e WiFi Antenna Booster - Very Stable and Stays On The Signal
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- Опубліковано 12 бер 2010
- Cantenna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A "cantenna" is also a brand name for a dummy load.
A cantenna.
A cantenna is a directional waveguide antenna for long-range Wi-Fi used to increase the range of (or discover) a wireless network.
Contents [hide]
1 Origin of the name
2 Construction
3 Usage
4 See also
5 External links
6 References
[edit]Origin of the name
Cantenna dummy load suitable up to 30 MHz and up to 1 kW
The term 'Cantenna' originally referred to a product sold by Heathkit Co. in Benton Harbor, MI, USA. It was a 50-ohm resistive load used by radio amateurs.[1] However, in the more casual vernacular of the Do-It-Yourself community, it has functionally become a portmanteau of can (e.g. an empty Pringles can, see below) and antenna, since they're used to broadcast (and receive) signals, and not just terminate them.
[edit]Construction
Although some designs are based on a Pringles potato chip can, in reality this tube is too narrow to be practical.[2], however a cantenna can be made from various cans or tubes of an appropriate diameter.[3] Some designs include a pole mount to elevate the cantenna.[4]
[edit]Usage
While cantennas are useful for extending a wireless local area network (WLAN), the tiny design makes them ideal for mobile applications such as wardriving. The design of the cantenna is so simple that it is often the first antenna WiFi experimenters learn to build. Cantennas can even be used to increase cell phone range,[5] improve reception and decrease noise.
[edit]See also
FON#La_Fontenna, an omnidirectional, cheap and high power antenna to distribute internet access around the world using a series of wireless LAN's
WokFi antenna
WarXing
The reason the can improves the signal is that the antenna is only half the antenna system - it needs an equivalent antenna going downward from the magnetic base. The can forms what's known as a ground plane, increasing the efficiency of the antenna.
As to why it doesn't work better in the center, the antenna has to be a fixed distance from the reflector (the "Windsurfer") and in the video you've never gotten it the right distance. Try experimenting with the antenna along the center line and you should find a point, about 1/4" wide or less (maybe around 2.4" or 4.8" from the reflector - just over 1" is another point to try), that will give you even more of a boost.
the basic principles of amateur radio. satellite dish and parabolic antenna principles. a better ground plane, ( sitting on the can) and the gap or location on the can to the reflector.. parabolic and amatuer radio antenna principles. you did great discovering.
i just realized that i spend more if not too much time trying to improve my electronics than i do enjoy them them selves. you things like those 2 bars going higher make me more satisfied than using the actual INTERNET. how crazy is that?
It's been about 30 years since I was in the Army, I served as a communicator in several units, both in Nam and in the states, but back then that can would be considered a "ground plain."
for those of us really really in need of this kind of help-I applaud you and offer many many Many Thanx M99:)
You have 2 things going on here that "can" give improvements:
1) Ground Plane
2) Corner or Parabolic Reflector (same concept as the "Windsurfer")
Using the Can alone should show how much improvement the Ground Plane by itself adds (likely best if the antenna is centered). Anything metal that's 5" in diameter or more should work well for a Ground Plane.
The Corner Reflector however is a VERY touchy thing at 2.4GHz... and it's not just about placement, but also relies very much on being a true parabola shape, or for a Corner reflector - an exact 90° angle. You likely found an offset position that, while not 'ideal' for the noted Ground Plane improvement, you found the "least bad" position for the reflector. You ended up with a "partially offset parabolic reflector", similar to what home Satellite TV receiver antennas use.
The Windsurfer (or any Corner/Parabolic Reflector) should work better if centered on the antenna Radiator Centerpoint... which is about 1.3" down from the tip of a common 3dBi antenna (which uses a simple straight 1/2wave radiating element of about 2.46") Half of 2.46" is about 1.23", then add room for some plastic in the tip, which is why I said about 1.3" down from the tip, instead of 1.23". I noticed you pushed the "Windsurfer" reflector down all the way to the magnetic base, which may not have been ideal.
BUT... since it's all FREE... sometimes we can "hit a magic spot" just by experimenting!
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OMG! THANK YOU SOO MUCH THIS ACTUALLY WORKED! I had one bar of connectivity up in my room and now it's on full, thank you sooo much. I'm subscribing!
I used sheet copper to make a cylindrical stand 12 inches high, and then a copper sheet attached to the cylinder. I copied your idea but used copper. Increase my signal by 28%. Thanks for the video and idea.
The can sort of acts as a ground plane for the magnetic antenna, just like a CB antenna on a car. And the foil reflects the signal back to the antenna which will increase the gain, thus increasing signal strength. FYI, the spacing between the reflector and the main antenna element is crucial, if they are too close or too far apart, it will have an effect as i found out when i built my high gain UHF TV antenna for long distance DTV reception. So yeah, this guy is definitely got the right idea.
I believe your antenna setup, on top of the metal can, works better because you have your magnetized, omni-directional antenna sitting on top of a metal can, which works as a ground plane of sorts. This environment you created maximizes your your output/input signal.
Very educational, plus the reason why the antenna cannot work so well in the middle is that the resonating position - i.e. the required distance has to be 1/4 of the wavelength of the signal, so that whatever duty of the signal has incident on the antenna (0 - 1/4, 1/4 - 1/2, 1/2 - 3/4, and 3/4 - 1) will make a fine tuning and resonance. Great Job!
My dad uses the same design for his digital TV antenna. Boosts the signal for sure!
Dale, you've made a good video. You can attain the same signal strength with the Windsurfer if you use the same amount of reflector area...same as your rig. The larger the capture area, the better the signal strength. Also, placing the antenna on a metal can will make a better ground plane antenna. You will not get the same reading if you use your rig with those plastic CD cases. I'm glad you came up with the metal can. You have accomplished a job well done!!!
Sounds like a Corner Reflector Dipole was created here with a improved ground plane added.
If the reflector is bent so as to form a corner we have a corner reflector antenna. If the surface has a parabolic, spherical, or elliptical curve, we have a dish type antenna.
A conducting, plane surface acts as a reflector for a dipole as a mirror placed behind a light bulb would for the light rays. The surface can be solid or be made of screening.
Great idea to boost your wi-fi signal on the cheap! You've essentially created a high gain directional antenna. As far as the positioning of the antenna on your reflector device; it has to do with how the signal is interacting with itself and forming (in RF engineering terms) lobes...what I suspect is happening you are adjusting the amplitude and position of the main radiating lobe. Don't be intimidated by the physics of it, read up and you'll soon have an even better design! Good work!
Gr8 video and simple use of a back plane.
I just did this. It took me about 3min to make and doubled my signal.
Thank you very much!
I tried this and it actually boosted my signal from upper 40's to upper 50's and I have not even messed around with it yet.
Thanks for the info
Thank you for the video Dale, i'l be making of these asap!
its a parabolic shape if you center you antenna in the the middle but move it away from your dish is your focusing your signal directly at you antenna. ty for sharing.
Wow. Just had a bash with an old can and some scrunched up tin foil and with almost no effort of finesse I boosted the signal strength from 18% to 37% (though it does fluctuate a little down to 31%). I expect if I spend a little time making a better engineered contraption I will be able to stabilise the signal and hopefully boost it a little more. I was considering going to the tech shop to buy a better antenna but I don't think I will bother now. Great idea. Thanks!
There is a sweet spot for parabolas and various antennae positioning..
That's pretty good. You could also be getting a reflection from somewhere off-beam , always a problem indoors. For my laptop: wifi and 3G, I made a corner reflector - foil on A4 card, folded to 45 degrees, antenna placed about 1 inch or less from the apex. It sends most signals over the 5 bar limit, from almost zero, and folds flat for travelling.
Have you tried sitting the windsurfer on the can?
This is fussy good, I'm not sure really why.. What's even better is to line the entire apartment with aluminum foil, including windows. The neighbors will evaluate you as a dope-fiend and will gladly boost their signals to keep you at bay! (Thanks for your inspiration). I'm going to Walmart to buy a booster.
Thanx a lot!!! It really helped me, my internet is going many times faster ^_^ Although i had to use (and shape) a clothes hanger instead of the can but it worked perfectly!!
cool man don't pay attention to those who don't know how to make the most out of limited resources and don't want to and prefer buying new things simply you were creative i liked it very much keep it up
The tin can is acting as a ground plane and the foil as a parabolic reflector, that's why the angle is so important. When you move the antenna you are moving it into the focus point of the reflector.
This is the kind of stuff UA-cam if for! Thumbs up!
Thank you for teaching me
So easy to make, and yields more than x2 profit on signal quality... sounds awesome to me.
that can and foil is just some sort of a collector. That's why bigger antenna's have better signals lol
I like Dale. He's no nonsense.
If you are skeptical about this project, don't be,
it works! You should have this device patented
immediately.
Yes, like a "whip" antenna, you just need a 3cm element inside the can, and yes, I have made many waveguides, they get about 14db's of gain. I HIGHLY reccomend the Ubiquiti WiFiStation EXT client adaptor, there is nothing better, or that even comes close, IMO.
this is a sort of parabolic curv, so put your antena at the focal point position then beam the parabolic center to network radio to get optimal signal
Ah what a man can do with his spare time can be quite ingenious.
FYI wifi frequencies are high which means the wavelength is short. That is why small changes to position are critical. You found a spot where the wavelengths are in phase from the various reflections. If they are out of phase they can do some self cancelling.
Overall, good job. That foil is pretty thin and some signal is probably not reflecting. Wire mesh spaghetti strainer superior. The tiny holes in the mesh are far smaller than a wavelength so the signal won't go thru.
For most people i would recommend getting a cable. You'll get better speeds. Trust me
to clarify you mean an Ethernet cable. i tried an antenna on a cable and it dropped 10% versus an antenna with no cable.
sorry, CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cable*
Because 150 feet of cables is nothing!
What are you using as the backing for your aluminum screen? A manilla folder? Have you tried a "dish" shaped reflector (for a defined focus point)? You should also try weighing down your can with marbles or sand.
wow! You already doubled the Recepcion with a little mount of garbage. Then, you are simply a Genious!
which in your case its actually a good thing.. but a sattelite dish also takes a lot of room, but it works, i can garantie that. In my case i was getting the signal from some 200 meters away, with walls and all kinds of interference. Just keep tuning up your antenna and eventually youll get some 90% signal im sure!
thanks for the video, i love to see other peoples ideas!
and sorry about my english!
cheers
the wider the parabola the more energy it can focus on the focal point (or actually line in this case). So if you build a widerr windsurfer and get the focal point exactly right (so it's actually focusing all of the energy on the antenna) it will probably perform similarly to the can/foil antenna.
Excellent projects
i love this guy :D some epic ghetto antenna right there!
Thank you for your comment.
That's an interesting antenna construction method. Have you tried it? And when you say "dipole" antenna that is a 'T' shaped antenna - is that the type you mean or did you intend to mean a whip-style antenna? When you say "that will really work for you" I kind of thought 'this might have lots of gain'...
Thanks.
Great... I try this and works excellent for me THANKS :D
Excellent job, Midnightbird99 !!!!!!!!!!
the reason of using parabola shape is this shape reflect the signal wave and the collided wave or familiar called superposition at antinodal line which is the amplitude of the wave is bigger..my physic teacher teach me that...but if the present of magnetic field I dun have idea that could maybe increase the signal..
Cool windsurfer brother.. Im using a Mountain Dew can that is cut in half then set on the top of my wireless wifi adaptor n' that works pretty good lol.
In your place I would use a digital EMF meter to find the hottest spot on the can where to stand the Wi-Fi antenna, you surely will get better results. Also,I would suggest you use an aluminum mesh over the can instead of the foil, and even better results with an aluminum can of some sort.
You should make a waveguide instead. Use a 3-1/4 sauce can, make a hole in the side EXACTLY 2-1/2" from the bottom and stick your dipole antenna throuth into the hole. Then, make it level, and point the open end at your router. That will really work for you.
this is hilarious :D perfect accent :D
Great to try to give an advice without any basic knowledge and understanding of waves. I'm surprised the top comment is not something like "Mate, turn it around. You are redirecting the signal straight into the wall" ;)
How does a "Cantenna" compare?
(Pringles or Coffee can used as a directional antenna)
what is the name of the program which measured the speed of the Internet?
Do you have a SMA end on your antenna? if so what mhz are you running? there are patch antennas out there that will work better.
Hmmm. Try with just the can and no reflector. The can forms a ground plane which increases the effectiveness of the antenna. Note the "droopy bits" under a 1/4 wave CB antenna. I would imagine it would work even better if the distance from the center of the can to the open edge was cut to about 5% longer than 1/4 wave at 2.4 GHz.
Thanks Dale :)
dude thanks for you magnificent idea i did make a differences in my WiFi internet
its called a focal point. thats why it works better to that side. the majority of the waves are bouncing off the curved aluminum to that side
that metal can makes signal interferes - it is better to use some plastic can , but that aluminum foil glued to a cardboard is just great , although it's much better to put that foil behind the router because it will boost signal much more and it will send 50% more of the signal toward you , it will also reduce the possibility that some person behind that foil hacks the router (because on the other side signal would be very poor)
Magnetic antennas need to set on a metal ground plane in order to work at optimal efficiency. So.... I wonder if you place the antenna on a piece of metal - such as a tuna can lid-- and use it with the windsurfer if you will see substantial gain? Am wondering if the reason your design provides so much gain in comparison is that you it incorporates the magnetic ground plane which is missing when you set the antenna on plastic CD cases.
Interested to hear the results if you experiment with that.
Thanks it worked for me...
Hey Midnightbird99, I believe this works due of the reflection and interference of the electromagnetic radiation (radio waves that compose your WiFi signal from your router). Normally, the radiation spreads out over long distances and is too weak. The parabolic curvature of the foil directs the radio waves to a single point. The reason you get a poor signal when you put the adapter in the middle of the can is because the waves intersect each other in such a way that they cancel each other out.
It may be signal cancellation. It's why two or more antennas are always better. Signals can bounce off a near by surface, and the rebounding wave will cancel out the incoming one hitting it directly. The center is most likely the main focal point due to reflection. Moving it to one side would prevent this somewhat.
You might try putting a hole in the can (reverse the can around), and mounting it on the antenna instead and see what happens. ;)
What a pity you nothing about phazing, just like this guy above.
Yaesu Yaesu What a pity you don't know how to spell "phasing". I probably know more about phasing, wave cancellations, and audio processing and mixing than you do young padawan. If not, rather than wasting time and energy browsing comments to tell people how bad they are, how about instead gracing us with your great wisdom and knowledge? It's well known by many audio engineers that sound bouncing off walls can be out of phase, causing cancellations in signal, and "popping" sounds, which is why two or more antennas are always better. This is also a source of issue for multiple recording sources in a studio, and usually causes the need to adjust individual tracks that will for sure be slightly out of phase.
very cool , thanx !
This really works! I put tinfoil under my Wi-fi adapter, Now I got 100% signal :P
Use soda cans, open them up and glue them to a salad bowl or something (kind of an hyperbolic sattelite dish). the good thing about soda can aluminium(?) is that its not as fragile as foil, it wrinkles a lot less thus making a cleaner signal.. The fact that your antenna gets better signal on the side its because your Focal Point is there, due to the irregular nature of the foil, i use a sattelite dish now, because i know where the FP is. The down side of dishes is the fact that its direccional
Can i use any form of can? Think i can find a bake bean can
What software are you using for testing the different signal impact?
Fascinating science thx
i really love wifi
What software are you using to measure signal strength?
hi,have u try moving to a closer location to get better signal? it might work.
That is pretty interesting
Excellent
please what software application did You used to detect the network on your computer?
you just created an ear! quite crude, but it makes sense, the ear drum isnt really at the centre of the earlobe, rather, offset so that you can hear better... i think!
The antenna should be at the focal point of his reflector - which is not at the 'centre' he indicated. The presence of the steel can alters the field pattern in unknown ways, and who knows what is inside the nearby wall that's in the signal path? Bottom line, this design is almost totally empirical. Researchers in India did get ordinary home WiFi units to communicate over many km by using scientifically designed, fairly large parabolic reflectors that were carefully aligned and firmly fixed in place.
What is the name of that Antenna that you put the WindSurfer on or Where can i Buy one
I use Foil taped to my laptop which helps a bit. It would be great to see if this could be done better with a LAPTOP that ha an internal card and the antenna in the screen I've been looking for antenna that would plug in to the org. antenna plug on the card instead of having to buy external card for the PCMCIA,But great Vid to help,
TURN IT AROUND EINSTEIN
+mw10259 As his neighbour, I sincerely thank him for pointing it my way
It's pointed at this router in another room, dumbstein
dumbsteain ?? Oh boy haa hee he o shit
midnightbird99 - sir which program you are using to see the actual feeding percentage of the wifi?
Is the Windsurfer pointed in the correct direction?
I'm stumbling on here and not sure what I just saw... are you saying I should try something like this and it will improve my wifi signal throughout the house, or do I need to aim it towards a specific area? I would still wan't a good bit of omnidirectionality - how does that work? Sorry to be so ignorant.
If you need to improve all around, get a pro made ommi antenna. The real B is getting the right connector from Antenna to device creating RF. So many connector types...
does it work better with peach or cranberry cans??
Where do I see on how much percent is my wifi working
can u tell me which software to use for checking signal strength please?
So i always have 90% plus connectivity on my wifi bar but it drops connection a lot, my other computer running off wired connection works just fine and so does my other wifi devices
Thank you ....
So your saying in using the can your getting more juice to your router? Also, would you ever consider selling me that can?
Continuing from my earlier post, also wondering if the larger size of your "dish" on *your* design is at least partially responsible for the better results. But truly SUSPECT that it is the use of a magnetic ground plane that is the big factor. Willing to be proven wrong.... Let me know.
what is that wifi antenna? the black one that is connected in your computer?
Is the can tin, steel, or aluminum? Is the foil aluminum?
@jackatube What exactly is a parabola? Sorry, I'm pretty young, and just getting in to this type of stuff. Thanks!
how about the router with no atenna attach? can you give me some advice on how to boost may wi-fi signal?
can you buy the antenna with the cord separately? if so, what are they called?
You should build a biquad antenna. They're rated a 11dbi and the newer, stacked biquads are rated a 14dbi
critical success
Thanks sir