Make a Wi-Fi Extender

by infiniteshadow

359K248122

Intro: Make a Wi-Fi Extender

Plagued by unreliable Wi-Fi connectivity? Just found a cheap and relatively easy way to boost a wireless routers signal strength by creating a simple parabolic reflector dish to direct Wi-Fi signals to your intended receivers.

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STEP 1: Gather Required Materials

Materials Needed:

- Paper

- Foil

- Scissors

- Glue

- Template Parabolic Reflector Template

STEP 2: Assemble Your Wi-Fi Extender

Print out the template on a sheet of regular paper. You can actually scale the image to a larger sizewhile maintaining the relative dimensionsfor a stronger focus. First, cut out the template pieces, then use a glue stick to affix foil to the front of each piece. Use a knife to make cuts on the indicated slits and bend the reflector to fit the six tabs into the respective holes.

STEP 3: Attach Onto the Router

Slide the booster over the existing antenna of your router and point it in the desired direction.

122 Comments

Capt Caveman 6 years ago

For this too work at optimum strength, you would need to set the focal point at the correct distance to your reciever, you could try http://www.satsig.net/focal-length-parabolic-dish.htm

tps_wave34 7 years ago

you could prop up a wok-pot lid behind router and point in direction to extend to.

StalkerBear 11 years ago

It works great!
Yesterday had 30kb per second, now it's more than 100 kbps.
And it's with antenna printed on A4 page both parts.
Thanks!!!!

pari191 9 years ago

Hey, can you please explain to me how to do all that work, I am a little confused about the procedure so, please tell me how to do it .

StalkerBear 9 years ago

Best to do... I have an router in one part of the house, and i bought couple of dollars hi-gain antenna (-9db), putting it on extended cable from router - ebay helps...
Wi-fi extender as described here helps you in case where you can focus your antenna in specific direction - then you only put aluminium foil over the printed part, and make 2 holes in it - putting your antenna through.
So, very much depends on what you need

Jacky P 10 years ago

What if you don't have attena? Will it still work?

Chollyfish 9 years ago

Sorry, but no. This only works with external antennas.

valentinopaynne 9 years ago

Pringles cans dont work well because not make completely of foil thwy are foil and cardboard use all foil or the foil tape for HAC you ca buy that at Walmart.

love4pds 12 years ago

I have kind of a strange question. We are converting a bus to a motor home. The bus is covered with smooth aluminum sheeting and you got me wondering if it would be a giant antenna or if the electric system would mess it up with interference? So if I were to use the bus would my electric system mess up my router if I test this? I dont totally understand all this but I do know that putting cat 5 near electric wires messes up signal so that is why I am asking this question.
Thanks in advance :}

gmacgregor 9 years ago

the sheet metal is most likely grounded to the frame/chassis. But dont get discouraged. Unlike most RVs that are fiberglass and wood, you have been blessed with a HUGE ground plane. This making any antenna that you mount properly, work much better.

steveoo6 12 years ago

I lived in a bluebird last month. We didn't have any interference from the bus while connecting to the wifi coming in from the nearby lodge and iphones worked fine as well. What are you using for your electrical system? I'm still working on mine.

machetesgirl 10 years ago

signed up but wont let me download sas i am signed in help trying to get a wifi signal booster thats home made please help

LaughSing 12 years ago

Sweet!
You just saved me a trip to Radio Shack, buying a cable splitter, and moving my cable modem and router. This gave the router the boost it needed to compensate for my new camera's body being beefier than the old one, interfering with the Eye-Fi card.

Maybe it ain't pretty, but it's off in the den. The other choice was putting the cable modem and router in the living room, which would be even uglier. So, yeah, it's beautiful. :)

amylove 12 years ago

i just made these and the results were instant. i can now move my router anywhere in the house with a perfect connection!

cncnorman 15 years ago

What a great idea. Can I ask what distance I can get with this? I work a half mile from my house and would love to be connected to he home system.

unwrittenrainbow 14 years ago

if you have a powerful router, and there is little interference it MIGHT work. If you live in the city, dont bother and if your router is a cheap one, dont bother.

johnson_steve 15 years ago

Do you know if this works better then soda cans? I have that same router installed in my neighbors house (not right next door but 1 down) with 2 soda can reflectors on the antennas and another soda can reflector at my end hanging in my window. That's been my only internet connection for almost a year. sometimes I have to go over there and adjust the antennas or reset the router but you can't beat free internet. without the cans I had a very weak (and thus slow) connection and in bad weather (especially snow) I would lose it all together. I'm always looking for ways to improve it though.
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