WiFi Repeater Ruggedization Build

The project to build a ruggedized WiFi repeater ready for the church station is underway. The RP-SMA connectors and the extra Yagi have both arrived from Hong Kong,

The repeater has been removed from its cheap plastic shell, and the outrageously poor SMPSU removed and discarded. The two silly little PCB dipoles have also been removed.

The PCB pads for connecting the new antenna connectors are not very big, but just about workable. The hot melt glue holding the original coax in place was very carefully peeled off, and the coax cut to leave just the smallest bits soldered to the board to unsolder. Attention then turned to the new housing

This is a die cast aluminium 'Eddystone' box ive had kicking about for a long time waiting for a suitable project. Some very fine needle file work and we have a snug hole for the LAN connector. Holes were then marked for DC power input, the two antenna sockets, a reset switch, and the status LEDs.

The reset switch on the board is a tiny push button, this is being replaced by a good sturdy toggle - latching one way and momentary the other. The momentary contact will be used as the reset control, but the latching side will be used as a 'parked' position, helping prevent resets due to the switch being knocked.

The LAN socket cutout is so arranged that the whole board sits a few millimeters above the case, and will be held in place by hot melt glue. Other spacers will be used to ensure the board cannot short to the case.

The 5v regulator circuit will be installed against the left hand side of the case, and the three status LEDs through the bottom surface, in a vertical row. These are likely to cause the greatest headache, as the LEDs on the board are incredibly small, and i'll have to remove them and wire the case LEDs in their places.

Once complete and tested, the lid will be fitted. But the lid itself will have been heavily modified - It will have a plate bolted to it through which pass a pair of U clamps. This will make it possible to fasten the repeater and its Yagis to the same short pole, with the battery underneath.