Info Zone

In case you’ve not heard, a 17 year old New Jersey hacker has unlocked the extraordinary locked down iphone and used it on T-Mobile. According to the hacker, the unlocking takes 2 hours with some skills in software. I wouldn’t comment much, just check it out from here. I’m amazed how quickly it has been hacked. I knew such will happened but wasn’t expecting an early hack. You can check most stuff on his blog too.

I had a wireless training some few weeks ago courtesy IICD and GINKS at Winneba. It wasn’t quiet an advanced stuff as I expected, it seems to be for beginners and on the beginners level I must say it was quiet intensive just that organization and planning of the workshop was quiet poor.

Last day of the training, we were giving loads of slides and software on wireless networking. I have been reading through most of them and I came across a slide on how to build a Cantenna and would like to share. This is something we had a hands on training so I have quiet a little experience on how to build it. This may help those of us who can’t afford all these fat prices antennas, we just have to kill time and we can build our selves a home made antenna. Wouldn’t you be proud if you build an antenna of you own. Oh yes I know you will be proud.

I know you’re yearning to see the details right? There it goes.

To build a Cantenna, the tools needed are

• Marker
• Can opener
• Ruler
• Hammer
• 1 4d 1- 1/2″ nail
• Drill
• 1/2″ and 1/8″ metal bits
• Soldering iron
• Rosin core solder
• Wire cutters/strippers

Supplies

• 1 Can
• 1 Wireless adapter with external jack
• 1 Pigtail ( N-type male to your style jack )
• 4 #4-40 Hex Nuts
• 4 #4-40 Pan head slotted screws
• 1 2″ 12 gauge solid copper wire
• 1 4 hole flange mount N-type female connector

Preparing the Can

• Use the can opener to open the can
• empty out contents
• clean,clean till its well and dry cleaned

Drilling the holes

• Calculate center point for antenna using your diameter and length ( http://www.saunalahti.fi/elepal/antenna2calc.php )
• Mark center point with marker
• Start the hole using a nail at the point
• Use 1/2″ bit to drill the final hole
• Insert the N-Type female connector into the hole and mark the four mounting holes
• Use the nail to start your four mounting hles
• Use the 1/8″ bit to complete the mounting holes
• Insert the female connector again and screws to make sure everything is aligned properly
• Remove the connector to prepare for building the antenna

The out come should be like this

Building the antennae

• Strip a 3 inch piece of wire
• Solder wire to brass fitting on N-Type female connector
• Cut wire exact length ( including brass cup )
• Insert antenna unit back into can with flange on the outside
• Fasten with screws
• Connect to computer and Test

Final look

Finished Product

With what we have, you can extend it to improve the signal collection and that would look something like this

This how to was taking from the slides prepared by Dr. Tauritz and Jason Trent with slight modification from me

Ever since I got addicted to the internet, the way I use the internet has changed significantly. I remember my rookie days when I was on the internet, the only things I could do was just check my email and browse few other sites I come across as a result of reading the newspaper or on the Tv and off I go nothing more.

Now I can boldly and proudly say I’m an expert on the internet ( yes self taught ) and would like to throw more lights on how to use the internet effectively.

There is so much you can do on the internet not just send and receive emails. First you need to build your seaching skills as its the most effective skills you will need on the internet to search for information. There are so many search engine sites available you can use, these include

• Google ( which you know about )
• Yahoo search
• Live search
• Excite
• Lycos
• All The Web
• many more

Check my post here on how to search for specifics and searching tips.

Second, track news on the internet by going to news publishing websites such as

• BBC.co.uk
• CNN.com
• FoxNews.com
• Google News

Try also to search for websites that publishes news in your country or local area, for me I track news on Ghanaweb.com and myjoyonline.com because they publish news concerning Ghana.

Make use of feed readers, it makes you get all the latest news or articles published on website(s) you follow. To get updates from the website(s), all you have to do is subscribe to the website(s) feed, simply by copying the feeds url to your feed reader. I use Google reader online and liferea offline on my desktop.

Third, track howtos websites, search for stuff on online encyclopedias. That is a way to broad your scope on the internet.

• tellmehowto.net
• howtoforge.com
• books.google.com
• howstuffworks.com
• wikipedia.org

Fouth, cultivate the habit of contributing content online, like blogging, commenting on peoples blog, join mailing list, contribute to forums post, just let your voice be heard online, that is a quick way to make you popular online. Maintain a consistent name online, don’t frequently change your name, let online users know this is you anytime they come across your name online.

Fifth, if you feel you have the nerves and time, try learn how to develop for the web like learn how to design web pages, write interactive websites, experiment stuff, etc, they are a good way to have real control over the internet.

If you are an advance internet user and you feel like adding somethings feel free to include them as comments to this post.