Boost Your Router’s Wifi Signal By Using a Homemade Parabolic Reflector
Is your internet connection slow because of poor signal strength from the Wireless router? You can increase the signal strength of your Wireless connection by using a simple parabolic reflector made at home. All you need is an aluminium foil and a pair of scissors.
Why use a parabolic reflector ?
Most of the Routers come with an Omni directional Antenna, which means the signal is broadcasted on all the directions (just like a sound wave). If the router is placed near an outside wall, half of the signal gets wasted for nothing.
A parabolic reflector is placed behind your router so that the signals are not wasted and directed back to the direction of your computer:
The parabolic reflector is a simple workaround which can be used to direct the lost signals into your home area. A home made parabolic reflector looks like the following:
The following video illustrates how to create a parabolic reflector and place it behind the router for some signal boost:
How to Create the Reflector
1. Grab some aluminium foil from a nearby departmental store and cut the foil in the shape of a rectangle.
2. Bend all the four corners of your foil to create a frame, this adds to the stability of the reflector.
3. Then curve the foil just like a semi circular arc, giving it the shape of a parabola. You can also pierce a soft stick or a pencil between the foil such that the shape of the deflector does not changes overtime. The end result will look like the following:
4. Now place the reflector behind the antenna of your wireless device such that it faces the direction where your laptop or wireless hub is placed.
Now adjust the reflector such that you see maximum increase in the signal strength. That’s it, you have just created a simple home made wireless signal booster.
