Extend Your Wireless Lan Coverage

[BraveSirRobbin]

Popular Science has an interesting How To describing a way to make your own antenna for your wireless LAN and boost its range up to a factor of three.

You can whip one together using an old shoe box, tape and some aluminum foil in about 30 minutes, and it will double or triple the range (in a single direction) of just about any wireless access point with an external stick antenna. It works by simply creating a large surface area that the antenna uses to receive and transmit signals.

Details are HERE.

 

[electron]

Just keep in mind that these antennas might be illegal since most of these home setups violate FCC rules.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/businessnews/ci_2886879

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Very true, I was thinking more in the lines of cheaply fixing a "dead spot" in one's home/property (vs. say purchasing an external "booster" antenna).

 

[TonyNo]

This is the version I recall seeing a while ago.

 

[TonyNo]

"They're unsophisticated but reliable, and it's illegal to possess them," said Lozito of the Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force

This guy has to be smoking crack! Illegal to possess? Please.

 

[electron]

http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/65821

Looks like a misquote, but I assume transmitting using home made antennas can still be considered illegal in certain situations.

 

[Gemini]

This is my favorite.. simple,easy and works well when I want to extend my coverage to certain areas of the yard. Then I can slip it off and return to a "normal mode" when not needed.

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html

 

[electron]

That's a pretty cool link, thanks!

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Actually I believe FCC rules state that "any" modification of an existing FCC approved antenna (system) violates its rules. The "hams" here should know more details.

I don't see a problem with it as long as it's in your home and you need it to reach a dead spot, but just the same, it is good to hear both sides of an issue.

 

[electron]

how about this antenna: 125 miles (tested)!

http://www.wifi-shootout.com/

 

[Skibum]

Legality is all about effective radiated power.

I use a pair of these to push my signal through some pretty dense woods about 600 feet:

 

[Rupp]

What if you need a bit more coverage in all directions? Maybe an additional 20 -30 feet from the center of the house?

 

[jay]

Rupp. I use the 15.4 omni on this site's 'Antennas Omni for 2.4GHz' page, mounted on the top of my barn.
http://www.fab-corp.com

 

[jrfuda]

Have any of y'all tried the other route - using one of those hacked firmwares that cranks up the output wattage of your WAP or router?

I'd imagine that cranking up the power on just the acces point will make the clients "see" it better, and get data from the AP better, but data from the cients to the AP wont improve.

I bought one of those Hawking corner mount antennas (it was supposed to be 5 or 10 db gain, I can't remember) off ebay pretty cheap once. I think my signal was worse with it than without it.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Rupp. I use the 15.4 omni on this site's 'Antennas Omni for 2.4GHz' page, mounted on the top of my barn.
http://www.fab-corp.com

Jay;

You mean the one for $635?