How to Make an Antenna for a Laptop PC Card

Laptops can access the Internet using a Wi-Fi card that goes into a special slot on the computer. You can make a Wi-Fi antenna to attach to the Wi-Fi card and increase the strength and dependability of the Wi-Fi signal. You will need a few parts commonly found around the house and some supplies from a hardware or electronics store. The Wi-Fi antenna you will make will work as well, if not better, than one purchased from a store.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Empty tin can
• Ruler
• Grease pencil
• Copper wire spool
• Wire cutters
• N cable connector
• Metal screws
• N cable plug
• Pigtail antenna cable
• Portable drill
• Electric screwdriver
• Soldering iron
• Solder

Instructions

1. Put a sheet of newspaper on a table. Stand the tin can on the newspaper with the open end facing up.

2. Measure 1-1/8th inch up from the bottom of the can. Make a dot with the grease pencil at the 1-1/8th inch mark. Drill a hole at the dot with the portable drill.

3. Wind the copper wire around the length of the index finger of your left hand. Wind the copper wire another 30 times. Slide the copper wire off your index finger. Cut the copper wire off the copper wire spool with the wire cutters.

4. Place the length of copper wire horizontally on the newspaper.

5. Measure an inch from the left end of the length of copper wire. Cut the copper wire at the 1-inch mark with the wire cutters.

6. Measure 1/4 inch down from the upper right corner of the length of copper wire. Squeeze the lower right corner of the length of copper wire so that it meets the 1/4-inch measurement from the upper left corner.

7. Place the N cable connector on the newspaper with the open end facing up. Solder the 1/4-inch end of the length of copper wire to the center of the N cable connector. Let the solder cool for 2 minutes.

8. Insert the N cable connector, copper wire first, into the hole in the side of the metal can. Screw the metal screws through the N cable connector’s plate and into the side of the metal can with the electric screwdriver.

9. Place the N cable plug onto the N cable connector. Attach the pigtail antenna cable’s N connector to the N cable plug. Attach the pigtail antenna cable’s Wi-Fi connector to the plug on the Wi-Fi card.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use a metal soup can or a small coffee can for the Wi-Fi antenna.

• Improper positioning of the cables being attached together will degrade the quality of the signal being received.

References

• YouTube: Directional Wi-Fi Antenna Construction