The 30 Second WiFi Extender

Intro: The 30 Second WiFi Extender

This one was born out of boredom and a necessity. My sister has her room right next to mine, and in it is a mirror that blocks the signal to my WiFi devices in my room. We have a great new router (I thought our old router was the problem) it helped but wasn't enough. So, seeing some other things like this, I went to work. But I didn't want to spend to much time and I didn't have too many materials to work with, the creation being this.

This is a super easy reflector to aim WiFi signals to where you need it. The first one literally too me about a minute to make. I've seen others here but this one is able to stand on it's own and only uses 3 materials 


On a side note, Im wishing to save it for a weekly challenge, but whatever ;)

EDIT: About a week later my Wifi In my room crapped out again, I checked my reflectors, both of them had the tape fail.

Fix: I just Hot-glued the skewer back on. If you want to tape, I'd use hocky tape, duct tape, just something better then Scotch tape ;) After I fixed it, Wifi was back in my room 

STEP 1: Materials

An awesome thing about this project, it uses almost nothing and can be found in any house already!


Materials:
Tape
Pop Can
Skewer

Tools:
Utility knife

STEP 2: Cut the Can

Fairly straight forward. Cutting can be done with stabbing the knife into the can

Cut the bottom of the can off
Cut a vertical line in the can
Cut the top as such where most of it is cut but still attached (Picture 2)

STEP 3: The Skewer

The skewer is to hold the can flaps open. Before you tape anything, make sure the can is perfectly dry (if you rinsed it or otherwise) The tape won't stick well if at all.

Open the can and tape the sides to the table, this will make it easier to tape the skewer on
Set the skewer on the can and break to the length you want it (Picture 2 and 3)
Tape the skewer down on the sides and middle (Picture 4)

STEP 4: Finishing Up

You may have to break the tab off to make it sit flat, and add a bit of weight to keep it standing.

Also you may want to bend the flap back a little.

Place the can as close to the the router's antenna as possible in the direction you want more signal, I used two. Of course you'll get less signal behind them, but that's an outside wall anyway.

Although simple it works surprisingly well, not as great as most, but seeing the time it takes to make one, work more then well enough for me. They boosted my computer's signal from 3.5-4ish bars to 5 out of 5 bars :)

Comments

[ethan_hair7]

Are the skewers only to hold its shape?

[ReyR]

how about router with no antenna sir? thank you much!

[Dia1Up]

Every wireless router has an antenna. Some just aren't external. This just reflects a signal more to where you need it, doesn't matter where it comes from out of the router.

[xenogear]

Shouldn't the shape of the extender be more parabolic, in order to resemble with the typical parabolic antenna?

[Dia1Up]

This is not an antenna, but a reflector. Parabolic shapes (reflecting wise) focus things into a single point. I don't want to focus it in a single point in space which would be nearly impossible to control where that point ends up., I just merely want to re-direct more signal to where I need it.... Which in the case was my desktop that was hiding behind 4 walls, and 2 mirriors.

[pheer]

this is great, i never thought of using something that simple before!
a before/after measurement of the signal would be cool to see as well. :)

nice one!

[Dia1Up]

I know right? Like I said it doesn't work as well as others, but it still does, I'll post some pics up of the difference later today

[waynemov]

i agree it is simple, but to use even less, you could skewer the flaps so you dont even need tape. Good job!