How Can You Boost the Wi-Fi Signal in Your Home
It is probably one of the most frustrating things in the world when the wifi in your home starts being weak when you just want to browse the internet with a lag. Fortunately, there are few hacks you can apply when you want to power up the signal to be better. Patience sure is a virtue, but not when there are videos to be watched and games to be played online!
Location, location, location
Just like in real estate, finding the ideal location to place your router is extremely important. Plugging your router to a remote plug and tucking it out of sight will not give you the best signal it can give, even though that is what most of us do. The ideal spot to keep your wifi router is a central location in your home without too many disruptions around. Do not surround it with metal objects since that can weaken the wifi signals. Keep it in an open space without too near to walls. Ideally, keep it somewhere up on a table or a high shelf.
Updating your router’s Firmware
If changing the location does not positively affect the signal power of your router, it is time to update its Firmware. Usually, this can be done automatically by connecting to your desktop, if not; you can download the latest firmware for your router and manually execute it. It is only a simple procedure that takes less than 10 minutes.
Change your Wifi Channel
You can speed up your router by changing its wifi channel as well. You can see this in the setting section of your router. This is usually set to “Auto,” and you can manually change it to get the best speed. To get the maximum speed especially in a crowded area, channels 1, 6 and 11 are usually recommended to use. Switch between the channels and use whichever that works the fastest for you.
Enabling QoS (Quality of Service)
If your service provider offers QoS (Quality of Service) which is an advanced feature that is able to prioritize the internet speed for certain areas, enabling it will give your signals an extra boost. You can select and add “priority categories” from options such as applications, games, etc. You can set different priority levels such as high, medium or low as well.
Replace your router Antenna
While this might seem obvious, many people suffer through low wifi signals due to the lack of knowledge that they can easily replace a faulty router antenna. Especially if you have been using the router for a while, investing on a new antenna will drastically improve the performance of your router.
Add a Wifi Range Extender
If you do not want to move your router and need to get a better signal to a place a little far away, there are wifi range extenders that you can buy in the market. You can easily configure and set it up in a few minutes to enjoy a stronger wifi signal.
Replace your Router if it’s Old
If nothing else works, there is no option but to replace your old wifi router. Cherish the good memories it has given you and replace it with a fresh new router that will give you a stronger signal!