Throughout your whole life, you’ve been raised in the art of recycling. And while it’s true that it’s better to reuse materials than to create new ones, there are more ways to recycle than chucking your cans and bottles in a bin. They can actually be used to improve the strength and distance of a wireless network.Pringles “cantennas” were one of the earliest such experiments, and while larger cans can actually work better, they are still a popular project for people just getting interested in Wi-Fi experimenting. All you need are a can, a good N-type connector, some copper wire, a coaxial cable “pigtail”, and a soldering iron. You can find many guides online, including this one which includes a handy calculator for determining the standing wavelength based on the diameter of the can. This simple device can improve your range by about a half mile under certain conditions. The size of the cantenna also makes it popular among “wardriving”, a surprisingly popular hobby among certain types of tech-heads in which they search for Wi-Fi networks while in a moving vehicle.The “WokFi” Long Distance Signal Strainer, as mentioned elsewhere on this blog, is another popular project. Simply by using an Asian cooking strainer and a USB wireless thumb drive, you can increase range and possibly connect to networks blocks away from you. One thing to remember when using these homemade devices is that even though the power output of the antennas is low, you should never stand directly in front of them, and always follow reliable and safe instructions. If you’re interested in extending your network while also reusing household devices, though, these projects are highly recommended.