Ways to Boost Your Wireless Router Signal

Wi-Fi is the most convenient medium to keeping your devices like laptops, desktops, mobile phones and tablets connected to the internet. An added advantage of a wireless router is that multiple devices can be connected to the same internet connection. Although this depends on the router’s wireless standard and the number of usage points. Wi-Fi delivers speed and it can be relied on.

But alas! It can also be one of the most frustrating mediums due to bad reception, slow speed, short range, dropping signals. We all know how frustrating it can be when we experience troubleshooting slow speed.

The good news is that it can be sorted out. How? By following the steps below to boost your wireless router signal.

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1. Locate the perfect spot for your wireless router

Your router ought to be free of walls or obstructions because these obstructions can degrade the signal strength. It should be out in the open. Placing your Wi-Fi in the right location will result in maximum coverage. You trying to hide your wireless router because of its design would not in any way help matters. Flat surfaces in central locations are good locations for wireless routers because some routers are designed to disperse Wi-Fi signals downwards. Emphasis is being placed on setting the wireless router in the center of your house because this would guarantee the best coverage throughout your home.

2. Get Rid of Interference from Other Appliances

Home appliances like microwave ovens, Cordless phones and other routers are bound to interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. All you have to do is move your router away from these appliances and metal objects and try to set it to a different wireless frequency. Purchasing a dual band router is also an option but a more convenient option is moving the router away from such appliances.

3. Schedule Your Router to reboot automatically

Most times, what your router needs is a reboot. You could set it to do this once a day at a speculated time. But if you reboot your router more frequently than usual, you can run a few tests to make sure the problem is not caused by heat, old firmware, or excess downloading. It pays more to reboot at least once a day.

4. Increase and improve your Wi-Fi range with DIY tricks

If your router doesn’t improve with the above steps, you can extend its range with simple DIY tricks. You can use an old beer can or a cooking strainer to extend your wireless router’s range. This should help improve the signal on the Wi-Fi network with minimal effort.

5. Update your firmware

Another easy way to improve your Wi-Fi performance is by making sure your device firmware and drivers up-to-date. Although the process of running firmware updates require a lot of patience, it ensures that your router’s software is running at its peak. Make sure to always check your device manufacturer’s website for the latest updates to keep your router performance at its best.

6. Turning an old Router into a Wi-Fi Repeater

Getting a range extender for your home will help boost your wireless router’s signal. They are quite affordable, but you have the option of turning an old wireless router into an extender with the DD-WRT firmware. However, you should note that you may not be able to get as fast of a connection through your extender, but it’s better in getting the Wi-Fi of the house on the edge.

7. Adjust your router’s antennas

Wireless routers are built with two to three adjustable antennas on top. If your wireless router’s antennas are placed parallel, turn them to the perpendicular position. Your Wi-Fi is bound to perform well when signals are parallel to the internal antenna of the device, which is vertical in desktop computers and horizontal in laptops.

8. Buy the Latest Wireless Router

One of the best and simplest ways to ensure high performance and reliability of your network is using up-to-date hardware. However, if you want the full speed boost, you require both a wireless N router and a wireless N card in your computer.

9. Control Bandwidth-Hogging Applications

Quality of Service or QoS helps to curb in bandwidth hogs. Video chats, online games, torrents files, may hog bandwidth which will make the internet slow. With QoS, you can prioritize certain applications so the most important applications get the bandwidth they deserve.

10. Hack to boost your router’s signal

Hack your router and install the DD-WRT firmware. It gives you the option to boost your transmitting power. It could be dangerous for your router, though.