Hey @grok Does this hack actually work ?

People on Twitter are freaking out after this guy uploaded a picture of his WiFi router surrounded by tin foil shaped like a satellite and people in this comment section really want to know if this life hack would actually work. So I did a little bit of research and here's what's going on. So it turns out that this viral hack is actually true. And it originated from researchers at Dartmouth that wanted to prove that for only $35 and 23 minutes, Wi-Fi users can increase signal strength and boost security in offices and homes. The way all of this works is actually really cool. So I think most people by now know that you should be placing your Wi-Fi router in the center of your home. Cause obviously, the Wi-Fi is going to send the signal outwards in all directions. This way you can get the most even coverage possible. But there is a serious problem with this theory. And that's because your home is most likely not a wide open room, but instead a place that has furniture and walls. So as that Wi-Fi signal is spreading through the home, the walls and furniture absorb some of it. By the time it reaches your devices, you have poor signal strength. This is where the aluminum foil theory kicks in because if you place a curved piece of aluminum in the antennas like this of your router, you can actually redirect some of that wasted signal into the places in your home where you need it the most. But I'm sad to say there is a catch with all of this because you're essentially now turning your Wi-Fi router into a satellite like this. So while you might significantly boost your Wi-Fi signal on one side of your house, you may completely lose it on the other.