The trick sounds like something from a frugal grandparent: put aluminum foil behind your Wi-Fi router to make the signal stronger. For years, tech experts said don’t bother. Then in 2017, researchers at Dartmouth College ran actual measurements. A curved piece of foil, shaped correctly, pushed signal strength up 50 percent in one direction. The same reflector cut signal bleed into unwanted areas by about 75 percent (a 6 dB drop), according to TechCrunch.
The study did not test crumpled foil. It used 3D-printed plastic forms covered in aluminum foil, designed by an algorithm called WiPrint. The lead researcher told
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