Step 4.

Rough up the edges of the N-type connector and the can around the hole with sand paper. Solder the N-type connector assembly into the can. It is important to get a good electrical connection between the N-type connector and the can. If possible, use a round N-type connector which can be secured to the can with a nut and washer. Optional: Drill a small hole in the can just behind the N-type connector. Rain or condensation which finds its way into the can has an easy route out. The hole shouldn't affect performance.

Step 5.

A pigtail is a (short) piece of coaxial cable that connects your antenna to your wireless card or router. Attach the N-Male end of a pigtail  to the N-Female type connector on the Can and the other end to your wireless card, or router (pigtail pictured right is a N-Male to MC-Card, LMR100 Type coaxial cable). Signal loss when using coaxial cable is important so make sure that your pigtail uses LMR-100 coaxial cable and keep its length to a minimum.

Some common pigtails are:  N-male to

• MC-Card (pictured)
• MMCX Plug (male)
• RP-SMA Plug (female)
• RP-TNC Plug (female)

Finish

When aiming the cantenna, the polarization is important. Polarization refers to whether the driven element inside is pointing skywards (vertical) or sideways (horizontal). The direction of the driven element should match the antenna it is communicating with. Simply experiment, rotating your antenna 90 degrees to see what gives you the best signal. Some users rotate their antenna at a 45° angle, giving it a mixed or split polarization.

A tripod is handy for mounting an antenna. It's a probably a good idea to always point a cantenna away from you, even thought the power output is relatively low.