Super easy: So you can build a homemade WiFi repeater

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 extend or improve the coverage of the wireless network internet 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 contraption was designed, being the most viable option both for convenience and practicality at the time of installation.

As such, what it does is collect the signal from your router and then broadcast it in an amplified way, which is why these devices are also known as WiFi amplifiers. However, manual labor and home experiments leave much free way to imagination so it is also possible for us to do ours in a totally effective way, but without spending too much.

The objective of this method is to create 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 achieve it, such as from a beer can?

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 the stability of the router antennas can be improved. If these fail and it is not possible to change them for better quality ones, a homemade trick is to cut the bottom of the can and open the body in the form of a rectangle.

Once only the upper part (the mouthpiece) and the body are completely open, you must insert the antenna by 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.

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 that Let’s surround the antennas of the device 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.

Another option is to do it through a router ancient. Therefore, 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 him what we will do is improve wifi at home and being able to perform 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 have a wired with ethernet jacks in other rooms. In this way, we could connect to one of the sockets the router main, to be able 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’s 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.

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 hot spot, for which you must have an Android phone. This can be done by configuring through the Settings menuwhere 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. It will be when the network name (SSID) like the password. All of this data is in the router. At the same time, if the mobile that you want to use as hot spot doesn’t offer an option for this you can use an app like the one from 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.