Ghetto Mods

[mlee49]

What do you do when your signal sucks? Buy a 16dbi antenna and build a giant parabolic reflector.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0976-01.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0980-01.jpg

What do you do when your adapter overheats? Strip it, slap on some heatsinks, and wire a couple fans to a 5v wall-wart.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0981-01.jpg

All the crazy rope is so I could mount it and have full control over position and orientation. However, I didn't want to punch holes in the reflector and I didn't want to use pulleys either, so I messed around until I had a harness and then messed around some more until I had the rope going through a couple hooks where I can just pull on it to adjust orientation and them clamp it in place.

And the results? Based on measurements from the Ralink utility, I used to get about -88dBm strength and 40-50% link quality. Now I average -74 to -70 dBm strength and 70-80% link quality. Signal noise went up too, but only a few dBm.

Freakin McGuyver over there! I like the pink paper clip, it adds an accent to the motif.

 

[theJesus]

I know, something was just missing and I couldn't figure it out. But then I saw that pink paper clip and knew exactly what must be done!

 

[hat]

Not really a "mod", but I routed my wires through a cardboard tube through a roll of paper towels to keep them neat

 

[theJesus]

lol, better than my technique of just shoving them wherever they fit

 

[OnBoard]

What do you do when your signal sucks? Buy a 16dbi antenna and build a giant parabolic reflector.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0976-01.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0980-01.jpg

Shades aren't good for a signal, you should get better signal through the wall. Well easiest test is to lift the shades up and see what happens But looks cool

 

[theJesus]

Shades aren't good for a signal, you should get better signal through the wall. Well easiest test is to lift the shades up and see what happens But looks cool

The shades haven't made any difference in my testing and I hate letting any more light in anyways
Believe me when I say that I've tried every home-made method I can, short of mounting the antenna outside the window.

 

[OnBoard]

The shades haven't made any difference in my testing and I hate letting any more light in anyways
Believe me when I say that I've tried every home-made method I can, short of mounting the antenna outside the window.

Yeah, I know about the light in, dark is good My DVB-T antenna just didn't like the shades. Just yesterday adjusted it again as I got signal quality from 0-80s jumping up and down. Fix was to lower the antenna from ceiling to about middle room height and now it's 95 lowest..

It's like this, with cable size to antenna size about in scale:
_______
|..........|
|..........|
|______|
.....|.................____________
.....|-----------|digital receiver|

 

[Trigger911]

lol running a repeater huh what firmware your prefure so far i got about 36 routers so far.
oh shite your in canton huh i grew up on the outskirts on a farm

 

[KieX]

What do you do when your signal sucks? Buy a 16dbi antenna and build a giant parabolic reflector.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0976-01.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0980-01.jpg

What do you do when your adapter overheats? Strip it, slap on some heatsinks, and wire a couple fans to a 5v wall-wart.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0981-01.jpg

All the crazy rope is so I could mount it and have full control over position and orientation. However, I didn't want to punch holes in the reflector and I didn't want to use pulleys either, so I messed around until I had a harness and then messed around some more until I had the rope going through a couple hooks where I can just pull on it to adjust orientation and them clamp it in place.

And the results? Based on measurements from the Ralink utility, I used to get about -88dBm strength and 40-50% link quality. Now I average -74 to -70 dBm strength and 70-80% link quality. Signal noise went up too, but only a few dBm.

Gotta hand it to you man... that is the most insane wifi antennae mod I've ever seen Real ghetto mod style too

 

[hat]

lol, better than my technique of just shoving them wherever they fit

I got a mesh desk thing... it has no back, so the wires are just there. I got tired of it and thought of something to keep them from going wherever they wanted

 

[theJesus]

oh shite your in canton huh i grew up on the outskirts on a farm

Yup, living in the bubble right up north of it.

Gotta hand it to you man... that is the most insane wifi antennae mod I've ever seen Real ghetto mod style too

Thanks

I got a mesh desk thing... it has no back, so the wires are just there. I got tired of it and thought of something to keep them from going wherever they wanted

I really need to do something like that. I started to organize some of my cabling but only for devices that don't go anywhere, like my USB hubs.

 

[Thrackan]

Freakin McGuyver over there! I like the pink paper clip, it adds an accent to the motif.

No, no, the paper clip is a requirement set by the McGuyver Organisation.

 

[Velvet Wafer]

 

[King Wookie]

Shades aren't good for a signal, you should get better signal through the wall. Well easiest test is to lift the shades up and see what happens But looks cool

Only if they are metal. Wooden should not be an issue. Or plastic.

BTW basic antenna theory. A few metal rods the right length and spaced correctly will also do the job. Called a Yagi.

 

[roast]

What do you do when your signal sucks? Buy a 16dbi antenna and build a giant parabolic reflector.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0976-01.jpg
http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0980-01.jpg

What do you do when your adapter overheats? Strip it, slap on some heatsinks, and wire a couple fans to a 5v wall-wart.

http://img.techpowerup.org/100512/IMG_0981-01.jpg

All the crazy rope is so I could mount it and have full control over position and orientation. However, I didn't want to punch holes in the reflector and I didn't want to use pulleys either, so I messed around until I had a harness and then messed around some more until I had the rope going through a couple hooks where I can just pull on it to adjust orientation and them clamp it in place.

And the results? Based on measurements from the Ralink utility, I used to get about -88dBm strength and 40-50% link quality. Now I average -74 to -70 dBm strength and 70-80% link quality. Signal noise went up too, but only a few dBm.

That. Is. Epic.

Props to you sir!

 

[theJesus]

Only if they are metal. Wooden should not be an issue. Or plastic.

BTW basic antenna theory. A few metal rods the right length and spaced correctly will also do the job. Called a Yagi.

I'm well aware of all the popular antenna designs, but I have no interest in actually making an antenna. The parabolic reflector was much easier and requires no skill other than being able to measure and cut stuff. Since mine was made much larger than the original template that's floating around the internet, I decided to fabricate a nice support structure out of spare matte board, instead of the typical method of just folding a piece of cardboard. This is also why I hot glued all the tabs instead of folding them.

 

[Trigger911]

I'm well aware of all the popular antenna designs, but I have no interest in actually making an antenna. The parabolic reflector was much easier and requires no skill other than being able to measure and cut stuff. Since mine was made much larger than the original template that's floating around the internet, I decided to fabricate a nice support structure out of spare matte board, instead of the typical method of just folding a piece of cardboard. This is also why I hot glued all the tabs instead of folding them.

Lol it might survive a huricane lmao ... as long that there isnt any water lol

 

[theJesus]

Lol it might survive a huricane lmao ... as long that there isnt any water lol

haha, I would have really had some fun if I was making one for outdoor use

 

[spud107]

might as well post what i did to a laptop cooler . . .

 

[theJesus]

dude, that's an awesome idea, I might steal it

 

[spud107]

dude, that's an awesome idea, I might steal it

lol go for it, also good thing with doing this is i got a chance to sorta tidy the cables . . .

 

[theJesus]

I wonder, if I saw off the heatpipe from my southbridge to northbridge and put a separate sink on the southbridge, would that cause any problems with the northbridge?

 

[spud107]

not sure, but i guess it would work, as all the heat from the southbridge just goes to the nb, would probably keep both cooler.

kinda related, i was testing the heatsink i put on with a blowtorch first to see if the pipe was still working after bending, heat transfer from the base to the fins was a good deal better having the right way up compared to having upside down, as i would have had it under the gpu if gravity didnt effect it.

 

[theJesus]

Really my main concern was about having one end of the heatpipe left "open" after cutting it and if that would be a problem.

Good idea with blowtorch btw.

 

[spud107]

if the heatpipe ends at the northbridge then probably not,if it passes through to another set of fins/heatsink, i would try to clamp/cut/solder the end, then it would still (hopefully) be functional.