Nowadays it is common for us to use smart devices with internet access in almost all places of our office and home. In fact, all these devices are usually connected to a WiFi network. However, and if what we are looking for is to experiment, we can do it with our own WiFi repeater , in a completely homemade way, and very profitable at the same time.
The WiFi repeater, the best to expand the network at home
Many times we have network problems at home due to the limitations of the router we use or because there are many elements that block its correct operation. Thus, for WiFi to reach every corner of your home, you need a WiFi repeater. But did you know that you can build your own?
Lets start by the beginning. A repeater, or also known as a signal amplifier, is a simple device whose main functionality is to expand or improve the coverage of the wireless internet network in your home.
And it is yes; not all of us have the spaces available to carry out wiring throughout your home (house, apartment or mini-apartment). This was initially why this device was designed, being the most viable option both for comfort and practicality at the time of installation.
So you can build your own
As such, what it does is pick up the signal from your router and then broadcast it in an amplified way, which is why these devices are also known as WiFi amplifiers. In any case, manual work and home experiments leave a lot of room for the imagination , so it is also possible that we do ours in a totally effective way, but without spending too much.
The objective of this method is the creation of a signal repeater that will allow us to concentrate the Wi-Fi signal in a directional way so that we can orient it in the direction of the equipment where you want to improve data transfer. Did you know that there are methods to get it like from a can of beer ?
The beer can trick
Yes, as you read it. As far as possible and within your reach, we have the alternative of creating a WiFi repeater simply with our beer cans. Obviously, it’s never going to get you the range that a common device has, but it’s a great (and cheap) option if you want to experiment with it. Just have an empty can, a box cutter, scissors and electrical tape.
And it is that with a can of beer or with any aluminum element you can improve the stability of the antennas of the router. If these fail and it is not possible to change them for better quality ones, a homemade trick is to cut the bottom part of the can and open the body in the shape of a rectangle .
Once only the upper part (the mouthpiece) and the body are completely open, the antenna must be inserted through the mouthpiece so that the rest of the aluminum acts as a signal repeater. With this we will have the Wifi repeater antenna completely built, only the installation on the router would be missing.
with aluminum foil
Aluminum is a non-ferrous, light, raised white metal that is very soft and brittle. It is a magnificent conductor of electricity and heat, which also makes it a great way to increase the signal of our router . So much so that it turns out to be more efficient than you think. It has even led some scientists to develop projects that prove that it does work.
The solution is usually for us to surround the device’s antennas with a sheet of aluminum foil, which improves your Wi-Fi signal. It’s that simple and with minimal expenses. With this simple trick your connectivity should increase immediately.
use an old router
Another option is to do it through an old router . So, in case we keep this device from some other operator that we have had some time ago, it will be a great gadget to help us expand our network at home. With it, what we will do is improve the WiFi at home and be able to carry out any task without fear of not having enough connection.
The first step is to access our connection to expand it, so it is necessary to connect it to our home network. The ideal situation would be for your home to be wired with Ethernet outlets in other rooms. In this way, we could connect the main router to one of the sockets, in order to send the signal to all parts of our house, always having good coverage.
There is also another much cheaper method, but on an aesthetic level it is a bit unpleasant to look at. This is to buy a long Ethernet cable, connect it to the main router and lead it to the other end of the house, where we will place the router to act as a repeater. The only drawback is that we will see some cables on the floor of our house. Once we have connected the router to our main network, it is time to configure it. We must connect a computer to the device and in the browser, look for the following code: 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 . Some of these will end up directing you to the configuration, where we will write the router administrator password. With this we will have our WiFi repeater in a homemade way.
Use an old mobile
Finally, an old mobile can be what also gives us the solution to expand that network at home. This task or technique is known as hotspot , for which you must have an Android phone. This can be done through the configuration through the Settings menu , where we must look for the options Tethering, Wi-Fi Zone or Wi-Fi Bridge, which are in the ‘Connections’ tab.
Regardless of the option that the mobile has, it must be activated. This is when the network name (SSID) must be entered as the password. All this data is located in the router . At the same time, if the mobile you want to use as a hotspot does not offer an option for this, you can use an application such as NetShare . We will only have to scan the QR code or manually enter the key that this code offers, and with this we will be able to have a WiFi repeater without spending money on more advanced solutions.