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View Full Version : Tritium Flatenna: A Pop-Up WiFi Antenna


Pat Logsdon
07-13-2004, 12:00 AM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/tritium-flatenna-cardboard-and-foil-antenna-017493.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/tri...enna-017493.php</a><br /><br /></div>Here's the deal. You've got a WiFi AP or router, and your coverage is not up to par - you've got dead spots, you're broadcasting into the street, etc. You could get another AP, you could <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27978&highlight=antenna">make your own parabolic antenna,</a> OR you could send $20 to <a href="http://www.tritium.co.uk/Flatennaroot.htm">Tritium in the UK.</a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/logsdon_20040712_flatenna.jpg" /><br /><br />For that $20, you'll get a foil-backed cardboard sheet with cut-outs. Pop 'em out, assemble, attach it to your antenna, and you're good to go. If this was perhaps half the price, I'd order one right away, because it looks better than anything I could probably put together in my workshop (ie: dining room table). As it is, I'll most likely try to cobble something together myself until I lose a finger, and THEN order. :mrgreen: What do you think? Good idea? Worth the cash? Is yours already in the mail?

dean_shan
07-13-2004, 12:24 AM
You could get another AP, you could make your own parabolic antenna, (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27978&highlight=antenna)

Woah diggin' up my old post. I thought this looked familiar.

Brad Adrian
07-13-2004, 01:07 AM
I'd be tempted to plunk down $20 for this. I had seen the plans to make one, but recognized that there's probably no way I'd get the thing made to the correct angle/arc. But, I don't really have any dead zones, and my WiFi pretty much reaches as far as I need (out to the hammock in the back yard).

rugerx
07-13-2004, 01:21 AM
Wow, I have been looking for a way to par down my wireless. :?
No deadspots here, much less I can walk a block down the street and still connect.

deich
07-13-2004, 01:24 AM
I guess I got lucky with my WiFi. With 2 acres, a neighbor would have to work pretty hard to pick up my signal. On the other hand, I can sit in front of the fireplace, or in the music room in the basement, or by the pool. I can even go out to the shade under the oak trees. The signal starts falling off there, but I can't go any further anyway because that's as far as my extension cords go.

I can work at home once in a while. My favorite spot is under the oak tree, but it can be a little unerving in the Fall, hearing those acorns hit the ground. :lol:

dean_shan
07-13-2004, 01:44 AM
My WiFi reaches pretty far into my yard. Problem is it's too sunny to see the screen in the summer, and too cold in the winter (for the LCD, I don't want to wear my bulbs out). I only have a small opportunity in the fall to use WiFi outdoors.

qgman
07-13-2004, 02:33 AM
Wow! What AP's are you guys using to get that kind of range? I can only about 30 feet away from mine before the signal drops.

Skipmpda
07-13-2004, 03:04 AM
I normally dont post things on boards. Have any of your gentermen ever heard of Mr. Rob Vincent. He has invented an attenna that boast reception by his new and patent antenna. might be worth while reading. www.uri.edu/news/releases/index.php?id=2659&print

Rob Alexander
07-13-2004, 03:52 AM
I normally dont post things on boards. Have any of your gentermen ever heard of Mr. Rob Vincent. He has invented an attenna that boast reception by his new and patent antenna. might be worth while reading. www.uri.edu/news/releases/index.php?id=2659&print

I never had, but I'm glad you posted the link; that's a cool story. I guess in a few years we may all be using derivatives of his design.

Janak Parekh
07-13-2004, 04:11 AM
Wow! What AP's are you guys using to get that kind of range? I can only about 30 feet away from mine before the signal drops.
Which one are you using? It might be a function of the number of other APs, building construction, etc.

--janak

popabawa
07-13-2004, 12:33 PM
Looks like I'm the patsy / sucker then ;)

Ordered one - I'll let you know how I get on with it.

I do have a problem with range due to living in a Victorian house with VERY sturdy 3-brick deep walls.

I'm not too clear if this will help but a tenner seems a reasoable gamble to get some signal in the back garden :)

The Yaz
07-13-2004, 02:22 PM
Instead of a cardboard and foil antenna, those who need to improve the AP range should look into this company. http://www.hawkingtech.com/

They have a wide range of omnidirectional or directional antennas for indoors or outdoors.

I purchased an indoor directional because the signal couldn't make it through the my kitchen into the living room (microwave, refrigerator, etc.). For $20usd I now have three bars of signal strength.

The best part is that when I want to use the laptop in the back yard, I just turn the antenna in that direction. Pretty cool.

Steve 8)

ariza1
07-14-2004, 11:24 PM
On TechTV's the ScreenSavers they showed you how to make one of these for less than 5 cents. They claimed it worked??

ctmagnus
07-14-2004, 11:40 PM
I made one for less - I used someone else's material's :mrgreen:

dean_shan
07-15-2004, 01:15 AM
On TechTV's the ScreenSavers they showed you how to make one of these for less than 5 cents. They claimed it worked??

That would be this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27978).

popabawa
07-15-2004, 03:08 PM
Being incredibly lazy, paying a tenner against making it myself - there's no contest :wink:

Anyhoo, got my Flat-tenna yesterday (very quick delivery) - dead easy to put together, slipped it over one of the antenna on my D-Link router and pointed it at my TiVo (which has a PCMCIA WiFi card in it).

Previous transfer rate pre-flat-tenna was 0.17 mb/sec, with the flat-tenna a much impoved 0.26 mb/sec. WhooHoo - it works :)

I repeated the experiment taking it off and putting it back on with the same results. Scientific proof if I ever came across it :wink:

Iain.