Parabolic Chinese cookware and airport express

So I had the flat to myself this evening since the other esidents were off performing in an Asian multicultural showpiece that I couldn't get tickets for so couldn't go. I decided that I'd use the fact I wouldn't be disturbing anyone to try and get WiFi in the kitchen. I started by merely moving the airport express from one corner of my room, behind the stereo etc to the furthest plug along.

This with both my room door open and the kitchen door open allowed for fairly decent web browsing and IM'ing. This allowed me to browse and eat pizza for dinner.



Both doors open is not really the best solution so I began looking for alternatives. There was no network connectivity with the doors closed. To be honest the airport couldn't stay there anyway because I need my airtunes and my stereo. However it's always fun to try the problem solving aspect of these things. I found this using the wonders of google.

I just so happened to have a spare Ken Hom unused Wok with me unused clean and fresh.


First of all I tried suspending the Airport express with the use of magic elastic bands...


This didn't work very well so I thought I'd try model 2.0 and use blutack to put the express in the centre of the parabola

Also note the amazing parabola securing device...


This caused a marginally better experience with both doors shut. I could remain connected to the network with the doors closed but browsing was intermittent and horribly slow. Connectivity according to iStumbler was about 18% with the doors open or closed using the Wok. This compares to 12% with no additions to the airport express and the doors open. When I was sat next to the access point signal strength according to iStumbler was maybe 3%-5% more than without the wok.

This is a picture of connectivity whilst in the kitchen doors shut with the airport in the base of the wok.


This is the case with no wok and the kitchen door shut, yes the number claims to be connected at 53% but look at the connectivity graph... no connection. 53% is merely the last recorded value as I entered the kitchen.


Finally after all this time wasting I returned the Airport to the corner of my room from whence it came and hooked back up my stereo and printer.

I think I can manage for the time it takes me to cook and eat a meal... not to be on the internet, maybe.