The Internet and social networks have become essential in the daily lives of millions of people. Beyond their entertainment capacity, they have also become essential tools for different jobs. Therefore, a weak WiFi signal can be a serious problem, especially for those employees who telework from home.
Luckily, researchers at Dartmouth University discovered in 2017 a simple trick that promises to amplify the router’s power by up to 20%. To do this, you only need a fairly common material in homes: aluminum foil. Well, it is capable of acting as an antenna, directing electromagnetic waves between 2.4 and 5 GHz to the desired points.
How to use aluminum foil to amplify WiFi network?
This trick is simple and will allow improve the signal emitted by the router. You only need to do the following steps:
- Turn off the modem for safety reasons.
- Cut two rectangles of aluminum foil, a little longer than the router and taller than the antennas. A measurement of 20×30 is recommended, depending on the size of the modem.
- Fold three corners of the aluminum pieces or shape them into a plate.
- Place it behind the antennas, on the back of the router, pointing to the area where you want to direct the signal.
- Turn the device back on and check its speed and power (dBm) with an application such as WiFi Analyzer.
Once done, heThe signal will have been amplified between 10 and 20% in the established directionso this method is very useful for linear houses or even duplexes. In addition, It also improves network security and hides it from possible intruders.
How and why does the aluminum foil trick work?
One of the characteristics of routers is that they emit the WiFi signal omnidirectionally, that is, in all directions. This allows you to reach a wide range of areasalthough it also reduces the power with which the signal reaches the different rooms. Therefore, creating a shield with aluminum, which is a conductive material, allows convert it into a directional systempointing to the desired direction.
Because of this, it is important to place this homemade satellite dish only in one of the areas of the device and not in its entiretyas it will maintain the heat, reduce its performance and accelerate any failures it may have. Also, it is important to know that this trick will make the back signal weaker, so will not be able to cross different obstacles.
For their part, engineers at Dartmouth University did more sophisticated work, creating 3D models capable of directing the signal as you wish. These models were made using figures printed in plastic and covered in aluminum foil, obtaining results capable of amplifying waves up to 50%. With a simple piece of aluminum, you can only amplify it by 10 to 20%.