If you had the chance to build a contraption that would provide you with green internet access almost anywhere, wouldn’t you take it? This DIY WiFi Repeater needs absolutely no electricity to function, yet extends your reach into the cloud by a significant amount. Solar panels power a Linksys WRT54G v8 router with 7.5 volts at 500 milliamps in direct sunlight. On cloudy days, 5 AA batteries of reserved solar power provide the bit of juice the device needs to function, saved for just the right sunless occasion.
All of the hardware goodies fit comfortably inside of a cigar box. The repeater even has its own custom firmware called DD-WRT. The firmware automatically scans and connects to the strongest signal and then repeats it. You can find a step-by-step demo on how to create your own solar-powered WiFi repeater from the source.
October 11, 2010 21:12pm
Not that it’s not an impressive project, but wouldn’t it be easier just to buy a bigger antennae or make something like the Pringles Cantenna?