DIY Wi-Fi Antennas
Rob Flickenger
1/4 wavelength ground plane
- Very easy to make
- Tiny!
- Approximately 2 to 4 dBi gain
- Useful for testing or indoor use
Collinear omni construction
- Simple to build
- Weatherproof with PVC pipe
- Approximately 7 to 9 dBi gain
Biquad
Biquad used as dish feed
- More complex design
- Can be tricky to build correctly, depending on available materials
- Versatile, with impressive gain in a small space
- About 11 dBi gain alone
- 27 to 31 dBi gain when used with a dish!
http://trevormarshall.com/biquad.htm
Pringles Can: In use
Pringles Can: Detail
Pringles Can: Dissected
Pringles Can: Small version
Pringles Can: One wavelength
Problems with the Pringles Can
There are a number of practical problems with the Pringles can design.
- Cardboard can is not waterproof
- Antenna is very fragile
- Design is complex and prone to error
- Can dimensions are inappropriate for 2.4 GHz
Ideal can for 2.4 GHz
Stew can
Cookie can
Use what you can find
Can as dish feed
- Possibly the simplest antenna design, assuming you can find an appropriate can
- Construction is very easy
- 10 to 14 dBi gain is typical, with approximately 60 degree beam width
- 30+ dBi gain is achievable when used as a feed for a parabolic dish
Credits
Portions of this talk were adapted from Wireless Networking in the
Developing World, http://wndw.net/