How to Make a Wi-Fi Antenna for Laptop
If the Wi-Fi card in your laptop is not picking up a signal consistently, the best way to give it a boost without spending too much money is to build your own antenna, or "cantenna," from a tin can. With a few things lying around the house and a few parts from the local radio repair store, you can build your own Wi-Fi antenna that works amazingly well.
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Things You'll Need
- Ruler with inches and millimeters
- Tin can 3 inches in diameter
- Permanent marker
- Drill
- N-female chassis mount screw-on connector
- 1 1/4 inches of 12-gauge copper wire
- Wire cutters
- Soldering iron
- N-male pig tail
- Computer
- Wireless network card with access jack
- Wireless network in range
- Wi-Fi detecting software
Instructions
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Measure 3 3/4 inches from the bottom of your can with your ruler.
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Make a mark where you will drill the hole for your N-female connector.
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Drill a hole the same size as the center of your N-female connector.
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Measure the copper wire so that the wire and the brass tube sticking out of the N-female connector total 30 1/2 millimeters in length.
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5
Cut the length of wire and solder it onto the end of the brass tube.
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6
Allow the connector to cool and then screw it together on your can so that the copper wire antenna is on the inside.
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7
Connect the N-male end of your pig tail to the N-female connector on the side of your can.
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Connect the other end of the pig tail to your wireless card or access point.
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Point your antenna in the direction that you want to pick up a Wi-Fi signal.
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Monitor the signal strength by using the wireless network software on your computer. Rotate the can to pick up the best signal.
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Tips & Warnings
A tripod is an effective way to mount your antenna and keep it portable.
Always point the can away from you, as it does emit microwaves.
