How To Improve WiFi Reception In 2024?

The inability to access the internet, frequent crashing, and bugs regularly ruining your day all contribute to an experience that's as frustrating as it is inconvenient. The fact that many individuals still find themselves in this situation after years of using smartphones is beyond me. Here are some easy ways to increase your router's wireless signal, extend and improve your Wi-Fi coverage, and speed up your surfing.

Ben Grindlow

Ben Grindlow is the founder of ProXPN, a company that provides reviews about VPN products and services. Ben's interest in cybersecurity and privacy led him to start ProXPN, which has become one of the most well-respected VPN providers in the world. Ben is passionate about his work, and he is constantly exploring new ways to improve ProXPN's in-depth guides.

Last updated: 17:17PM 9/18/2024

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Table of Contents

Nothing is more annoying than intermittent internet, slow WiFi or no internet at all. Today the internet is one of our primary necessities. Improving WiFi reception is therefore a necessity. That's why you get eleven tips to improve your WiFi in this article.

Our top tip: Improve your WiFi range with a powerline adapter

A powerline adapter connects a computer to the internet using your home's electrical wiring. With a powerline adapter you really get the best of both worlds.

These adapters are very simple. They can be used in all sockets in the house. The idea is that you plug one powerline adapter into the wall socket next to the existing router or modem and connect it to it via an Ethernet cable. Place the second adapter somewhere in the house where you want to improve your WiFi reception.

Discover everything about powerline adapters here!

Below is an overview of our 11 tips to get you started.

  • Move the existing router
  • Strengthen your router
  • Change the WiFi password (and use WPA2 security)
  • Use 1 wireless standard
  • Boost your WiFi signal with aluminum
  • Choose the least used channel
  • Use powerline adapters
  • Speed up your computer
  • Update your software
  • Try an access point

Perhaps you are not an internet technology wizard comfortable tinkering with advanced settings on all your devices. Perhaps your knowledge of your router's settings begins and ends with entering your WiFi password correctly. Don't worry: all of these tips for WiFi boosters are well explained.

Move the router for a better wireless network

Is your WiFi signal nowhere to be found? Then it may be that your router itself is too effectively hidden. Do not let this happen. WiFi routers should not be stashed away in a cupboard or drawer. The radiation from the router needs space so the WiFi signal can reach your devices.

Also make sure that you do not place the router close to another device that also emits radiation, such as a radio or television. Your wireless signal can be disrupted by the radiation from these devices.

Okay, so there's a lot of places you can't install your router. Where can you put your router, then? The answer is simple: place it in the middle of a room where you definitely want WiFi. Or, if you have wired internet access, it is a good idea to use a longer cable between the modem and the router.

Strengthen your WiFi router

Even a shiny new router has only a certain range. The further you are outside of this range, the slower your internet speeds will be. That is why buying a WiFi amplifier is a good solution. This increases the range of your existing WiFi network.

Do you want to optimally improve your WiFi speeds? Then make a heatmap of your home, garden or office. This allows you to map out where your WiFi network is strong or weak. You do this in MacOS or with Netspot. With such a map you gain insight into how you are best connected to the internet or where your WiFi router should be located in order to have the best reception.

Change your WiFi password

Changing your Wi-Fi password may seem pointless, but it actually could be helpful.

A WiFi password is often a complicated string of characters, numbers, upper-case letters and lower-case letters. All this makes passwords difficult to remember, which is why so many people write them down on little pieces of paper. (Tip: don't do this.)

Is your password on display somewhere, easy to guess, or common knowledge among your friends? Then there is a possibility that there are also other people using your WiFi network. (Pro tip: don't publicize your password.)

Think of your neighbors, visitors who have spent time in your home and other people in your area, any of whom could be using your password. More users on your network will guarantee that your internet speed will be slower.

You can solve this problem just by changing your password. Not only that, you can also improve the security of your network.

Use WPA2 security

To boost the speed of your WiFi signal, you must use WPA2 with AES security. This prevents extreme bandwidth loss, which is often the case with WPA.

All too commonly, modern routers default to a combination of WPA/WPA2. Therefore, you should make sure that the router is only set to WPA2.

Use 1 wireless standard

There are many different wireless standards. Router manufacturers may use 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11ac or 802.11n. Once way to speed up your WiFi is to choose 1 wireless standard. Do not set your router to ‘mixed'.

Choose the latest standard of wireless internet, as it will always offer you the best speed.

Desktops and smartphones

To use the latest standard, your desktop must be able to support this speed. If this isn't the case, then use a good WiFi dongle. Unfortunately, this is not possible for smartphones and other such mobile devices, so read on learn about other options for these devices.

Boost your WiFi signal with something from the kitchen

It may not work for the office, a public hotspot, or a corporate building, but the aluminum foil tip is definitely worth a try at home. The reason that aluminum foil works to boost your WiFi signal is because most routers — and thus the router's antennas — are installed near a wall.

Far too often, the result of being next to a wall is that part of the WiFi signal goes in the wrong direction! Placing aluminum foil behind the WiFi router's antenna forces the signals to bounce back into the room where you want them.

As a result of the foil, at least half of what used to disappear into your wall is converted into a usable WiFi signal. More transmission power is now at hand.

Choose the quietest channel

Are you in a place where many WiFi routers are in use? Then all those signals are creating an invisible traffic jam in the sky. Forget about blazing internet speeds with multiple users on the same channel! To prevent you as a user from adding to the traffic jam and killing WiFi speeds for others on the same channel, you can simply select another wireless router that uses a different channel.

Various software programs are available that allow you to scan all the WiFi signals in your area. Select the least used of all these channels to enhance the internet speeds on everyone's WiFi networks. You can do this in the wireless settings in your router's administration interface.

Use WiFi powerline adapters

Pulling cables is always a hassle, which means that a powerline adapter is a good alternative. A powerline adapter distributes internet via socket throughout the house. This will not create the best multi-room WiFi network in the world, but you will see improvements.

How is this WiFi booster accomplished?

Plug one adapter into the wall socket next to your modem. Connect the modem to this first adapter via an Ethernet cable. Plug in the second adapter somewhere in the same room, then pair these two adapters. Now plug the second adapter into a room where you want a strong WiFi signal. Voilà, instant local network!

These two adapters act as a kind of cable in which the internet signal is sent from place A, the place where your modem is located, to place B, the place where you want to boost your WiFi range.

Unfortunately, increasing your WiFi range does not work in all situations: you have to plug the two adapters into the same electricity group to enjoy the desired results.

Speed up your computer

A sluggish internet connection is not always due to the Wi Fi signals. The fault with your internet speed may actually lie with your computer. One obvious but expensive way to solve this issue is to buy a new computer or update your existing computer.

If a whole new computer setup isn't in the budget for you, you can boost the speed of your Wi Fi signals on your existing computer as follows:

  • Increase your computer's internal memory (that is, buy and install more RAM)
  • Don't leave a lot of programs running when you aren't using them
  • Make sure that multiple virus scanners and firewalls are not operating at the same time

Update your software

As with all other devices and apps, it is important that your WiFi also have the latest software. There may be bugs in the software that make your WiFi terribly slow — not to mention that outdated software may make it vulnerable to emerging security threats.

Your wireless router will automatically update itself in the background unless you've disabled it, so this will not be a frequent concern. The program that operates WiFi on your PC may also need an update from time to time.

Try an access point for a strong Wi Fi signal

Companies sometimes deploy dozens of access points to provide large office buildings with a good wireless network. Many smaller houses would not benefit, but a large house certainly could make use of multiple access points. Buying an access point can help the Wi Fi signal get through to those hard-to-reach corner rooms or outdoor patios.

How it's done

To add an access point to your home network, you must first connect it to the primary router. You can also use a second broadband router instead, as many home routers offer an access point mode for this very purpose.

Get a broadband router

A broadband router is a network device that allows you to access broadband internet from an internet service provider.

Broadband routers are designed for easy set-up of home networks, especially homes using a high-speed internet service provider. Modern routers for broadband have a wired connection to the internet modem. They connect wirelessly to the devices in the house via the WiFi standard.

Work your Wi Fi signal magic

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to boost your Wi Fi signal yourself. Heavy artillery such as a new router is not always necessary for this battle.

It never hurts to start small in your search for a solution. From simply moving your router to purchasing an access point, enhancing Wi Fi signal strength is entirely possible. It can even be as simple as putting a sheet of aluminum foil behind your router. Why not try it?

Frequently asked questions

The Future Internet Will Be Larger, Faster, Safer, and More Private. The state of the internet is no longer in its early stages. Dial-up modems have given way to broadband connections, and the days of having to rely on wired connections are long gone, with several gadgets now able to connect to the internet wirelessly through wireless

Because WiFi is a wireless technology, there may be an influence on your connection speed. A typical guideline is that if you double the distance between the router and client (or device), throughput drops by one-third. Metal or water will also function as a signal barrier.

Wi-Fi transmits information between your device and a router using radio waves. Depending on the amount of data being sent, two radio-wave frequencies can be used: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

-70 dBm: This is good signal strength. -60 dBm: This is adequate signal strength. -67 dBm: This is stable signal strength. Any online services that require a strong connection and Wi-Fi signal strength must have at least this level of reliability.

Most Wi-Fi signals are disrupted when they pass through thick walls, especially reinforced concrete.

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