Surfing the net is among my favorite pastime, not to mention, I am also doing it for research work among others. With the convenience of having internet connection anywhere for as long as a wireless transmitting device such as a wifi router is nearby–or at least within a few meters, you are assured being connected anytime. But what if you seem to get off the radar? Say, a thick wall barrier or electromagnetic intererence interfers with your internet experience. If you are like me, who uses a wifi router at home, you can actually do these simple tips to boost internet connection, or at least focus the signal to your direction so you get better reception.
You need an Aluminum foil, a pair of scissors, some Aluminum tape and thick paper or cardboard. This is very simple and you will get that signal boost in no time. Wrap an Aluminum foil in a pre-cut cardboard that is four-folds. The top view of the cut cardboard should resemble the letter "W" where one side equals one fold. Make sure to include a base for your 4-fold cardboard where you will make holes to slip the antenna in (the inside space in between "V" and "V"). You can also use glue as adhesive or Aluminum tape to put all the foil together. If the tape itself is more than 2 inches in width, you can use it direclty to the cardboard because it will save you time.
As soon as you get the whole cutboard filled with Aluminum foil, make holes in the base respectively and slip the antenna inside the Aluminum filled board enough that it will not slip through all way to the base of the router. Just simply position it in middle. There you have it! A 20-35% boost of signal.
There have been several versions of this type of homemade booster. Instead of spending $60 for an extender, why not try this first. Using Aluminum foil helps focus the signal (in waves) to a direction where you are in. In construction a house, Aluminum is used in the interiors of ceilings to reflect heatwaves back to the atmosphere thus make the interior of the house cooler. This also applies to space shuttles where its exterior is paired up with Aluminum and other special metals to protect the astronauts from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Just remember, looking into the design of your homemade wifi booster gives you that outer space feeling afterall.
