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Today we literally cannot imagine our lives without the internet. We want to be online all the time. And without cables. At home we have Wi‑Fi routers that provide household coverage with a signal. However, it must be said that in many homes the signal may not be ideal. It depends on the size of the home, the placement of the router, but also on how many walls the signal has to pass through. All of this can be the cause of a weak signal.
Router range is fundamental
You should think about the signal range already when buying a router. In this case you need to focus on the individual specifications. It should be noted that they are measured under ideal conditions. A stated Wi‑Fi range of 100 meters can therefore be much lower in reality, on the order of tens or even meters. The reason is not only the interior space but also the antennas. And it’s not just whether the router has them at all — i.e. external ones — but also whether they are properly oriented.
A lack of antennas causes the signal to leak only around them
If your Wi‑Fi router does not have external antennas but only internal ones, it means the signal is directed around the router. You can practically imagine everything as a larger bubble with the router in the middle. The edges of the bubble are the places the signal reaches. It follows that the signal goes underneath, through walls to the neighbors, but also to completely unnecessary places. And where the signal is needed, it gets there very poorly. For example a study with a desktop computer, a sofa with a laptop, or a bed with a mobile phone in hand.
This will increase the range
No one needs that much dispersion, of course. For most households it would be enough to direct the Wi‑Fi signal in the right direction. And this method is effective not only in terms of transmitting the signal where it is needed. It is also effective in that it increases range. So when the signal doesn’t have to go in all directions but only the designated one, it can be distributed to the given place with much better intensity. This significantly and effectively increases the signal.
Basis for limiting the signal’s spreading angle
As we saw in our bubble example, in many routers without antennas or with fixed antennas the signal spreads at a 360-degree angle. And that is an undesirable state from the point of view of availability and performance. If the signal angle were reduced, for example to half — 180 degrees — it would mean a significant difference in quality. And that is indeed possible. And you don’t have to use separate directional external antennas for that, which are fairly expensive and not everyone can set up well and correctly.
Beer is useful in this case
We mean a can of beer. Not because you might not care that you have a bad Wi‑Fi signal after consuming alcohol. A beer can is a good aid because it is made of aluminum. And as you know, metal doesn’t really benefit the signal. And precisely because of that it can later be quite effective.
Cut the can and create shields
How will you manage to direct the router’s signal where you need it? It’s simple. Just drink a can of beer or soda and then cut it open with scissors. If your router has external antennas, use the top and bottom part of the can. Simply attach the can parts to them so that the signals from the antennas do not spread under the router.
Cut the rest of the can in half
This way you get two pieces of metal that serve not only as shielding but also as reflectors of the Wi‑Fi signal. So where do you place them? It’s easy. You place them behind the antennas themselves. And in the direction in which the signal is reflected into the space where you want to send it. Not only does this prevent it from wandering 360 degrees to unnecessary places, but it also ensures that it will aim exactly where it should. For example where your desktop PC or laptop is located.
Source: souspark.ru
