Boost Your Wireless network with DD-WRT

I know alot of people are frustrated with their wireless networks and stumped as to what they can do about it. I'm going to give you some tools that I used to increase my wireless network to over 100 yards of coverage. And that is through walls trees and a workshop with lots of metal and equipment.  I'm using the Linksys by Cisco WRT120N as my base router. (It was not my purchasing decision) It is labeled an a N router but it is not. That's for another time.

This router has an internal antenna and not compatible  with DD-WRT. First thing I did was install a parabolic antenna on my router.  See the Video by TechAnvil.com

That increased my range from 25 feet to 50 feet. Better I know but not quite there yet.

Next I bought a second router Linksys WRT54GL a real work horse of a router.

Installed DD-WRT by following the instructions on the Wiki tutorial.
When you follow the directions make sure you do a 30/30/30 reset before and AFTER you install the firmware. Better but still not enough range for my needs. So I decided to use the WRT54GL as a repeater.  But I still needed a bigger antenna, or Cantenna! Just what I will do build a cantenna

802.11b Homebrew Antenna Shootout - 2/14/2

Hunt's Pasta Sauce Waveguide Cantenna

This wave guide antenna has the following specs: Can: Hunts Pasta/spaghetti Sauce 26.5oz. Can diameter: 3.25" Can length: 5.62" Driven element (copper wire that sticks out of N-connector) length: 1.21" Driven element installed 2.49" from back of can.  So now with these elements combined my network extends over 100 yards and is very strong on both ends