Long Distance WiFi for your RV, home-brew style!

This summer I have been hitting up some campgrounds with the new camper, and most of them have WiFi access. Usually, we are behind trees, a hill, or other RV's of most AP antennas. At an earlier visit to a favorite campground, I could connect at a blistering 6~11 mbps with a weak signal (2~3 bars at best) wanted to see what was out there that could help me out, and found that there are many products geared for RV's and extending WiFi's but nothing in the budget I wanted to spend.

I did a search and found a couple of programs: NetStumbler and Easy WiFi Radarand loaded them into the laptop.

I also found this website:
Dusty Dragon Free Wifi Anywhere

I watched many of the youtube videos about extending your WiFi range and such, making antennas, cantennas, wifi dishes etc and it looked easy enough. so I went to work with what I could get my hands on cheap.

Making your own seems to be the gig, pretty cool perspective I think.

I had the USB wifi dongle that I had been using so there was no expense there. The task was to find a dish that had a focal point in the right place, was small enough to use in a camper (no big thing that eats up space) and had to weather the elements of camping.

So, after an hour of searching around the house, 30 minutes with some bench time and tools, and 15 minutes with the laptop this is what I came up with:

Shown here with my Homemade HD antenna, perched up above my camper you can see my own Mini WiFi dish. Its gain is amazing! From my place, I could only see my own network but with this mini dish I can find 28 access points just looking one direction, and looking another, I can connect at full speed, full strength to the public library's public access point about 6 blocks away, since it's within direct visual range with no obstructions to worry about.

Back at the campground 2 weeks later, I connected easily and found another 16 AP's that I could connect to! The gain was no less than -15db. but what was more amazing was how many AP's I could find and jump right into. I was able to aim the dish across San Diego Mission Bay, and connect to the AP at the Hyatt Regency about 3 miles away.

Amazing. I never knew it was so easy! Ya gotta love learning stuff on the internet.

SO, the question now is, has anyone else here done any local wifi sniffing? did you get the results you hoped for?

The Home made HDTV antenna you see there actually works BETTER than the set on my roof that I paid $350 for 2 years ago.

If you need any help with these amazing little DIY projects let me know.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pat Daly on August 22, 2008 at 7:24pm: Jim, What a great project and job you did! Just what I've been lookin for. What did you make it out of and how do you mount it, i.e. do you have to geet up on your rvs roof and attach/detach every time? Thanks buddy and welcome! pat

ps. Finally looks like the transmission in my ford f-450 will last... for awhile. AND, if i stay out of the 10,000 foot passes i like in Colorado... maybe time for that diesel dually.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim on August 22, 2008 at 8:06pm: Thanks for the kudos.

Here it is a little closer:

Parts List:

USB Wifi 'dongle' $40
Bicycle rear view mirror $5.99
Stove Pan $5.00
PVC Pipe $1.00
8 Zip ties $0.01

I've got more of the stuff here, and will be happy to make a few for $55 shipped US domestic!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pat Daly on August 22, 2008 at 9:43pm: Way kewl! And, REALLY INVENTIVE!!.

Readers, try one of these kewl custom wifi grabbers from Jim and then give us a report!! pat ...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pat Daly on August 22, 2008 at 9:57pm: Ok, I can't stand it. I gotta have one Jim. Where can i send my check?

Also, how would I mount it? I just sold my 96 southwind and would mount on a class c. Mabye attach to the rear ladderand make the mount telescoping somehow to take down for travel? Needs a hard wire extension I guess?? from the magic dish to the computer??
thanks! pat; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim on August 22, 2008 at 10:00pm: Its a self contained USB wifi. Just plug into USB and aim it in the direction you want to surf and watch what happens!

I have it mounted to PVC that I have a pole mount for. You could simply hang it over another antenna, or mount it to a tripod, or even duct tape (not best ;) )

Its 100% plug and play, Mac and PC compatable.

You can contact me direct at nitroblast@hotmail.com and give me your contact info and I'll give you a call. I'll build yours and ship it in 1 day.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim on August 22, 2008 at 10:18pm: This is an incidental look at how I have mounted mine. I just found that you can see it in the pic!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mr.&Mrs.vonRabenau on March 16, 2010 at 7:01pm: Cool B-Bque too! where did you get that?
Looks like a power antenna on the right. what's that?
TV?
Why two antenna if yours works good?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pat Daly on August 23, 2008 at 11:37am: I just ordered one of Jim's magic "pull em out of the sky" wifi sci fi dishes. Way kewl. can't wait to get it and test it out!! pat; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jim on August 23, 2008 at 3:40pm: Can I use that trade name?

'WiFi Sci-Fi Dish' had me smiling!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pat Daly on August 23, 2008 at 10:44pm: It's your buddy! :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mr.&Mrs.vonRabenau on March 14, 2010 at 8:58pm

I would like to have you build me one.
What can I do to help get going?
Knowlege is King..!
paris@pstel.net
Where do I send a check?
478 847 4653
P vonRabenau
15 North Winston Street
Reynolds, Georgia 31076

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