Jason Cole, a programmer and Ph.D. student at Imperial College in London, created an Android app that allows users to hack their own Wi-Fi using electromagnetic waves.
Many believe it’s best to avoid electromagnetic radiation; however, not all believe electromagnetic waves are bad. Electromagnetic waves carry Wi-Fi signals to all electronic devices and are the foundation of present communication.
With the knowledge of Maxwell’s Equations (physics equations), Cole began working on a project to improve his Wi-Fi signal in his home.
“The electromagnetic radiation emanating from the antenna in your wireless router is caused by a small current oscillating at 2.4 GHz (2.4 billion times per second). In my model I introduced a current like this and allowed it to oscillate, and Maxwell’s equations dictated how the resulting electromagnetic waves flow. By mapping in the actual locations of the walls in my flat, I was able to produce a map of the Wi-Fi signal strength, which varied as I moved the virtual router,” Cole said.
“The first lesson is clear, if obvious: Wi-Fi signals travel much more easily through free space than walls, so the ideal router position has line-of-sight to where you’ll be using it. So the second lesson is less obvious and more interesting: If reception is poor in a particular position, even a slight change of the router’s position may produce significant improvement in signal strength, as any signal dark spots will also move,” Cole added.
The programmer published his findings and eventually created an Android app to allow users to discover where the best place is to put a Wi-Fi router.
“Not only are electromagnetic waves fascinating, mathematically elegant, and supremely useful, they can make your life easier, your internet connection stronger, and even make you a bit of money too,” Cole concluded.
