Help With Building An Antenna For My WiFi

[JonathanBlack]

I recently received a USB wireless net stick, just like the one in the photo below:

and a neighbor living in the same block with me gave me her username and password, because she has a wireless router. At first, the signal was very bad, there were times when Google refused to load, so I managed to get a cable for the stick, one which looks like the one in this photo, only way shorter, its length is only about 10 centimeters:

and now the signal is indeed better, but nevertheless YouTube videos lag most of the time. My neighbor lives at about 10 meters from me, but my block has some type of walls which block the signal drastically, some kind of special concrete, I don't know exactly how to describe it, and maybe that's why sometimes YouTube videos lag, I'm not sure... So I asked around and many people told me that the best way to improve my connection/signal was to build myself an antenna. That way the signal would be much better. So, can anyone show me how to do that and explain exactly - with pictures, if possible - what kind of tools would I need for this project?

 

[06yfz450ridr]

you can modify some of them with external antennas which is what you need to be using. its easier to just buy a decent one and be done with it. dont get the rosewill ones they are garbage in windows 8.

 

[USAFRet]

Those tiny WiFi devices are generally pretty bad.

Build an antenna? How well versed are you with signal propagation and waveform shaping?
No? Just buy a better WiFi device. Even that may not fix the issue, but it will be better than trying to build your own.

If you want, you can try something like this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wi-Fi-Booster-Using-Only-a-Can

 

[06yfz450ridr]

ive heard putting it in a a metal bowl in the middle with tape and aiming it may help but youll need a longer usb extension and need to put it in the window facing your neighbor.

 

[JonathanBlack]

Those tiny WiFi devices are generally pretty bad.

Build an antenna? How well versed are you with signal propagation and waveform shaping?
No? Just buy a better WiFi device. Even that may not fix the issue, but it will be better than trying to build your own.

If you want, you can try something like this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wi-Fi-Booster-Using-Only-a-Can

Yeah, I know these devices aren't by far the best option, but that's all I have at the moment. Here where I live even these tiny sticks are quite expensive.

I know next to nothing about signal propagation and waveform shaping, that's why I need help with boosting the signal as much as this lame stick allows.

Thanks for posting the link to the beer can thing, I will try it! Aside from that, do you have any other suggestions? Maybe a longer cable would help? Or more aluminium or other metal surrounding the stick?

 

[USAFRet]

Those tiny WiFi devices are generally pretty bad.

Build an antenna? How well versed are you with signal propagation and waveform shaping?
No? Just buy a better WiFi device. Even that may not fix the issue, but it will be better than trying to build your own.

If you want, you can try something like this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wi-Fi-Booster-Using-Only-a-Can

Yeah, I know these devices aren't by far the best option, but that's all I have at the moment. Here where I live even these tiny sticks are quite expensive.

I know next to nothing about signal propagation and waveform shaping, that's why I need help with boosting the signal as much as this lame stick allows.

Thanks for posting the link to the beer can thing, I will try it! Aside from that, do you have any other suggestions? Maybe a longer cable would help? Or more aluminium or other metal surrounding the stick?

There is only so much signal they can pack into that tiny space.
There is a reason bigger antennas work better.

 

[JonathanBlack]

I did as instructed in that tutorial and now the signal seems to be a bit better, YouTube videos rarely lag now, and when they do, it's only for 2 or 3 seconds. So thank you USAFRet!

Here is the latest result of my current net speed:

What do you think of it?

 

[USAFRet]

Looks good to me!

 

[JonathanBlack]

After fiddling a bit with re-positioning the beer can, I obtained the following result:

and now there is no more lagging on YouTube. So thanks again for your help USAFRet, I can say I am pleased now 😀 I chose your answer as the best solution.