Building the WiFi parabolic antenna
from 'Wiffy Extreme'

Although the video is very self explanatory,
here are the detailed instructions and the references used to make this
parabolic WiFi antenna with waveguide feed.

Materials Building Instructions Usage Instructions Media Gallery Credits and References
 

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Materials

 

The waveguide can

This can was an old coffee can. Not the optimal choice due to the ribs in the can.

 

The can dimensions are:

98mm or 4 inches - Diameter

140mm or 5.5 inches - Length

40mm or 1 3/4 inches - Antenna mount distance from rear of can

31mm or 1 1/5 inches - Antenna height inside the can

 

*Note: These dimensions are not perfect for this frequency!!!

 

The parabolic dish

The dish is an old T. V. television satellite dish from the Bell ExpressVu service, plus a LNB.

 

The dish dimensions are:

505 mm or 19 3/4 inches - Height

460 mm or 18 inches - Width

 

USB WiFi Adapter

The USB card in the video is the Netgear Rangemax WPN111,
purchased at Canada Computers for $20.

 

Building Instructions

 

Take your waveguide can and cut a hole carefully with a strong knife where you measured the mount distance from the rear of the can. For the height measurement, don't cut, but take a marker and mark the measured distance from the top of the base where you cut the hole.

The hole should be just big enough for the USB WiFi antenna to fit snuggly into. We used duct tape around the hole to lessen the damage to the USB card, and to make the hole more snug.

Take your time - you want your USB card to fit tightly in the hole so it doesn't move around.

 

Remove the plastic casing from the LNB (The dishes antenna feed) and cut the head off at the base with a metal blade hacksaw.

Replace the LNB back on the dish arm, and duct tape the base of the waveguide can onto the LNB where you cut the head off. Make sure that the hole for the USB card is facing up.

 

Usage Instructions

 

Place the USB WiFi card into the hole of the waveguide can, as far in so that the top of the USB card reaches the measured antenna height distance.

Connect the USB card to your computer.

There has been some debate on how to point the dish. This being an offset parabolic antenna (off center), the dish will usually look like it is pointed down as the signal bounces off the dish and reflects into the waveguide. Some people have said that this is wrong, and that the dish should be pointing up. While this may be true for earth orbiting satellites, this is not the case for this design's usage.

Reference the angle of offset parabolic dishes.

For best results use this outside from a high location, and raised off the ground.

 

Media Gallery

Videos

     

Pictures

   
   

 

 

Other antennas inspired by Wiffy Extreme


by Kambody

 

 

 

by DJStickItTooEm



 

 

by Dean Nicholle
Saint John NB
Canada

   

 

Yiftach Swery's WiFi King

 

 

Do you have any pictures of your Wiffy Extreme?

WE WANT TO POST THEM!

email: carson@w3bguru.com

 

 

 

References to Wiffy Extreme

Ask the Wi-Fi Guru

Technetz.com

PassMark WirelessMon

Remote Exploit Forums

Tom's Hardware

SecuObs.com

StumbleUpon

JCINK.COM

 

 

 

Credits

Dish provided by Paul / Derm / Pat Sweeney

Waveguide and dish construction by Jason Summers

Initial inspiration was from Dr. Mullins' waveguide antenna

 

References

Basic Design - http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/

Waveguide calculations - http://www.saunalahti.fi/elepal/antenna2.html

Offset dish angles - http://www.satsig.net/22-deg-offset-dish.htm

Collection of WiFi antenna construction pages - http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Antennas/WiFi/

 

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