There are many conspiracies associated with aluminum foil. Can aluminum foil really boost the speed of your internet? Or its just a myth? Sounds doubtful! For at least a decade, the internet was filled with these claims. But in 2017, some researchers decided to solve this mystery. Finally, they proved that it really does boost the internet speed and found how it works.
Wi-Fi and Aluminum
If you search for “aluminum Wi-Fi” on the internet, you will come across many images of complicated devices. Many people have claimed that you can increase your Wi-Fi speed and signal strength by setting up a metallic device. For instance, consider some kind of satellite dish made from aluminum foil. Placing a soda can behind your router can also work sometimes. Some people experienced a huge boost in their signals, while some noticed nothing.
The idea of using aluminum for boosting the internet speed is theoretically correct. A Wi-Fi signal is just a type of radio wave. The same radio wave we have in our FM radios or microwaves. But, the only difference is, these radio waves encodes 1s and 0s. Finally, your computer reads these encoded 1s and 0s as the internet content.
Your Wi-Fi router’s signals broadcast in all directions. But, there are some limitations. These signals cannot go above 46 meters (150 feet). Also, these signals can be easily blocked or absorbed by any metal or concrete. But, you can use these limitations to your advantage. You can reflect signals from your Wi-Fi router in any particular direction by putting aluminum cans or foil. This way, you can easily boost up your Wi-Fi speed.
A PERFECT DIY
Dartmouth University’s research team decided to try the aluminum trick and find a perfect DIY design. For this, they created an algorithm and provided data to it about the design and target for signals. With the help of this, the created a DIY 3D-printed reflector. It is made only of a thin layer of metal and plastic. As per the press release, they covered plastic with aluminum foil. This is how they successfully boosted their Wi-Fi. This simple DIY costed them only about $35. But, if you consider any specialized Wi-Fi antennae, it can cost you thousands of dollars.
Before you can create your own custom reflector, wait for the team to publicly release their software. Currently, if your Wi-Fi is really slow, you can try any homemade solutions from the internet.