By CleverPing
- min read

closeup of a wireless router and a man using smartphone on living room at home ofiice

1. Choose a suitable location for your router

 

Perhaps you have installed wireless internet networking in your home for some time. It may have been in an isolated location, away from devices using its connection.

Therefore, it is necessary to analyze which is the best place in your house to place the router, which works with waves, such as radio or your cell phone. Therefore, any obstacles in the way can interfere with your coverage.

The best strategy is to place the router in a high place so that the signal expands downwards and sideways and it is free of surrounding objects. Since the signal spreads in all directions, it is best to place it in the center of the room.

Another important point is to install it in the room where you will use it most. Keep in mind that cordless phones and microwaves can interfere with the signal. Therefore, the idea is to keep the router well away from these items.

Something many people do when they notice that the signal is weak is to position the router's antennas toward where they are. This is completely wrong as the router is not a TV antenna. To ensure signal quality, always keep the antennas pointed upwards.

 

2. Protect your network from signal thieves

 

Even if you already have a password registered on your wireless network, it could be that it has been discovered and some opportunistic neighbor is using your connection, which will certainly slow it down.

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to opt for a more advanced security standard such as WPA. As with any password, it needs to be difficult to access, always mixing numbers and letters.

3. Install a repeater to increase signal range

 

If you live in a house with multiple floors and very thick walls, your Wi-Fi range may be severely impaired. One way to solve this is through signal repeaters.

 

As a first option, there are Wi-Fi repeaters that connect to the router via an Ethernet cable and send the signal back to more remote devices. These repeaters must always be wired to the router, which can be inconvenient.

4. Restart your router often

 

Oftentimes, the router may crash because of overheating. Therefore, manually restarting it often is highly recommended. One of the suggestions is to keep it turned off during periods when no one accesses the internet - such as when you are sleeping, for example.

This can improve the signal transmission of your router as soon as you turn it on again, in addition to ensuring a longer life for your equipment.

5. Improvisation

 

Mirrored surfaces are an example of a material that hinders the propagation of the Wi-Fi signal, but can also work to amplify it if used correctly.

Certain simple solutions, such as the tin trick or even aluminum kitchen foil, are capable of reflecting the waves, directing and expanding the signal's coverage.

6. Keep the device up to date

 

As with many other electronics, keeping the firmware up to date is essential to get the best possible performance from your router.

Companies seek constant improvement of their products through software, and the latest versions usually bring positive results about the device's performance. This feature is often programmed automatically, but some older models require a manual update.

Whenever you can, you should update your devices to ensure always more speed and reliability in data transmission. Just like any other electronic device, the accessory that provides the Wi-Fi network is constantly evolving, always with new updates.

7. Watch out for apps that hijack your band

 

Online games, video streaming, download programs, and other activities that require constant connection can greatly compromise your Wi-Fi network signal.

If several people in your house share the same network, one device may be consuming the bandwidth, limiting network usage on other computers.

8. Change frequency

 

An effective way to fix a choppy network is to configure it to work in the 5 GHz band. There are routers with dual-band functions capable of playing their role at both frequencies.

Although each one has its peculiarities, the 5 GHz one has a broader spectrum, escaping from the ISM band, an unlicensed band that runs in 2.4 GHz.

However, it is common to find models that work only in this band, being necessary to search for others alternatives to improve the Wi-Fi signal.

9. Change the broadcast channel

 

Transmission channels are small frequency variations along with signal diffusion. For practical purposes, they work like the lanes on an athletics track: they are parallel paths along a course that make it difficult for a possible interposition of routes.

Changing your device's transmission channel can mean a very noticeable improvement, thus avoiding the most congested tracks.

10. Get rid of interfering devices

 

In addition to other routers nearby, several devices can interfere with your network. Cordless phones and microwave ovens are among the main culprits. Remember that even the construction of bathrooms can be an obstacle.

To avoid this problem, you can buy telephone sets or routers with different frequencies. If installing new equipment is not an option, simply placing them far apart can do the trick in most cases.

Conclusion

 

Improving Wi-Fi signal quality indoors can bring many benefits such as keeping internet speed, greater stability, less stress, and high quality regardless of where your home is located.

So, follow these tips on how to extend your Wi-Fi signal indoors and never again have problems with wireless internet to do your daily activities.

internet_providers_cta-email-image
Subscribe to our weekly specials for internet news and promos