If your Wi-Fi access is poor, a homemade wireless signal booster might help. The good thing about it is that it doesn’t take long to make.
Make a Wireless Signal Booster
Required Tools and Materials
- Construction paper
- Glue stick
- Aluminum foil
- Scissors
- Antenna template
Instructions
The first thing you must do is get an antenna template. These are diagrams and are widely available on the Web. You can download them for free and print them out.
If necessary, resize the pictures before printing them. Glue the printed paper on the construction paper. This will give the antenna some stability.
Cut along the patterns. Make six incisions and stick the aluminum foil on it. Enfold the rectangular piece in glue and foil.
Use the slits to cut the homemade wireless signal booster’s foil.
Take the other part and bend it at the halfway point. Insert the tabs in the holes. Staple them. Set this on your Wi-Fi antenna.
Make a Wireless Signal Booster II
Required Tools and Materials
- A bowl
- USB chord
- Wifi antenna
- Duct tape
Instructions
If the bowl has a handle, take it off. Run the antenna cable in the resulting hole. Use a drill to enlarge the hole if needed.
Get the wifi antenna. Place it in the center of the bowl. Don’t put the adapter at the sides; it won’t work.
Placing it in the middle forces the wave flow in one direction. Put this homemade wireless signal booster in the desired location.
If necessary tape it there. Now try the device to see how much the signal improves.
Choosing the Antenna
There are two types of antennas. The directional antenna is best suited for long-distance usage. Unfortunately, the signal is limited to 30 degrees wide.
If you’re going to use local access points, an omnidirectional antenna is the better choice. You can also use a vertically aligned antenna which emits signals all around.
The parabolic dish model is the most widely used reflector. But you can also use cans. What makes the parabolic model more user-friendly is its wide angle.
Varying Signals
While this homemade wireless signal booster is an amplifier, the result will vary. In some cases, the range will extend for many miles.
In others, it won’t be that extensive. The quality will depend on the size of the bowl and the location itself.
Tips and Warnings
You’ll need to use a USB chord so you can have wifi access with your PC. Notebook PCs will also benefit from this booster.
Although they have an antenna, it won’t be sufficient in most cases. Make sure to put in enough duct tape so the adapter stays in place.
Be careful when using the extension chords. It’s important you study the manual for your wifi equipment thoroughly. This is necessary so you don’t damage the adapter when using it.
There are a lot of boosters being sold in the market today. But as you can see, you can make homemade wireless signal boosters with ease.
They won’t cost you more than a few dollars, and the results are pretty good.