To understand how WiFi signals travel and how a cheap DIY directional “cantenna” can boost the range of a signal!

WiFi is extremely popular today. Even my great-grandmother has it. It operates via waves of certain frequency through the air and can be manipulated to reach greater distances if it is focused in one direction. This is the basic function of a directional antenna! Having taken a few physics classes, I've had a fair amount of time to become familiar with waves and how they work. I worked with Pressly for a majority of this and although we never actually finished everything, I will still have the knowledge of how to tackle this again someday on my own.

1. Pringles Can/s (depending on whether or not you want to have two cantennas communicating over a greater distance)
2. N Female Jack Panel Mount Chassis PCB Connector Adapter/s
3. RP-TNC to N Male WiFi Pigtail Cable/s (assuming your WiFi connection uses an RP-TNC connector)
4. 12-gauge Copper Wire (only need a few inches of it)
5. Soldering Iron
6. Tripod (optional)
7. Something to connect the cantenna to for testing!

I referred to https://web.archive.org/web/20040611155021/http://www.saunalahti.fi/elepal/antenna2.html for help with the design. Pressly helped to makes some adjustments since the 72mm diameter of the Pringles can was too small to fit into the range of preferred can sizes. I cut a hole into the measured spot on the can that was the appropriate distance from the rear. The back of the can acts as a reflector due to it's metallic properties. This helps all of the signal travel one way out of the can.

A lot of research has shown that a Pringles can is too narrow for this frequency. I will make a new cantenna someday soon with a larger can!