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usb wifi antenna

by wombat7 on August 19, 2006 Table of Contents usb wifi antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Usb wifi antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Purchase usb wifi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Purchase strainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: Make hole in strainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: To get a better signal push it in about half way!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 5: Connect to friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 5 5

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

Intro: Usb wifi antenna

this is the 1st. version of my usb wifi antenna. it has been inspired by: http://www.instructables.com/id/EQARE4I72GEPUCHTHU/ http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/ i did not have immediate access to "Chinese parabolic cookware" however i will use one next time. instead,i used an eight inch strainer , without the strainer i do not get a signal in my house. this entire instructable has been uploaded via the strainer/usb antenna.

Step 1: Purchase usb wifi

i used the belkin wireless G usb adapter. it comes with a base and some cable.

Step 2: Purchase strainer

this one is an 8 inch strainer with a handle.

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

Step 3: Make hole in strainer

Step 4: To get a better signal push it in about half way!!!

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

Image Notes 1. to get a better signal push it in about half way!!!

Step 5: Connect to friends

i am getting this signal from across a river.

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

Related Instructables

Two quicky directional wifi antennas by Computothought

How To Make A Uni-Directional Wifi Antenna by WIFI Range PokemonLord1234 Extender by tm36usa

External Bluetooth Antenna for Increased Range! by Popcornfilms

How to Extend yout USB using UTP by huang.wencong

How to make an active wifi tetrapak antenna - fast & cheap way ... by Spajky [-Spikey]

Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 172 comments

bluemeanie says:
I have a 14" metal bowl. Could I tape the wireless card to the bottom of the bowl and it boost the signal you think?y

Aug 17, 2010. 11:13 AM REPLY

keebmn82 says:

Aug 27, 2010. 1:42 PM REPLY It might help some, but it would do much better if it was held out 4 to 5 inches. I used a wok lid and the pringles can combined with a paint roller (like in the parabolic microphone hack). Works great. I tried it with the can alone and with the lid alone and then together and that's what works best for me. Im pulling in a signal from about 400 feet away.

wq2315563 says:
????~??????????

Mar 21, 2010. 6:47 AM REPLY

Bardouv says:

Mar 10, 2010. 6:44 AM REPLY I have a large, mesh satellite dish that used to supply my T.V. It is probably 5-10 feet across. I was wondering if I could use this as a wifi antenna. My only main concern is that, even though it is motorized, it isn't very positionable. It is also cemented into the ground, not that I think I could move something that big. But do you think it would give me good enough signal to overcome the mobility issues? Sep 20, 2009. 6:05 PM REPLY Hey! I have a wifi stick just like that, though I am contemplating what to do with it, because I used wired for everything and all the laptops are wireless Good Idea, I might try this, see just how far I can go from the router, hehe

bwpatton1 says:

Foaly7 says:
does the little USB stand there only work for the wi-fi drive?

Aug 11, 2009. 10:59 AM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

awkrin says:

Jun 11, 2008. 3:15 PM REPLY I have a one about like that. it's belkin f5d7051. I actually bought it when my family moved to Ireland, in the city center and I was almost sure I would find an unprotected network. well there were about 15 protected network (about 5 with wpa). I really wanted to get free internet, so I spent hours looking for a driver or something(I have legal internet now) to make it work with aircrack or something. any suggestions?

krimlon says:
try looking for backtrack 3 linux it basically designed for hacking.

Jul 5, 2008. 5:04 PM REPLY

awkrin says:

Jul 10, 2008. 6:49 AM REPLY so it's a live cd... I can't download now cuz I downloaded a lot this month and I only have around 250 mb left, but thanks

Suicide_Mouse says:

Sep 27, 2008. 12:49 PM REPLY I would boycott your ISP... Screw Caps. I have Bell, in Canada, and I have an "unlimited service (No caps)" but they throttle the hell out of Bittorrent protocol and I think I've heard that they actually do have caps (my memory is a little fuzzy), even on their "unlimited" service so I'm switching. Why pay for something you're not getting? Obviously I don't know what your ISP "plan" is but I suggest not supporting any ISP that limit's your download capacity unless that restriction was VERY clear when you bought their service. Actually, scratch that, why support it at all? If nobody pays ISPs with capped/throttled bandwidth, they'll stop doing it. Think about it. If say 20-30% stop paying for it now, they will raise the prices of their services due to loss in profit. When the prices are raised, people who were annoyed by the caps/throttling, but not enough to ditch them previously, will now likely be annoyed enough to ditch them. That would leave maybe about 60%-50% of their clients, that would simply be unacceptable to the ISP so they change their mind and get rid of their deconstructive restrictions or they get replaced by an ISP who doesn't have them. This would then, hopefully, teach other ISPs to immediately drop their restrictions. This plan would best be executed on a large ISP first, no use killing off small ISPs leaving only the influential ones and making the monopoly even worse. Yes, it's radical. Yes, it may not work as planned. BUT, yes, it can work. Anyways, I'm ranting, hopefully someone will see the sense in what I say.

Pixels303 says:

Jul 27, 2009. 10:53 AM REPLY Catchy isn't it. Advertise a service as unlimited and have a service and use agreement which restricts and limits you from using the service. I remember a time when Telus bundles a modem with a 3 year contract agreement to users which stated that they must use that modem. However the modem they provided failed to be equipped with UPNP or a firewall setup. It left the end-user not being able to have access to port forwarding thus being unable to run any program on the internet which required a active connection protocol using TCP or UDP ports. And Shaw cable systems packet filtering users against using FTP or Torrent protocols, and blocking access to known sites which encourage downloads. All in all, there is no contract that states what your rights are in using thier service and they can at any time restrict usage however they want without any recourse. With Telus is even worse if you got suckered into a long term contract with their limited "Unlimited" internet. No boycott will do anything. The telecommunication industry is monopolized and the providers know this. They don't need to be honest with their profit machine.

mahabad1972 says:
HI can you use satellite dish to make this wifi antena

May 22, 2009. 9:05 AM REPLY

DigitalDemolition says:

Feb 20, 2009. 8:22 AM REPLY i went out got myself the linksys wusb600n usb wifi adapter(80$ but you could probably use a cheaper one),its two channels 2.4 ghz,and 5.4 ghz(also it uses mimo technology), i got myself a gold plated 35$ usb male/female extender,some tinfoil,uber duct tape,christmas tree leg stands from a tree stand,a cd-r stand/holder,some skateboard wheels(for weights because of heavy winds) and a plastic food dish, i went from a horrible 10% connection(rarely..RARELY connecting)to a 26% signal of wich i am having right at this moment.also i use this in a outdoors environment! for proof of this take a look at my site!!! because it will show you EXACTLY how i built this BEAST. http://digitaldemolition.angelfire.com/wifi.html HAPPY HUNTING!!! : )

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

tokymaru says:
I made something similar using a styrofoam plate and aluminum foil nearly doubled my reception

Apr 6, 2009. 10:02 PM REPLY

octavian234 says:

Mar 9, 2009. 1:23 PM REPLY I was thinking about building a huge dish for my usb wifi dongle. i was thinking about making it out of aluminim foil its goin to be 3 feet wide. to get the best signal how curved should i make it? I need to make the aluminum foil as unwrinkled as possible right? If i do build this will it make a dramatic increase in my signal strength

SPININSPUR says:
try using a lampshade. I'm still workin on my model. take a shop at it. I'LL UPDATE WITH MY PROGRESS.

Mar 3, 2009. 5:20 PM REPLY

lugwrench says:
Just picked up a SS bowl at the 99cent store 4 2 bucks. Wainting 2 see how it works.

Jan 30, 2009. 3:51 AM REPLY

catsnw says:
how far do these work

Jan 6, 2009. 2:12 PM REPLY

henyobarker says:

Dec 27, 2008. 5:56 PM REPLY Hi Just wondering could this work with a nintendo ds wifi to improve it? please email me or post the answer here at henryandtom@gmail.com cheers henry!

everyones a chump says:

Aug 8, 2008. 8:24 AM REPLY I don't know a whole lot about wifi signals, but what i do know is that you can use paper to direct a signal. That being said, the bottle over the dongle could be blocking your signal. Wifi signals are easily directed and blocked.

everyones a chump says:

Dec 10, 2008. 9:16 AM REPLY haha whatever dude, i didnt even read that page, i assumed it was the same one i read another time but its not. U can make one out of paper and it does work just look it up instead of slamming me haha cause i don't care enough to look for you. (Maybe you don't know how to use google? It is simple just type in what your looking for, oh and spelling is important usually, ok also in case you didnt no google is www.google.com Dec 9, 2008. 12:05 AM REPLY Paper? I think you are referring to the articles where they used ALUMINUM BACKED paper. And while some plastics and rubbers can act "funny" at microwave signals (sometimes in a GOOD WAY) in this case, probably not. So, who's a chump?

n3glv says:

digitrunner says:
A paper one would work great with an origami PC lol :P

Mar 22, 2010. 6:22 PM REPLY

everyones a chump says:

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template/ You can make one of these out of paper, it works.

Dec 9, 2008. 7:46 AM REPLY

n3glv says:

Dec 10, 2008. 7:20 AM REPLY Ok, so, On the LAST PARAGRAPH IT SAYS. So if you have an AP in your house, snatch one of your cookie sheets and get out the tin snips =), just don't get caught by Mom :-( Actually you can make this reflector from just about anything. People have made good ones from Pringles cans, large tin cans, wire screen, aluminum sheet, and tin roofing material. Any flat metal surface or screen, even tinfoil taped to cardboard will work. You can build one of these in less than a half an hour using an old shoe box and a roll of tin foil. I don't know about you, but does TIN SNIPS or TINFOIL TAPED TO CARDBOARD sound like plain paper?

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

Now, about that CHUMP comment?

Body4Change.com says:

Mar 19, 2008. 6:20 PM REPLY I've been reading a LOT of this WiFi stuff here on our extraordinary Instructables.com and was wondering if anyone has tested the strainer method against the coffee can or pringles method and also against using an old directv satellite and such. Which one would give me the best reception? I'm guessing the satellite dish but I am new to this. TIA!

n3glv says:

Dec 9, 2008. 12:21 AM REPLY The "coffee can" style requires a driven element, so do yagi's (that's a chunk of wire to you and me) The 1/4 wave or better antenna on a usb dongle is a pattern on the pc board. So, we are relegated to the reflectors and such that are being discussed here. If one has a card with an antenna jack you can buy a "pigtail" and go down the horn (can) route, and get great results, also using a simple can (tuna can size) and a figure 8 shaped wire inside to "illuminate" a dish can be real hot setup. All of this is FAR more expensive and time consuming. (Yagi's are pretty easy, but again, more skill and those pesky , expensive parts.)

grisgris2112 says:

May 31, 2008. 8:45 AM REPLY I have a good one for ya'll, while searching for an old strainer something caught my eye. I had one of those disposable aluminum foil turkey pans left over from Thanksgiving and I thought well I'll give it a shot "can't hurt to try" since I didn't have to spend any money and it was a cheap old thing anyway. Now the things not round, but I got a really good boost in my signal. Worked well for me without any modifications and real easy to work with since it's aluminum foil already.

n3glv says:

Dec 9, 2008. 12:16 AM REPLY What we are looking for is improvement. This can be called gain. But it can also be a reduction in unwanted signals, therefore making the desired signal easier to use. It's called signal to noise ratio. Even a simple reflector on the unused or unwanted direction can result in a real improvement. (A few db anyway)

Peng says:
great info here... is it possible to construct an antenna for a pc card type wifi adaptor to passively boost the signal?

Aug 21, 2008. 1:21 AM REPLY

n3glv says:

Dec 9, 2008. 12:02 AM REPLY Yes, dozens if not hundreds of web pages. I had best results with the one called "nallys beef stew cantenna" you can find via google. You'll need a cable (called a pigtail usually) and basic measuring and soldering skills. I built something like the nally one and got tremendous results.

monkey666 says:

Nov 15, 2008. 12:08 AM REPLY My brother has an attached room to the house and for awhile he had basic cable set up, We soon got him online with our main dish and the thing has just been sitting there on that poll, Its like those ones that have the little things comeing off the center strip at an angle. (You know what I mean) Can I use it or does it have to be a dish? Oh and another one. My aunt has these huge old satalite dishes that are 4 feet wide in there yard (two of them) Oh man, Imagine wifi you could get off one of those.

uptheground says:
I have this useless Dish Network Antenna, do you think it will work with the USB WiFi adapted to it?

Nov 8, 2007. 10:50 AM REPLY

Foxtrot70 says:

Nov 11, 2008. 9:27 AM REPLY You bet that will work! I have a data card on cellular service I live in a rural area in central Iowa. You might ask where is Iowa? Well, first is almost God's Country, second if you take a map of the US mount it on a wall and back up about 20' and throw a dart in the middle of the map most likely you'll hit Iowa. I digress, at my location I am 6 miles from the nearest Cell site and my signal strength is -124dbm, not enough to activate the receivers at the tower. When I use my old Dish Network 500 dish with a bowtie antenna mounted inside a oval sardine can at the location where the LNB once was my signal increases to -89dbm. On other item the dish is inside my house looking thru a 6" wall! I am in the process of modifying the LNB shroud to house a cleaned up version of the Bowtie and also have 2 versions one for Cellular service 1.9 Ghz and the other for Wifi 2.4Ghz. If you really want to have some fun you and your friends can take standard cordless phones, must be on same freqs., use the modified DishNetwork dishes or for really long distant communications say 125 miles use a 10' C-Band dish. You might want to get some friends who are"HAMS" they can help you the most. Aug 13, 2008. 9:11 AM REPLY ohhh i want it... lol, i mean, everyone's using asian cookware, i want an old satelite dish! stuff specifically set up to recieve and send signals...woot! course i've got a pretty ghetto set up right now, but that's just me XD

Gksarmy says:

n3glv says:
HI Gksarmy, I'm new to this site, but been a ham for over 20 years, and into microwave communications as high as 10.5ghz band. (so 2.4 was no challenge) There are TONS of how-to's etc on the web but you need to know a few things about your would-be sat dish conversion. 1 unless it's a solid metal dish, the mesh material inside needs to be smaller perf than 1/10th of a wavelength. And the surface accuracy also needs to be near that tolerance or losses will be incurred. (that is mighty tight, since 1/4 wavelenth is about 1.8737 cm) The other thing is that you will need to figure out the focus if there is not a feed horn arrangement there. If so, you sill will need some kind of horn arrangement so that you "illuminate" just the are of the dish, most of these things are going to radiate semi-spherically and you would need to figure out a way to do this. Having said this, just about anything parabolic or even roughly parabolic

Dec 8, 2008. 11:57 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

will result in gain. That can be the curve of the domed lid or even the end of a rural Propane Tank (the submarine looking ones) Or a "snow saucer" sled. One of my favorite sites for usb wifi homebrew is http://www.usbwifi.orconhosting.net.nz/ These guys have close to 100 projects from cookware to strainers to converted fans and umbrellas! It's tons of fun, my best-favorite system uses a 10.5inch "clamp light" from Home Depot, and a chunk of foam rubber and a usb-extension to make this just unscrew the back of the switch/bulb assembly and remove the guts. Mount the clamp and screw on the reflector. Shove the extension cable in from the back, and wrap the foam around just behind the metal of the usb. Pull backwards till near flush and insert the wifi dongle. Point at a known signal and adjust for peak on the bar graph. Tada, total build time 5min or less. Anyone would would care to chat live, irc.freenode.net and join #voipcoop I'm usually there. (I'm a phone/asterisk nut these days) Best wishes and happy wifi-ing de Jeff Kephart n3glv

Fallbrookdave says:

Nov 22, 2007. 10:01 AM REPLY It sure will. Hopefully you still have the feedhorn assembly still attached to the dish. Just remove the LNB from the support arm and get a USB adapter's antenna at that prime focus point! If thats one of those offset feed dishes, you may need to turn it upside down to get the correct angle for the incoming signal, since the dish was not designed for horizontal aiming.

goggomobil says:
I don't see where the reflector is bonded to the USB's chassis ground... is that necessary?

Sep 29, 2008. 10:26 AM REPLY

Jeph says:
Not understandable; over abbreviated

Sep 14, 2008. 10:12 AM REPLY

jj32x says:
I did it with my bluetooth dongle and now i can connect to my next door but one neighbor's mobile phone

Aug 29, 2008. 3:45 PM REPLY

RyanMoorman says:

Jul 30, 2008. 4:45 PM REPLY This is GREAT and all but how should i go about building a long range wireless network with something similar to this, but it broadcasting a signal. If anyone knows any info on how to do this that would be great. Ryan-

danp says:

Aug 6, 2008. 12:56 PM REPLY That is also what I need to know. A building blocks a direct view to my milk barn where I want to connect to the internet. The corner of my front porch has direct line-of-sight, so if I could build a broadcasting unit, I could get service there.

Yenmangu says:

Apr 28, 2008. 10:47 AM REPLY hey, I would like to say congrats on such an amazing Instructable. while i do not currently have any cook ware i can mangle and distort i did however use the same basic concept except i used a piece of very thin sheet metal cut to a rectangle and rolled to form a crude bearable. the result; well aim on Instructables in the middle of nowhere lol. i am amazed at the power of these things and i worship you for allowing me to have Internet in this remote region in the lake district, the concept is brilliant and i am sure some bright spark somewhere will come up with a way to use this for the good of mankind.. possibly you have already achieved this.. i certainly think so. once again thanks, such a simple concept yet amazing. many regards, Robert.

wombat7 says:
i'm glad this has been usefull for you!

Apr 28, 2008. 11:43 AM REPLY

danp says:

Aug 6, 2008. 8:52 AM REPLY Wombat, I have a wireless G router in my house & want to make a parabolic reflector to place in my milking parlor office. Will a wireless N usb with a refector pick up the G signal? Also there is a building that blocks the line of sight between the house & barn.

simple_punk88 says:

Jul 17, 2008. 1:05 PM REPLY hey guys...i have made an antenna using a mesh drainer about 8 inches, i added some pictures and i added a 10 ft usb extention with a linksys WUSB54GC connected to the center of the bowl...and i don't get ANY gain at all....is there a proper way to place the USB dongle...does it HAVE to have direct contact with the mesh...???? i added a 5onz baby bottle to prevent wetting when raining occurs... please help...have a couple of connections around i would like to improve the reception i also have copper wire....i heard that helps sending radio transmition...is it good to recieve wireless AP better??? (if it can good...i wasted money buying a useless 25ft copper wire....LOL)

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

frollard says:
From how flat that dish looks, it would seem that it needs to be further away from the dish to be in the focal point.

Jul 20, 2008. 3:58 PM REPLY

The dish is not receiving the signal, its bouncing it into the built-in antenna its making a uni-directional receiver a directional receiver. If your usb dongle is too deep, i.e. not in the focal point, the amplified signal is simply missing the receiver.

wombat7 says:

Jul 18, 2008. 5:32 AM REPLY use "netstumbler" it will show you the signal strength on a graph. move the dongle in and out untill you get the best signal. good luck!

runganwt says:

Jul 17, 2008. 5:56 PM REPLY Hi Punk_88, There are a formula to calculate where you should put your dongle. It's a relationship between the curve of your dish ( of cause "mesh drainer" ). Try google "poor-man antenna" you will find it. good luck.

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/

n3glv says:

Dec 9, 2008. 12:09 AM REPLY My favorite for lampshades and such (anything even remotely shiny) is just go out in the sun and aim the face of the dish toward the sun, measure the bright spot in the center with a stick. (In theory could also use a small flashlight bulb in a darkened room, while aiming the reflector at a light colored wall and peaking the pattern)

view all 172 comments

http://www.instructables.com/id/usb-wifi-antenna/