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High Res Wifi Signal Mapping

CNLohr
Demos
YouTube
1 HN user recommended this demo1 month2017–2024 score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Cited as a cool, concrete visualization of Wi-Fi interference patterns.

CNLohr maps Wi-Fi signal strength at high resolution by moving an ESP8266 on a CNC mill, then visualizes the 3D data in WebGL. The result shows interference patterns in space.

“the space is basically riddled with interference patterns” (HN, 2017)

1 recommendations · 2 citations · Demos · intermediate

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@TechBro8615 Sep 2023 Recommends
on HN thread Your WiFi Can See You
CNLohr made a similar project three years before that: [this video] I know this stuff is dystopic, but I personally find it really cool. That said, I also disable WiFi and prefer ethernet wherever possible...
Earlier similar project that the commenter finds really cool

Citations, criticism and jokes

@tqdm Dec 2017 Cites it
on HN thread I amplified my home's Wi-Fi with aluminum foil
Read more
I've also achieved substantial improvement with simple parabolic shaped, ~40 cm wide aluminum foil constructions, but there always seemed a bit luck involved and it needed some tweaking. Not sure whether the foil mainly acted as shielding that reduces the noise floor from other directions. I've read in other forums that fiddling with aluminum foil is mostly luck because additional reflective surfaces also introduce interferrence patterns unless they are precisely aligned. Even without aluminum foil it often helps to move either receiver or sender by fractions of 12.5 cm (the wavelength of 2.4 Ghz radiation) or of 6.0 cm (in case of 5 Ghz) because the space is basically riddled with interference patterns: [this video]
Shows high-resolution mapping of wifi interference patterns
@andai Jun 2024 Cites it
on HN thread CHART: The Hackable Amateur Radio Telescope
I saw a post a while ago where someone made a map of their room by moving some sensor (measured either noise level or wifi signal) around with stepper motors. Edit: [this video]
Room map made by moving a sensor with stepper motors

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