamp and the fob the tranceiver. It is a crude radio telescope! With XP, a signal two buildings away comes in with 4 bars when aimed - like if I was in the same room as the router. If you lived in a high rise with a good view of another's face, you could war drive without leaving your condo! Note those 4 bars are through walls and a roof. If you like the wok-tenna, you'll love my wifi telescope! Note about USB extension cords. There is a limit to how long you can make it. I lived in one apartment building with free wifi but the signal was weak. So I found the strongest signal in the bathroom and ran USB cords from the fob in the bathroom to the laptop in the living room. Add one more cord, and the fob failed to get enough power or some other failure. I would love to live across the street from a wifi enabled coffee shop with a view of the place. Then set up my dish!

wavemandan in reply to wi-fi astronomerMay 27, 2009. 8:03 AM

Dude why don't you post that on an instuctable. I wanna see it done.

danfolkes (author) in reply to wi-fi astronomerJun 8, 2007. 6:29 AM

Yeah, you should make an instructable about your "wifi telescope"! The way around the USB length issue is to get a usb hub or extender that will give power half way through. Thanks for the post!