Due to the popularity of my boosting wifi signal strength posts, I thought I would bring you guys another.

I will be discussing two methods in this post. The first of these solutions won’t cost you anything (a plus if you are a poor university student like I am). On the other hand, if you are one of those “professional” poker player who love to play poker outside on your hammock at the very far side of your huge backyard, option two might be worth the few bucks.

Okay, for the poor blokes like I, go grab a soda and drink it. If you’re a true computer nerd you probably already have a near empty can sitting on your desk (perhaps on your USB beverage chiller). Thanks to the guys at youritronics, I do not need to explain the construction process; you may watch the video below instead.

If you have somehow taken it upon yourself to paint both sides of the can, or you just didn’t pay attention and you painted the inside of the can, start over. This method should give you a slight db boost, similar to that of the paper and tin foil parabolic reflector I wrote about previously.

For those who have some bucks to spare ($25 per year if you want to get specific), head on over to sveasoft.com and check out their Talisman software. This is replacement firmware for your router, which uses state of the art compression to add a bunch of new features. The two that will concern you, hence the topic of this article, are “wireless speed and power boost”. If you want to learn more about the features of the firmware, check out the website above. The basic version of the firmware should be sufficient, unless you are interested in mesh networking or turning your router into a hotspot. This version of Talisman claims you will receive up to a 1000 mw boost, which equates to a 30 dB gain. This is more than double any of the other methods discussed on my site to date. The software will work for a wide range of wireless routers, including ASUS, Belkin, Linksys, and Netgear. For a full list click here.

Related posts:

1. 3 Ways To Improve Your Wireless Signal Strength For Free
2. Increase your wireless signal strength for free - With paper and tin foil
3. JetBlue’s BetaBlue - Wireless Internet at 10,000 feet.
4. Give your MP3 Player a face lift with Rockbox 3.0