DD-WRT on a Linksys WRT54GS on The Roof

1stAmendment~

That's the name of the network I am broadcasting around the neighborhood.


I wanted to take the coax/pvc antenna model and do some fun testing.


After I made my first Omni, I found some
instructions that talked about doubling the length and getting double the power. So I took the plans from http://wireless.gumph.org/articles/homemadeomni.html

and I doubled the recipe and came up with this outcome:






I ended up making the entire PVC antenna about 36 inches long.












I followed the instructions and made a jig, soldered away, attached a Female N Connector and painted the whole thing with Rustoleum spray paint. I ran upstairs, tested it our, I had pretty good gain and I sealed it up and got ready to mount it up on the roof.

I have been experimenting with the Linksys WRT54G's and DD-WRT Firmware and took one of the units and glued it inside an outdoor Electrical Service box. drilled a hole for the cables to come out and mounted the whole thing on the antenna mast up on the roof.

I left the case around the hardware and it barely fit into a 10 inch by 4 inch box. I used a hot glue gun to secure the router inside the box.


I attached the antenna, ran two outdoor rated cat5 cables into the box and ran the power through some UV resistant sheathing and mounted the whole thing up on the roof of our house.

I have just begun testing the distance, cranking up the power, setting the options in the DD-WRT firmware and just starting to have some fun.

I am not sure what i will end up with, but I know I will be taking a whole lot more trips up and down the ladder before I put the weather tape over the connections.


I did use a new lightning arrestor and right after I got it all installed we had our first thunderstorm of the season.



If this all works the way i think, I will post the cost of everything and give it all a bit more details. Like always,

Stay Tuned....