Introduction: (Repurposed Tech) Altoids WiFi Project
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About: I'm currently just getting back into Instructable's and DIY projects and am looking forward to making some cool Raspberry Pi projects, a tracked chassis robot, and possibly attempting to implement or build a 3…
I have made a simple USB Wifi enclosure out of an Altoids tin.
The adapter came out of a dead HTPC and would have otherwise been thrown away.
So I had an idea for a neat looking wireless adapter.
The adapter had a four pin socket that connected to the motherboard's four pin USB header.
I soldiered a USB cable to the adapter, soldiered the adapter's base to the Altoids tin, Mounted the RP-SMA jack to the wall of the tin, and fit everything neatly.
I think that this is a good example of creativity towards a greener idea.
Participated in the
Green Tech Contest
4 Comments
11 years ago on Introduction
This question is purely from my ignorance about how Wifi really works. What is this device intended to do? I'm guessing it plugs into the USB port of a computer (or whatever) and allows it to pick up a Wifi signal, and thereby access the internet etc. Am I right? Or is this for something else?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Yes you are right.
It was a proprietary designed WiFi card for HP computers.
All I did was fit it into the Altoids tin and add the usb cable to it.
It looks cool, that was my goal.
The card itself was from junk that was to be thrown out so that is why I consider it to be re-purposed tech.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Cool, thanks for the reply. This sort of things interests me, but I have yet to acquire the knowledge necessary to really understand it all.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Wifi Is BASICALLY Your car radio on crack. The wifi transmitter transmits signals that a wifi card with matching antenna picks up. the computer recognizes through the card that you have an internet connection. Then, when you go to a webpage, the necessary files, pictures, etc... are temporarily put on your computer, much like music comes through on a radio. How they are put on the computer is through the RAM, or Random Access Memory, which basically holds all of your registry files and active applications. Wifi can also be used to set up a LAN, or Local Area Network, whereby, through certain programs, can be used by 2 or more computers to share files with each-other, Play games, Chat, Video-Call, and more.
Some Wifi routers may be able to get you up and running right out of the boox, just some work is involved, but your local phone company or whatever your ISP, Internet Service Provider, Is.
More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi
http://www.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-nuts-and-bolts-of-overtheroad-wifi.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/computers-software/home-networking/wireless.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_area_network
http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/lanvlanwan/g/bldef_lan.htm