How to Build a WiFi Yagi Antenna

Yagi antennas have been used since the heyday of radio. The reason they are still in use is Wi-Fi signals also are radio waves. Any signal sent over radio frequencies can be received freely through the air if the antenna is correctly built to capture the signal. Abandon technical terms such as Yagi, pipe and dipole and build yourself an inexpensive, homemade Wi-Fi antenna that is portable and more powerful that any computer's built-in Wi-Fi capacity.

Things You'll Need

• Juice can
• Marker
• Power drill
• Drill bits
• N-connector
• Solid wire, 12-gauge
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• Coaxial cable
• Pigtail
• Wi-Fi card

Instructions

1. Get a 42-ounce juice can. Remove the juice and one end of the can. Wash the can's interior using soap and water.

2. Measure up the outside of the can from the closed end. Mark a point 1 5/8 inches up with a marker.

3. Create an opening in the can at the marked point using a nail or small drill bit. Enlarge the opening to the width of the N-connector you are using.

4. Create the antenna element. Cut a length of 12-gauge wire to 1.2 inches. Solder it to the solder end of the N-connector.

5. Insert the antenna end on the N-connector into the can through the hole in the can exterior. Screw or bolt it the can.

6. Attach a 6-foot length of 75-ohm coaxial cable to the coax end of the N-connector. Attach a converter cable called a pigtail to the other end of the coaxial cable.

7. Connect the pigtail to the Wi-Fi connector of your computer.

8. Adjust the direction of the juice can antenna in the direction of known Wi-Fi hotspots. Monitor the signal strength by clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the server tray of Windows PCs.

Tips & Warnings

• Radio waves are very directional. Antennas should be in a line of sight with the Wi-Fi source.

References

• Turnpoint: How to Build a Tin Can Waveguide Antenna
• Alternative Wireless: Yagi Cellular Antennas