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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Simple Tips to Build a Wireless Network Without a Router

Build a Wireless Network Without a Router can save money, but isn't always as reliable as a standard wireless router. A lot of people don’t know that if you run Windows 7, Windows Vista or even Windows XP, it is possible to build your own wireless network at home or office without using a wireless router or a wireless access point. Most new desktops and laptop computers are already equipped with internal network adapters so you are ready to go without a router. If your computer doesn’t have built-in wireless capabilities, you can either buy a USB network adapter that plugs into the USB port of your desktop or go for a wireless adapter that directly plugs into your notebook’s PC Card slot. Desktop users can also opt for an internal wireless PCI card but you’ll have to open the computer case in order to install this network adapter. In order to build your own wireless network you will need the following: A broadband Internet connection; A wireless network card installed on each computer that you want to connect to your wireless network; In this tutorial we will show you step-by-step how to build this kind of wireless network, also known as ad-hoc. Using the Microsoft Windows operating system, go to "Start -- Connect to -- Show All Connections." Right-click on the wireless connection, and choose "Properties." If you don't see an option for "Show All Connections", go to "Start - Control Panel - Network Connections."

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Click the "Wireless Networks" tab. Choose "Add" to create a network. Type a name for the network in the "Network Name (SSID)" box. Choose whether to use a wireless network key or not. Use "Open" for "Network Authentication." Choose either "WEP" or "Disabled" from the "Data Encryption" drop down. Choosing "WEP" will allow you to create a network key that will be required to connect to the network. This method is more secure. Enter a 5- to 13-character network key in the "Network Key" and "Confirm Network Key" boxes. You alternately can check the "The Key is Provided for Me Automatically" check box if you want Windows to create and use a key for you automatically.

Check the "This is a computer to computer (ad-hoc) network" check box to create the ad hoc network. Click "OK" when finished. If the box is grayed out, press "Advanced" in the "Wireless Networks" tab and choose "Computer to computer (ad hoc) network."

Enable ICS on the router computer, which will allow you to share your Internet connection.

Right click your Internet connection while still in the "Network Connections" screen. Choose "Advanced." Check the "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection" check box. Choose "Wireless Network Connection" and press "OK."

Select the shared network from other computers to connect. Right click the wireless networks icon in the notification tray. Press "View Available Networks." Select the appropriate network name and press "Connect."

Note:

Ad-Hoc wireless networking is available on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 while Virtual WiFi, which is much easier to setup, is available on Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008.

To set up Ad Hoc networking, your main computer needs to have an Ethernet based Internet connection as well as a Wireless (WLAN) network adapter. In the case of Virtual Wi-Fi, the Ethernet card is optional so you can turn a laptop into a hotspot even if your laptop itself is connected to a Wireless network and not to an Ethernet cable.

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