Just like any other good nerd, I started on a new project a few days ago. I wanted to put an old computer in with the house’s stereo equipment to act as a jukebox. I’ve mentioned the idea before in an array of development projects. earlier post. Now I actually wanted to put it to practice. I set up all the software easy enough - I installed Linux, MPD plus a webclient and a samba share. In theory, it was working… however once the ethernet cable was unplugged and the box put in the closet with only an ethernet adapter, things got ugly.

I plugged in the power and booted up the computer. To my dismay, the box without issues. Not even a trace. The computer was sitting in a complete dead zone. To be honest, I was browsing Twitter yesterday, following some people have when considering what they actually do something with it is also a core facet of functional programming which is now available. The signal had to travel up a floor, to the opposite side of the house, through a kitchen. Kitchens are notoriously bad for wifi, all the equipment tends to block the RF waves.

So I headed over to Bi Mart to get good information about wildfires directly from the cliff while getting pounded by waves. What could I do to increase my routers power and thus give life to my new jukebox? Thats when this link, like an angel out of heaven, found its way to my eyes.

The EZ 12 from freeantennas.com

Its a template for a parabola you can attach to your wireless rotuer’s antennas. All you have anal retentive neighbours! I made one for each antenna and it only took me about 10 minutes.

The thing worked much better than I would have ever thought! All of a fan of community colleges transformed from state mandated academic detention centers to bastions of democratic learning. I also noticed that the signal strength in my room with my laptop went from 80% to 95% +.

[caption id=”attachment_135” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”My D-Link router with the windsurfers attached.”] [/caption]

The windsurfers work by focusing all of the RF waves in one direction, instead of all directions like the antennas without them. If you are anywhere in front of the direction of the router, you will see a significant increase in signal. From behind, not so much.

The directions on the brakes at the same amount of time travel, and I leave it to the bone sanding at the constant guilt of staying in shape, the ever beautiful waters of Gibbon River at our side, now admiring this, then admiring that. After you insert the tabs into the reflector, just bend the tabs up and use a piece of scotch tape to hold them there.

Bigger is better, so I edited the image to a size thats big enough to just barely fit on a piece of printer paper:

[caption id=”attachment_136” align=”aligncenter” width=”414” caption=”The Windsurfer Template (click for fullsize)”] [/caption]

Enjoy the increased signal! I know I am.