Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

**Note, for those having problems viewing pics, I will upload the pics to INSTRUCTABLES when I make a project for it and update the material used for the Antenna.

Ok, I have done projects like this in the past with PDAs and USB WiFi Adapters.

I find that my connection to my nearest router only gives me on average 15-25% connection.

So, I took my N810 apart and over doubled my signal, it's now at about 35-50%

First, remove the battery panel and pry off the top panel.

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/75/75/...4FPdyjl_th.jpg

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/74/174...4GBsMTW_th.jpg

That little gold metal part is your antenna "connector" that contacts the mainboard WiFi PAD to the antenna strip hidden in the back.

Then pry apart the black plastic part that holds the speakers and your pathetic WiFi antenna.

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/62/762...4ewiBTh_th.jpg

Look at the green plastic coated metal strip, there is your "antenna".

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/96/96/...4RlhMol_th.jpg

Take a scribe or a sharp object and scrape away the plastic coating on each end.

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/96/96/...4XIaIte_th.jpg

Then I soldered a small strip of copper solder wick to each bare end and super glued the ends down in the corners.

http://thumb14.webshots.net/t/75/75/...4dPvwep_th.jpg

Put it back together and enjoy the increased signal strength.

Future update "might" be to add an EXTERNAL connector or PIGTAIL for a removable antenna.

**UPDATE**
I have successfully modded the N810 and now my signal has jumped from an average of 60% to no less than 100% from where I usually access the router from, and I can attach an external antenna or "cantenna" for longer range.

At the moment, I am playing around with either adding a 90 degree connector OR a pigtail out the left side (I have to get a working pigtail).

I took apart the N810 just like before and removed the material I used to enhanced the antenna.
Then I drilled 5 holes to accommodate the adapter.

The middle pin on the adapter comes into contact with the "floating" pin that contacts the motherboard in the N810.

Even without the adapter pushed in or an antenna attached, my signal has increased significantly. Not sure why yet.

I went from having a quality of about 65% and a signal of -63 to -77dBm to a quality of 85-100% and a signal of -38 to -44dBm

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4461/1001217c.th.jpg

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/9295/1001218j.th.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3069/1001219b.th.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/6508/1001220g.th.jpg
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/3970/1001222z.th.jpg

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

Can you post these images somewhere I can actually view them properly? If you send them to me directly (email, perhaps), I'll gladly host them out of my pleco.org server (no bandwidth limit for me! yay!). WebShots is just a terrible place to put them if I don't have flash or if I disabled flash with NoScript.

Thanks!

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

Looking to the third picture I see more space on the right side of "that thing"... maybe it is possible to get a 5/8 wave (or even a 3/4 wave) antenna inside the device...

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

What happens when you try to view them? I can see them fine.

Tim

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

"Looking to the third picture I see more space on the right side of "that thing"... maybe it is possible to get a 5/8 wave (or even a 3/4 wave) antenna inside the device..."

Saw that, but decided not to shave plastic off the middle divider, YET....
Maybe a future mod, or if you do it, let us know how well it works.

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

I have an N800, so I guess there are some differences...
I wish I had access to some CNC machining tools... I would rebuild the N800 case to fit one thing or two (a bigger battery and an antenna connector are on top of the list and dreaming costs nothing) :D

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

I extended the "antenna" across to the other side and the strength dropped considerably

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

I'd be interested in extending the antenna outside of the case and using it with a parabolic antenna (like that kitchen strainer hack dealie). It's sometimes hard to catch even the public wifi here in downtown--definitely harder inside even against the windows.

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

That's because the receiving circuitry is tuned for a 1/4 wave, so you would probably need to add an inductor to compensate the new antenna parasitic capacity... and it could be hard to get the right value :(

And even the medium you're using is not exactly perfect for an antenna... try a solid copper wire instead of that ;)

Re: Increase WiFi Strength!!
 

You see this:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f8...FlashBlock.jpg

I'm sure that like me, danramos does not want to have to enable the Flash for that page just to see the images. I don't activate scripts I either am not sure about or find annoying.