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How to Get Your PS3 to Detect Routers Far Away

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) sends and receives signals using its built-in wireless antenna. The antenna's signal strength can be increased so it can recognize a router farther away than could be detected otherwise -- at the house of a neighbor who lets you use his wireless signal, for example. Household supplies will be needed, but electrical skills are not necessary. The PS3 will not be disassembled or the case opened.

Things You'll Need

Aluminum foil roll
Tape measure
PS3 game controller

Instructions

- 1
  Tear off a 2-foot sheet of aluminum foil from the aluminum foil roll. Place the sheet horizontally on a table.
- 2
  Measure down an inch from the top of the sheet, up an inch from the bottom of the sheet, and in an inch from both sides. Make a dot at the one-inch marks with a pencil.
- 3
  Fold the top of the sheet over to the pencil mark. Smooth the sheet down. Fold the bottom of the sheet over to the pencil mark and smooth it down. Fold both sides of the sheet in to the pencil mark and smooth them down.
- 4
  Fold the left side of the sheet over to the right side. Unfold the sheet.
- 5
  Place the sheet behind the right side of the PlayStation 3, which is where the interior antenna is located. Angle the sides of the sheet to form a 40-degree angle so the sheet stands on its own.
- 6
  Press the touch-sensitive "On" button on the ledge at the front right of the PS3. Release the button when the green light goes on. Let the Home menu screen appear before continuing.
- 7
  Plug the game controller's USB cable into a USB port on the PS3's front. Navigate through the icons on the screen, using the controller's direction pad, until you come to the "Settings" icon. Press down on the direction pad until you come to Network Settings." Press right on the direction pad, then press down until you come to "Internet Connection."
- 8
  Press right on the direction pad and select "Enabled" from the list presented. Press the "X" button on the controller.
- 9
  Select "Yes" on the new screen that appears. Press the "X" button. Select "Easy" on the new screen that appears. Press the "X" button.
- 10
  Select "Scan" on the new screen that appears. Press the "X" button.
- 11
  Select a wireless router that could not be detected if the antenna wasn't being enhanced -- for example, that of a neighbor's that you have told about doing this. Press the "X" button.
- 12
  Enter a password into the text field, if a password is needed, on the new screen when it appears, using the onscreen keyboard. Press the "X" button. Select "Automatic" from the next screen. Press the "X" button.
- 13
  Press right on the direction pad until you come to the "Save" screen. Press the "X" button. Press the "O" button to return to the main menu.

PlayStation 3