Boost Your Wireless Signal

In the modern home, we often have multiple Wi-Fi devices, such as laptops & tablets. Your home wi-fi network can be fickle, with connectivity coming and going without restraint. If you're having problems with your wireless network, here's a few tips to help you improve the signal.

The main keys to improving your wireless network’s signal are positioning your router properly — taking obstructions into account — and reducing interference from other wireless networks and household appliances.

Switch channels Wi-Fi routers operate on specific channels. You can change the channel of your router by going into its interface. All routers have different ways to access the interface, so check with your manufacturer. A good, free tool Tools such as inSSIDer or Wifi Stumbler will show you how many routers are broadcasting in your area and the channel they use. Please note these are third party applications which we do not offer support for. Update router firmware Perhaps the easiest way to improve your router's performance is by ensuring that its firmware and driver are up to date. Check often for firmware updates for your router. Update adapter firmware Just like routers, network adapters on PCs and laptops also are subject to firmware updates. Remember, good wireless range and performance is dictated not just by the router but by the network adapter on clients Move your router Choose a central location to help the wireless signal reach all areas of your property (or the areas where you are mostly likely to want to connect from). Ideally, position your router high up in the room, perhaps on top of a book shelf, with no immediate obstacles around it. Don't be tempted to hide it away in a cabinet - it needs to be out in the open and free from obstructions like walls and furniture. You can purchase custom length Ethernet Cat 5 cable from Amazon or any place that services computers (although if you do that, this is technically no longer a free options) if you need more flexibility in centrally positioning the router.

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Set up a second router as an access point or repeater

You can set up just about any router as a wireless access point. To do so, you need to connect the second router's LAN port to the primary router's LAN port. On the second router, you will want to give it the same addressing information as the primary router. For example, if you primary router's IP address is 192.168.2.1 and its netmask is 255.255.255.0; then you could make the second router's IP 192.168.2.2 and use the same netmask. It's also important that you assign the same SSID and security on the second router and turn DHCP off on the second one as well.

Upgrade the antenna

Consider a hi-gain antenna, which you can position so that the Wi-Fi signal goes in the direction you want.

Use Repeaters/Extenders

A wireless repeaters/extender can extend the range of your Wi-Fi signal by 'bouncing' it over a greater distance.

Get new Router/Adapters

The fastest current 802.11n Wi-Fi connections max out at around 150Mbps with one antenna, 300Mbps with two and 450Mbps with three antennas. 802.11ac connections will be roughly three times faster - so that's 450Mbps, 900Mbps and 1.3Gbps respectively.

Secure your connection

If you don't have a Wi-Fi password then anyone within range of your router could be 'stealing' your broadband. Not only will this slow you down, but could also land you in trouble with the law if the freeloader is up to no good online - their connection would be traced to your property.

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