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Nothing can be more irritating than a poor Wi-Fi connection disrupting your plans to stream your favorite series.
But social media users have been amazed after learning a simple hack that could make the ‘spinning wheel of death’ a thing of the past.
A popular share recommends: “Place some aluminum foil at the back of your Wi-Fi router and thank me afterward!!!”
On X, viewers have been astonished by the trick.
A enthusiastic commentator remarked: ‘Incredible how basic aluminum foil can enhance a Wi-Fi signal. Now I enjoy consistent internet access in my room without constant disruptions!.’
Someone else added: “Brother, it merely enhances the Wi-Fi signal in the opposite direction of the foil. This isn’t some tin-foil-hat conspiracy about being spied on.”
Although it may seem absurd, scientists claim that this inexpensive technique actually proves effective.
However, there’s one important catch – it could make the connection in other rooms worse.
Wi-Fi connections operate by transmitting signals in the form of electromagnetic energy from the router to your device.
Similar to how a parabolic satellite dish functions, aluminum foil can be utilized to reflect and concentrate these signals onto various regions.
The configuration illustrated in the post seems intended to capture signals that might otherwise escape backward and redirect them towards the interior of the house.
On X, a user commented: “Placing aluminum foil at the back of the router acts like a parabolic mirror, redirecting radio waves forward and intensifying the signal precisely where it’s needed most. Cheers to Science!”
Someone else noted: “This could boost the signal strength in the forward direction—similar to a basic homemade directional antenna.”
Although this might seem odd, research has shown that aluminium foil really can help to improve wireless connection strength.
In 2017,
Researchers from Dartmouth College and Columbia University utilized aluminum foil to create a ‘virtual wall.’
This can redirect Wi-Fi signals throughout your home.
Even something as simple as an aluminium can stretched around the router’s antenna
was capable of improving the signal.
In the meantime, it was discovered that a specially designed foil antenna could increase signal strength in certain parts of the house by as much as 55 percent.
The drawback is that reflectors can also substantially diminish the signal to other regions.
In their experiments, the scholars from Dartmouth College discovered that using a foil reflector diminished the signal strength by as much as 63 percent.
Moreover, the Dartmouth College experiment involved specialized reflectors that were created using an algorithm and 3D-printed exclusively for that particular environment.
The objective was to discover an affordable method for everyone to create a reflector, enabling them to adjust or control their signal according to requirements.
Adding a layer of foil behind the router does not ensure similar outcomes to these printed alternatives and might even degrade your signal quality.
On X, commenters complained that this hack wouldn’t work for them for this exact reason.
One wrote: ‘How about not do this as it shield your router and makes it run slower!’
A commenter noted, “Modern routers employ passive beamforming; wrapping foil around it is foolish and will significantly degrade your Wi-Fi performance.”
Another addition was: ‘Not that you are incorrect, but there is absolutely nothing “parabolic” regarding that configuration at all.’
In the meantime, some people grumbled that they had already attempted this so-called ‘hack,’ only to discover that their connection quality plummeted considerably.
A person who posted on social media said: “Since applying this tip, my Wi-Fi has ceased functioning, and now I’m contemplating ways to express my gratitude.”
It’s equally important to consider that setting this up on your router might lead to legal violations in certain nations.
Speaking to
Popular Science
Swarun Kumar from Carnegie Mellon University stated, “I wouldn’t recommend using aluminum foil or any kind of reflector due to regulatory concerns.”
In the United States, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulates the output power. Consequently, they set limits on the highest possible power level at which your wireless router can transmit signals in specific directions.
This implies directing your router’s signals excessively can create a potent enough signal that might technically violate regulations.
But on X, social media users’ main complaint was simply that this supposed signal boosting-trick looked silly, with some saying it was like
something from the home of a conspiracy theorist.
“No chance am I taking off my foil cap to cover a router,” quipped a commenter.
Additionally, someone suggested: ‘You might as well fold the aluminum foil into the form of a hat and wear it around with you.’
One observer quipped: “Why not bake it as well since we’re already cooking everything else.”
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