There are a number of reasons why you may have poor WiFi signal. It could be because you have an old device, but it also could be because you are not making the most of your router’s setting and placement.
Read on below to learn some of the easiest ways and free ways that you can improve your wireless router’s signal without resorting to a new expensive model.
Adjust your WiFi Router’s Settings
If you go to the WiFi network settings tab on your computer or smartphone, you’ll probably see many networks listed as well as your own. All these networks are competing for airwave space with your network and this can slow down your WiFi signal. You may be able to improve the signal by moving to another channel. To help you do this, download the WiFi Analyzer tool from the Windows Store and install it onto your laptop. This tool helps take the guesswork out of improving your router’s signal settings by looking for interference caused by overlapping signals broadcasting on the same channel and letting you know how to change the channel. This article gives more detailed instructions.
Almond routers have a built-in touchscreen that makes it particular simple to change the channel on your router, without needing to use a notebook like traditional routers.
Put it in the Center of your Home
Despite the fact that wifi signals get sent all over, a central position is best for your WiFi router. Try and be able to see your router from most places in the house. If you’re connecting it through a telephone cable then this may require extra lengths of unsightly cable so is not always practical. So then what?
Don’t Box it in
Wireless routers aren’t usually the most attractive objects so they get hidden away on shelves and in cupboards. So break it out and give it some fresh air and if you have it on a floor, pick it up so the signals go around the room and not into the floorboards.
Keep it away from Electronics
The same noise of interference you get when you hold an unshielded device next to a speaker will also affect your wifi signal so keep the router away from TVs, computers and anything with a motor.
Change the Wireless Router Antenna’s Direction
Although it’s changing, laptop’s antenna are usually horizontal, whereas as a phones’ is dependent on which way you hold it. So adjust your router’s antennas to one being horizontal and the other being vertical.
Map your Home
If the above hasn’t worked you can try mapping the signal strength around your home. Download an app, like this one, onto your smartphone, install a floorplan of your home and walk to the area where the signal is weakest and discover where your problems are and where you can move it to to get the best signal.
A New Antenna
Not free, but considerably cheaper than a new router, a new longer more powerful antenna can increase the range of your existing router, which combined with the methods above, can help reach those difficult spots of your home.
Choosing the Correct Device to Boost Your WiFi
But sometimes it is a router issue and even the fixes above won’t give you the performance you demand. The modern home demands streaming for multiple devices often all on the move and older routers are less capable of delivering this. In this case, you need another device to boost your WiFi signal.
To learn more about the additional devices that can boost your Wi-Fi signal read this article.
