[JESS.]

CLICK HERE

I was trying to find ways to increase my wireless range. I thought it was kinda cool, I haven't tried it yet tho haha. =)

[GO!zilla]

CLICK HERE

I was trying to find ways to increase my wireless range. I thought it was kinda cool, I haven't tried it yet tho haha. =)

looks cool. i only use wifi for my ds though

i'll suggest it to my friends

[angelqian]

just use a Pringle's can.

[awdark]

just use a Pringle's can.

You cant use a friggin pringles can for a straight antenna. If you were to use a pringles can you would need to switch to a pringle can directional antenna and your wireless device would need to support a removable antenna. If you really insisted on using your existing antenna, you will need to get a can that will fit in the same ratio so it would be tuned for 2.4ghz.

As for this its lots of fun, I have this one picture gra it doesn't work right now, archive.org might have it but this <- this is as close as I can get. Anyone good at math can easily graph a parabola, and mark the focus as the point where the antenna would go and curve the foil to the shape of the graph for optimal results.
who knew math was useful.

And yes it does help some.

[kelvin6]

If I remember from physics and some electronic knowledge, the best 2.4ghz would be a short stubby antenna, preferably located in a high location (line of sight). Its based on the fact that 2.4ghz is such a short and narrow wavelength and that having a giant antenna only worsens it. Thats why for a AM radio (khz range), a very tall large antenna is optimal, while a shorter more portable antenna is used for FM radio (mhz range).

Building materials, other 2.4ghz appliances, etc will interfere with Wifi, cellphone, anything that runs on 2.4ghz. Therefore minimize those effects, like not putting your wifi device on top of the microwave for instance (which operates at 2.4ghz).

The best thing in theory to increase the range of Wifi would be to (which probably wouldn't be legal) is to construct a high power signal amplifier... since this is digital signals (and not analog), amplifier noise shouldn't be too much of a problem...

I learned all of this when I was doing some HDTV rooftop antenna installs for ppl I know and found so many mind boggling articles on optimal antenna installations...

Antenna amplifier:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3334

[angelqian]

ok, my above post is kinda a running joke, anyways, if you want to get technical:

I would think the amplifier would be the best item to upgrade if you want to improve your range. Note that this amplifier would be at the last stage, right before the antennae. This means the signal can be considered ANALOG, not DIGITAL because it has already been modulated and filtered (It is no longer a square wave, it will look more like a bunch of sine waves). Noise in the amplifier WILL cause a decrease in the signal/noise ratio at this point. In any case, the amplifier suggested above is like, $120, so... if you want to bust out that kind of cash, then go ahead.

[kelvin6]

^^^ You do have a good point on the S/N ratio, sorry wasn't thinking at the moment.

I'd have more fun building it myself . I have been building a many audio and some signal amplifiers for a while... but never attempted such a feat because I wouldn't want the FCC coming down on me... I have found a cheap hack on how to make AM/FM transmitters for a buck or two (which is to risky to build around here).

[angelqian]

so, the problem itself probably isn't the actual design of the amp, as the active components HAVE to be on an IC because of the frequencies we're dealing with ( try to find capacitors and inductors (I think this is harder) that'll bandpass you at 2.4GHz ). I think all you'll have to really be concerned about is powering a pre-bought amp/filter. Still might be costly though.

[kelvin6]

Yeah, it true, DIY can be costly (even when I build my own audio amplifiers it does tend to cost in the three digit range...).

On a different, but somewhat related topic: How to build a AM or whatever u want tramsitter for $2 or less:


and completely illegal...

[awdark]

^I thought that would be legal as long as its limited in range... especially since you can buy commercial FM transmitters...
*goes to digikey to order 1.43mhz crystal to battle neighbors*

[angelqian]

it's "legal" as long as nobody finds out... hehe...

[kay188]

lol hahah just sit in a park with that on the chair XD

i use one for my wifi at home... i use the parabolic reflectorr thingy lol
i'l lazy to look the link up =)

[fsphere]

i tried the aluminum foil thing and tested it with my ds and the wifi connected faster than without the foil. thanks for the tip