TheSync's Journal: WiFi Cardboard Horn Antenna

I had my summer intern to build a cardboard horn antenna for testing long distance 802.11b connections. Here are three pictures of it: 1 / 2 / 3. It has about 10 dB gain over a PCMCIA card wireless NIC. The antenna is based on this design.

We tested it across the Memorial Bridge in Washington, DC. Not only were we able to get a signal, but from the DC shore near the Lincoln Memorial, we were able to pick up wireless access points in Rosslyn, VA.

Nice

[cradle]

It's functional, and attractive, too. How much
were parts and materials?

Re:Nice

[TheSync]

I spent a few dollars on aluminum foil (we don't have much in the way of food supplies around the house...) The N-connector, cardboard, and copper wire was salvaged from work.

The expensive part is the pigtail to go from your wifi device to N connector. Mine cost about $30, you have to be careful which connector you have. My Enterasys cards have "MC-Card" connectors. I believe Apple Airports have these as well. You should keep the pigtail length as short as possible, at 2.4 Ghz, even reasonable quality