WIFI Antenna Hack!
Turn your standard WIFI antenna into one just like the $30 range extender antennas for about 5 cents! Follow these easy steps, and then check out the video if you need extra clarification. Digg if you like my very first Instructable.
Remove the Top of Your Stock WIFI Antenna.
A small flat jeweler's screwdriver works great!
We're Going to Match the Range Extender Layout Form As You See Here.
You'll need: small gauge solid copper wire, insulated or non-insulated, and a wood screw/drywall screw, measuring tape or ruler, and a soldering iron.
Measure Off 2 3/4" of Your Wire and Make a Small Bend.
Then, starting with the bend, use the grooves of the drywall screw as a template and make 7 COMPLETE loops, then bend the wire flush to the screw after the sevenh loop. just unscrew the drywall screw to remove it from the wire.
Measure Off 3/4" From the End of the Coil and Cut.
Then strip off 1/8" of the insulation or sand off 1/8" of the coating on non-insulated wire (depending on what you're using).
Cut Down Your Stock Antenna to 1/4"
And then strip off 1/8" of the insulation.
Solder the New Antenna Onto Your Cut Down and Stripped Stock Antenna.
Overlap all the bare wire from the stock antenna base and the new antenna.
Use a Large Diameter Drinking Straw and Slide It Over the New Antenna.
McD's has them... they're slightly larger diameter than a regular drinking straw. I think they're for shakes, etc.
The Straw Fits Perfectly and Snugly on Stock WIFI Antenna Bases.
Amazingly, you don't even have to glue them. It's a match made in heaven! Use a black permanent marker or paint for a pro look...
All Done!
Looks pretty good! You get a more omni-directional output (less fiddling with exact antenna placement) and approx. 5 dB gain. It works REALLY well on both your wireless cards and routers. See my video to see the results, and Digg this if you like my very first Instructable! 8D