[bb88]

Pringles can wifi hacking has been around since 2005ish. I also remember someone using a spider strainer as a cheap handheld dish with a USB stick wifi transceiver placed near the focus.

https://www.instructables.com/Wifi-Signal-Strainer-WokFi/

At some point people were trying to set the record for the longest range wifi signal.

[wtallis]

Even 20 years ago, WiFi distance records were mostly a matter of geography. The limit quickly became the curvature of Earth's surface, so the ideal geography was two mountains, separated by empty ocean in the middle, with easy access up their facing slopes.

[tyingq]

There's troposcatter...bouncing off the troposphere. That's been around with microwave transmission for quite a long time. Requires a little more power though.