WokFi (a

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

derived from blending the words

Wok A wok () is a deep round-bottomed cooking pan of Chinese origin. It is believed to be derived from the South Asian karahi. It is common in Greater China, and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as being ...

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...

) is a slang term for a style of homemade Wi-Fi antenna consisting of a crude

parabolic antenna A parabolic antenna is an antenna that uses a parabolic reflector, a curved surface with the cross-sectional shape of a parabola, to direct the radio waves. The most common form is shaped like a dish and is popularly called a dish antenna or p ...

made with a low-cost Asian kitchen

wok A wok () is a deep round-bottomed cooking pan of Chinese origin. It is believed to be derived from the South Asian karahi. It is common in Greater China, and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as being ...

, spider skimmer or similar household metallic dish. The dish forms a

directional antenna A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna that radiates or receives greater radio wave power in specific directions. Directional antennas can radiate radio waves in beams, when greater concentration of radiation in a certain directio ...

which is pointed at the

wireless access point In Computer networking device, computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP) (also just access point (AP)) is a networking hardware device that allows other Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network or wireless network. As a standalone ...

antenna, allowing reception of the wireless signal at greater distances than standard

omnidirectional Omnidirectional refers to the notion of existing in every direction. Omnidirectional devices include: * Omnidirectional antenna, an antenna that radiates equally in all directions * VHF omnidirectional range, a type of radio navigation system for ...

Wi-Fi antennas.

Description

WokFi antennas are fabricated out of commonly available concave metal kitchen dishes or dish covers (which need not be perfectly parabolic); Asian

s are favored because they have shapes closest to parabolic. A commercial Wi-Fi antenna, usually a

USB Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard, developed by USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), for digital data transmission and power delivery between many types of electronics. It specifies the architecture, in particular the physical ...

Wi-Fi

dongle A dongle is a small piece of computer hardware that connects to a port on another device to provide it with additional functionality, or enable a pass-through to such a device that adds functionality. In computing, the term was initially synony ...

, is suspended in front of the dish, attached by cable to the computer. The WokFi antenna is considered simpler and cheaper than other home-built antenna projects (such as the popular

cantenna A cantenna (a portmanteau blending the words ''can'' and ''antenna'') is a homemade directional waveguide antenna (radio), antenna, made out of an open-ended metal can. Cantennas are typically used to increase the range (or discovery) of Wi-Fi ...

), but is a very effective method to boost the Wi-Fi connection quality, audit

access point In computer networking, a wireless access point (WAP) (also just access point (AP)) is a networking hardware device that allows other Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network or wireless network. As a standalone device, the AP may have a wi ...

coverage, and even quickly establish

WLAN A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using wireless communication to form a local area network (LAN) within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office buildin ...

viability – perhaps if a more professional setup is eventually intended.

Advantages

A significant advantage is that with a USB modem the RF signal is converted to a conventional digital signal at the antenna. Therefore, by using standard USB extension cables, the antenna can be located at a distance from the computer of five meters or more, with no concerns over microwave

signal A signal is both the process and the result of transmission of data over some media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processing, information theory and biology. In ...

losses that would occur in an RF

coaxial cable Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ), is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner Electrical conductor, conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting Electromagnetic shielding, shield, with the two separated by a dielectric (Insulat ...

feedline of that length used to attach a conventional antenna to the RF input of a computer modem. Chaining active USB repeaters, it is possible to locate the antenna at much greater distances from the computer, which is especially useful when line-of-sight (LOS) obstacles (such as vegetation and walls) require the antenna to be located on a roof, for example. If using mesh reflectors, usually with a grid under 5 mm, the antenna will be lighter and present a smaller wind-load than larger dishes.

Performance

WokFi gains are typically 10+ dB, with range boosts, thus can be 16-32 times over the antenna of a bare USB adapter. Ranges (LoS) are typically , although an aligned pair of similar point-to-point transceiver setups may approach over a clear path. In addition, certain improved WokFi antennas, and antennas made using diameter round or oval satellite TV dishes, allow even far greater range, up to . Interference from nearby 2.4 GHz signals (perhaps from cordless phones, AV links, leaky microwave ovens, other APs or Bluetooth) can be nulled out—a useful feature in this increasingly crowded part of the RF spectrum. The performance of abundant, low-powered Wi-Fi "dongles", typically selling for approximately US$15–20, but of only 30–40 mW transmitter power and modest receiver sensitivity, can easily be boosted with little more than cheap cookware or pot lids. The "sweet spot" on such ad hoc reflectors can readily be found by taping a small (~2.5 cm, or 1 in) mirror on the surface of the dish, to see where the sun's rays focus.

References

External links

USB adaptors & DIY antenna = "Poor Man's WiFi" ?
— Kiwi Stan Swan's site, where the whole WokFi thing sparked {{DEFAULTSORT:Wokfi Radio frequency antenna types Antennas (radio) Wi-Fi

Description

Advantages

Performance

See also

References

External links