Homebrew Cantenna: Help Needed

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snoobab

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Hi there

My PCs wifi card detects a wireless hotspot but I only get very low reception (-85dB or 1/5 bars reported by Win XP). I'm using the standard 9cm antenna that came with my card which is rated to have a 300m outdoor range... I'm guessing the hotspots Access Point is about 1.5KM away so my requests (for an IP address etc.) are unable to reach the AP.

I'm thinking of making a Cantenna to boost my cards transmission range... =) Has anybody here made a Cantenna before? If so, what can did you use and where did you buy your female N-Connector from?

Any advice would be great. Thnks!

Latah,
Ed
 
Snoobab,

A Female N-Type Chassis Mount can be purchased from Miro Distribution in Wessels Road, Rivonia for around R80.

Other suppliers - HiConnex, Uniterm, Component Sources, RS Distribution, etc

Suggest you do some googling / reading for good designs, tips etc. Just google for Cantenna or Custom Wireless Antenna.

Bear in mind that it would be illegal to 'connect' into any wireless node / presence or hot spot unless you have express permission to do so.

Hope you come right!
 
You can get N Type connectors from Here

I have tried a cantenna, not using the N-Type connector way though, i just made a hole in a can, and I stuck in my standard antenna on my router in that hole on the can just to boost and direct the signal.

I got from 0% Signal to 35% signal.
I used one of those coffee cans.

I see a lot of people use the Pringles can.Haven't tried it though.

Please make sure you are not illegally connecting yourself to someone elses network.

Good Luck!
 
Cantennas are generally as expensive to construct as Miro/Poynting's R300 12dB yagi antennae.

It's a lot of fun to make a cantenna though. The results aren't spectacular, and the cost isn't exactly negligible. This is assuming that you make the cantenna properly, with a pigtail, and all the N-Connectors and paraphenalia.

I'd spend R300 bux on a Yagi any day before building another cantenna.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys... It'd be fun to try & make a Cantenna. I found a 16dBi design which seems simple enuff to construct.

I'll keep you posted.

Cheers,
Ed
 
snoobab, where did you find this 16dBi design? cud u provide the link please?
 
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