Homemade WifFi antenna

[TexomaAv8r]

Has anyone ever tried one of those homemade wireless antennas for an 802.11b card>?<br />I live within 3.1 to 5 miles of about 6 hot spots, I would like to be able to access them or another network.

 

[TELMANMN]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

802.11b has a range of approx. 300 feet. I have not seen anything that says it can go 3.1 to 5 miles but again I haven't looked. Now if there are access points within a range that a homemade antennas could access over 300 feet? I am lucky to get to my basement from the base station.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

I found a web sight describing numerous homebrew devices with old cans and one using an old dishnetworks dish, I was wondering if anyone here had direct experience with this.

 

[timfromfc]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

I haven't, but one of my coworkers is a security consultant, and he uses a pringles can as an example in his presentations to customers. He shows pictures of his home made devices and says they do work well and they are very inexpensive. I'd be very suprised if you could pick up a signal 3 miles away though.

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

Yup, been there , done that.<br /><br />The question here is, What's the RF LOS (Line Of Sight) look like?? Fresnel zone comes into play here also.<br /><br />You can build antennas from old MDS TV antennas if you have the soldering-electronics skills.<br /><br />Required reading... Link<br /><br />Antenna Design links: Link<br /><br />I worked this up awhile back... Link

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

Thanks X, I'll study up.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

You can buy one here if you don't want to make your own.<br /><br /> Cantenna

 

[ndemge]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

If you have the good antena and enough power, yeah, you could probably hit the hot spot.... The problem is, they are not pointed to you, so you won't link

 

[chuckz]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

Forget it, you need a high quality antenna, a low noise amplifier and good propogation to even have a chance.<br /><br />The WIFI is intended to work over a distance of approximately 300 feet. At three miles that is 3 X 5,280 feet = 15,840 feet.<br /><br />The signal degrades at a rate of one over the square of the distance. 15,840/300= 52.8<br /><br />Minimum gain(inverse of loss) = 52.8 squared = 2,787.84 = 34.45dB<br /><br />This is the minimum gain required with perfect line of sight propogation. In reality you would probably need double the gain.<br /><br />The cantenna doesn't come close.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

I dabble with it anyway, its cheap and kind of interesting. I'll try pointint at some of the homes and offices in the area as well and see if I dont find a signal close. Thanks for the replies

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Homemade WifFi antenna

Tex, You mentioned "I would like to be able to access them or another network ...."<br /><br />Be careful. Accessing a public Hotspot is OK, accessing a private access point is not, without prior OK. Just because you can find an open network does not give you the right to use it, even if it's not WEP'ed or protected.