Strengthen your intake of wai. Ways to boost WIFI signal

Problems with WiFi signal stability and poor wireless network reception in most cases can be solved at home. The first step is to choose the optimal router location. Then you should check its parameters and set the values ​​at which the connection speed will be maximum. If this does not help, it is advisable to use an external antenna or repeater.

Move the router to the center of the apartment

Regular home routers are equipped with omnidirectional antennas. Radio waves travel in all directions, and if the router location is poorly chosen, most of the signal can go to neighbors. To avoid this situation, install the device in a central part of the room in which it will be used. This will help strengthen the signal in distant rooms.

In the vertical plane, the router should be placed as high as possible. When choosing an access point location, mentally draw lines between it and the places where the wireless network will be used. There should be as few obstacles as possible in the path of signal propagation: thick walls and partitions, large household appliances, pieces of furniture.

Due to their physical properties, radio waves are able to bend around obstacles, reflecting from walls and interior items. But not all materials reflect WiFi equally. For example, aquariums and indoor plants absorb most of the wave energy. Therefore, if there are such objects between the router and the end device, changing the installation location will help strengthen the signal.

Change your router settings

The main parameters, changing which can strengthen the signal, include:

  • Transmitter power;
  • WiFi channel;
  • Operating mode according to the 802.11 standard.

All these properties can be changed through the router's web interface. The information required to enter this interface is usually indicated by the manufacturer on a sticker on the underside of the device. If it is not there, check the delivery package. It may contain a separate insert with login information: IP address of the admin panel, standard login and password.

Increasing router power

Go to the menu section responsible for setting up the WiFi network. Find "Transmit Power", "Tx Power" or "Transmit Power". The value of this parameter on most routers can be selected from a drop-down list. When used in large rooms with many obstacles, it is recommended to increase the power to 100%.

Important! On TP-Link equipment, instead of power as a percentage, a relative value is indicated: “High” or “High”.

Selecting the optimal wireless network channel

The most common frequency range on which WiFi operates is 2.4 GHz. It is divided into 13 partially overlapping bands of 20 or 40 MHz width. When several routers operate on the same frequency, signal overlap occurs, which reduces the quality of communication and the speed of data transfer.

To strengthen the reception level, select the least loaded channel in the access point parameters. You can find out which channels your neighbors' routers operate on using the free inSSIDer utility. You can also activate automatic channel selection in the router settings.

Changing the operating mode

The 802.11 wireless standard has several wireless network operating modes. The most common of them:

  • 802.11b/g/n;
  • 802.11g/n;
  • 802.11n.

The first two modes provide backward compatibility with legacy equipment that does not have the ability to work with the 802.11n standard. Their main disadvantage is the reduction in data exchange speed with modern devices that support “N” mode. To improve the performance of your home network, enable data transfer according to the 802.11n standard. After this, reboot the router and make sure that all network devices have successfully connected to WiFi.

Advice! Do not select “802.11n” if not all home equipment supports this wireless mode. Otherwise, such devices will not be able to connect to the WiFi network.

Install an external antenna or powerful adapter

Antennas on most routers are connected via an RP-SMA connector. Standard signal amplifiers, as a rule, can be removed and then replaced with antennas with a higher gain. When choosing such equipment, consider the type of connector, power and directionality. You can check equipment compatibility on the manufacturer's website.

But even connecting a powerful antenna will not help ensure a high signal level on devices with a low-power receiver. Data from the router will be freely transferred to a laptop or other device. However, the built-in radio module may not be able to cope with sending a return signal if there are many obstacles on the way to the router. In this case, it is advisable to strengthen the transmitter by connecting an external WiFi adapter with an antenna.

Have you bought a WiFi router, but the Internet speed leaves much to be desired? This situation is quite prosaic and occurs more often than you think. The question is “how to strengthen the signal of a Wi-Fi router?” asked by thousands of users and you, of course, are not alone. Why many people encounter this problem and what ways to solve it, we will try to reveal in this article.

Why is my WiFi signal weak?

Oddly enough, even owners of the latest lines of equipment are familiar with situations when the Internet is unexpectedly interrupted at the most interesting place. And the situation with devices that have expired is not worth mentioning at all. The thing is that the problem of signal amplification is solved in a complex manner. So, even if you have a router of the latest series, but the house has a lot of partitions and load-bearing walls, in addition to furniture, mirrors and a full arsenal of household appliances, you definitely shouldn’t count on powerful WiFi.

There are a lot of ways to strengthen Wi-Fi, but you should know that to effectively solve the problem you need to approach the issue comprehensively and try several options. Only in this case can you forget about a weak WiFi signal for a long time.

All technologies for improving communication are conditionally combined into two groups: software and hardware. In the first case, changes are made to the applications and settings of the router. This procedure is not limited to just setting a password or updating the SSID, but requires more professional intervention. In the second, the reception and transmission power increases with the purchase of a new, more productive router. But let's talk about each one separately.

Method number 1. Changing the installation location of the Wi-Fi router

When purchasing equipment, the first thing consultants pay attention to is the layout features and area of ​​the room. If the house has plasterboard or reinforced concrete partitions, then the location where the router will be installed should be chosen more carefully. The router is installed in the central part of the house so as to distribute the signal evenly throughout the network. An obstacle to the full operation of the router can also be the close proximity of DECT phones, microwave ovens, etc. If it is not possible to buy a dual-band router, then the best way to strengthen the signal is to place these devices as far from each other as possible.

Method number 2. Experimenting with frequency channels of wireless networks

Once you look at the “Remote Access” tab on your computer (bottom right), you will see a list of private networks deployed on the same frequency as your router. “Why do I need to know about the existence of other networks?” - you ask. The thing is that each of them takes up part of the channel, reducing the range of your router. To avoid such unwanted interference, you need to switch to another channel. This problem is solved using a special program, for example, inSSIDer. It is installed on the PC and launched. The program will provide you with data about the available wireless networks in your county, and what channel each one occupies. Having selected a free one, configure the device: go to the “Wireless Network” tab and select the “Channel” line. After selecting a free port, confirm the actions by successively clicking on “Change/Save”.


Method No. 3. Selecting the wireless standard 802.11n

The latest wireless standards include 802.11ac. Despite this, the 802.11n channel has significant advantages over the latter. This technology allows for the use of several antennas at once, allowing signal reception to be enhanced several times. With the transition to the "n" standard, the router can operate at the less noisy 5 GHz frequency, providing maximum coverage area. There is only one “but” here. You can safely switch to the slightly outdated 802.11n standard only if your computer and mobile equipment supports operation at this frequency. This feature is not provided in the latest line of devices.

Method number 4. We buy a signal amplifier

In the catalog of our online store website, which are distinguished by their miniature dimensions, low price and easy setup. An example of such a device is Alfa APA05, which allows you to expand the wireless signal area in any environment.


Method No. 5. We use DD-WRT firmware

It has been verified that the DD-WRT firmware significantly enhances the router’s signal, improving the stability of its operation. The program also provides access to advanced modes. But try not to overdo it: long-term operation of equipment at high power can have a negative effect on the body.

Method number 6. We set restrictions on network access

The overall network performance and reception speed are affected by the active use of the system by other family members. So, if someone in the house constantly downloads movies or plays resource-intensive games, then the rest of the users can only be content with the slow Internet. It is for such cases that the QoS (Quality of Service) setting is provided. It will allow you to set priorities for speed areas that are more important for you.

Method No. 7. Choosing a strong password for your Wi-Fi router

The router ships with a default password. However, if your neighbor is an advanced PC user, then such a password cannot become a serious obstacle to connecting to your Wi-Fi network. You can deprive him of the pleasure of using the free Internet by installing a complex code. The latter must consist of at least eight characters (a combination of numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters). For reliability, filtering is installed by MAC address and a WPA password is used. About, .


Method No. 8. Installing a more powerful repeater

This method is one of the most effective. Special signal amplifiers or Wi-Fi repeaters connect to an already deployed network as a client, expanding the network coverage area, meaning you no longer need to replace all antennas with more powerful ones. The repeater becomes the signal distribution point, providing coverage over the entire area.

If this method of signal amplification interests you, then you should know that there are two types of repeaters on sale: simple devices that perform exclusively the function of a repeater, and improved routers that can expand the coverage area of ​​a Wi-Fi network by combining several access points into a single system. Routers of the second type work with the support of WDS technology and are versatile: they are used as a repeater and as a router for connecting to the Internet. .

Method number 9. Choosing a Wi-Fi adapter with a portable antenna

This option is especially relevant for those who are pretty tired of running around the whole house, looking for corners where signal reception is stronger. The adapter is connected to the computer, and the antenna is installed in a powerful reception area. If you decide, contact our consultants.

Method No. 10. We replace the antenna with a more productive model

As a rule, the average gain of a router antenna is within 2-3 dBi. To achieve a noticeable improvement in reception, it is enough to upgrade it to a more powerful device - up to 8 dBi.


Method No. 11. We are buying a new router.

In a home/office where powerful computer equipment is installed, you will have to take care of installing a powerful router if a wired connection is not acceptable. The catalog of our online store includes Ubiquiti, Tenda, Asus, MikroTik, HP and others.

The coverage area and power of Wi-Fi signal reception and transmission can be significantly increased only after identifying the cause of poor reception. And only after that you need to use our recommendations, not in a single way, but by immediately combining several signal amplification options.

We hope that now you know how to strengthen your router's WiFi signal. If you still have questions, please contact our consultants.

Surely you have heard about such a device as a wifi repeater? It is also called a Wi-Fi repeater or Wi-Fi signal amplifier. What is this anyway? The very idea of ​​Wi-Fi is that the Internet should not be limited to one room, but spread throughout the entire apartment, office or even a personal plot. But the greater the distance from the wireless distribution source, the worse its speed. And one of the devices that provides more stable operation over long distances is a WiFi repeater - a router signal amplifier for a laptop or computer.

How does the amplifier work and how to connect a wifi signal repeater?

How does a WiFi repeater work?

The scheme is very simple - we determine in which room the signal on the laptop is weakest or there is none at all. This situation can most often arise in two cases:


After we have found out where we need to strengthen the wireless wifi signal, we find the place where the network receives, but not so well - by one or two divisions on the phone. This is where we put the repeater - its operating area is circular, which means that it will pick up the signal from the wifi router and transmit it further.


Models of wifi repeaters

So, we found out that a wifi repeater, which is also called a repeater, serves to repeat the existing signal coming from the access point, and thereby strengthen the signal and increase the range of wifi. It does not carry any other functions, so, apparently, it is in the shadow of a more well-known wireless device - a router, which, by the way, can also. But for the function of extending the reception area, it is simply irreplaceable, both for home and in the office, especially since in most cases it is designed as a kind of charger connected to an electrical outlet.

WiFi signal repeaters are produced by the same companies as other network equipment - Asus, Zyxel, Tenda, D-Link, TP-Link and others. The photo below shows the TP-Link TL-WA850RE repeater model, which the company kindly provided to us.


Here are the main technical characteristics:

  • Speed ​​up to 300 Mbps
  • 1 Ethernet port 10/100 Mbps (RJ45)
  • 2 built-in WiFi antennas
  • Frequency 2.4 - 2.4835 GHz
  • Two simultaneous modes - repeater and client

Setting up a WiFi signal amplifier for a TP-Link router

There are three ways to set up a TP-Link wifi repeater:

  1. Through automatic connection of the repeater via WPS
  2. Via WiFi using a smartphone, tablet or laptop
  3. Through a computer connected to it via twisted pair

Automatic connection of a TP-Link WiFi repeater to the router using the WPS button


Like most modern models of wireless network devices, the TP-Link TL-WA850RE wifi amplifier supports automatic tuning to the signal of an existing access point. To do this, the router must also have such a function - the “WPS” button (“QSS” on TP-LINK devices) is responsible for turning it on.

We press on it and on a similar large button on the amplifier, after which it should pick up wifi and start distributing it.

Setting up a router WiFi signal repeater from a smartphone

I prefer to keep the whole process under control, so I never use the automatic method of setting up the repeater, but do everything manually. In order to configure the amplifier from a phone or tablet, we also click on the central button on the device, turn on WiFi on the smartphone and find in the list of available networks for connection the network called TP-LINK_Extender_7320BA - this is the SSID that is programmed into the device by default.

Let's connect to it.
Immediately after the connection, we will be redirected to the authorization page in the admin panel for the initial installation - a window will open to enter your login and password. By default in this model it is admin/admin - yours may have others, so look either at the instructions or at the sticker on the bottom of the repeater - it usually contains all the access data.


Setting up a WiFi signal repeater from a computer or laptop via cable

This configuration option can also be implemented in two ways

  1. using the installation disk that comes with the wifi repeater,
  2. or via the web interface.

The second one is closer to me, so we’ll take it as the main one in this instruction.

So, if you don’t have a smartphone at hand, then we connect the computer to the repeater directly using a twisted pair cable - the “Ethernet” light on the device will blink.

Here we need to select “Local Area Connection”. Right-click on it and select “Properties”. Here, as always, we are interested in the “Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties” item.

If you already have a local network configured through your router, then write them all down on paper and save them, but for now, set all the checkboxes to “Automatic”:

We save and go to the browser at http://tplinkextender.net, which we also recognized from the magic sticker on the case. The already familiar authorization page will open, where we enter the login and password “admin”.

We get to the admin panel. Everything is very easy here - follow the step-by-step guide, entering the necessary data.
First, select the country, after which the device begins scanning available networks. If your wifi is found, select it. In the same case, if the security settings on the router hide the SSID, then you can check the box “Specify the SSID and MAC address manually.” And click the “Next” button.

In the next step, we need to select the encryption type of your existing network (set in the router admin panel) and enter the password for your Wi-Fi.

Here you can also choose whether the repeater will clone the name of your network (SSID) or whether it will have its own name, which you will set manually. In this case, the local network will remain the same, that is, your main one may be called Network 1, and the second Network 2, but in essence it will be the same thing, and no matter which of them you connect the PC to, it will see other devices, connected to the network.

And finally, in the last step we see our entire configuration, after which we apply it by clicking on the “Finish” button. After rebooting, the wifi repeater will begin distributing the Internet from your router, thereby increasing the wireless signal reception range.

Also, after a quick configuration, the left menu will become available, in which you can configure the repeater in more detail - change the encryption key, disable the DCHP server on it, manually set the IP address, enable MAC filtering, update the firmware, view statistics, etc.

That's it. Now you can return the network settings on your computer to their original settings and disconnect the cable that connected it to the repeater. By the way, if you noticed, the PC also began to receive the Internet - via a cable from the repeater, that is, it can also work in client mode, receiving the Internet via wifi and distributing it via twisted pair to the computer. Now even in the farthest corner you will have stable reception!

Testing Internet speed via WiFi repeater

Since a new link has appeared in the chain of receiving Internet from the provider to the computer in the form of a WiFi repeater, our review would be incomplete if we did not check whether it reduces the speed. In other words, how different is the speed of information transfer between computers connected through this repeater from the speed when connecting directly to the router.

For the test, we made three measurements using the TP-Link TL-WA850RE repeater inside a local network between a computer and a laptop using the AIDA32 Network Benchmark utility.

  1. The first test - this will be the starting point in our experiment - such a “litmus test”. Let's measure the speed inside a local network without a wireless signal amplifier - the computer is connected to the router via twisted pair, the laptop is connected to it, but via WiFi. At the same time, for the purity of the result, there was no radioactivity near the transmitter, such as a mobile phone, TV or anything else, and the laptop was located in close proximity to the signal source.

    This is what we got.

    We note that there is a small amplitude of speed fluctuations; on average, it was at the level of 2200 kV/s (17 Mbit/s).

  2. The second test is that the computer remains connected to the router via cable, and the laptop remains connected via WiFi to the repeater, for which we made our own network SSID, so it is impossible to confuse it with a signal from the main source. In this case, the amplifier and laptop were in the same place, that is, next to each other.

    Result:

    The speed dropped slightly - to an average of 1600 kV/s (12.5 Mbit/s). Also, the spread between the minimum and maximum values ​​is not particularly different, which is also very good.

  3. The third test was to leave the laptop connected via WiFi to the router, and the PC via an amplifier, but connecting them with a patch cord. Thus, we use the second opportunity of this model - to act as a WiFi adapter.

    We get:

    Fluctuations between the minimum and maximum values ​​are also insignificant, that is, the connection is quite stable, but the overall speed has become even slightly lower, to 1100 kV/s, or 8.5 Mbit/s.

  4. And finally, the fourth test - we connect both the PC and the laptop to the repeater, but the station PC with a cable, and the laptop wirelessly.

    Unstable speed with large fluctuations, average high - at the level of 4800 KB/s = 37.5 Mbit/s.

Summarize. As you can see, the presence of another link within the local network between two computers in a video wifi repeater still reduces the overall speed, which was not a surprise to us, since the presence of any additional device, be it a repeater, powerline or some other adapter, will influence her. The most interesting thing was to see in which mode these losses would be the least.

As it turned out, the highest average speed was with the scheme (No. 4), when the computers were connected to each other through a repeater, bypassing the router - 4800 Kbps compared to 2200 that WiFi without a repeater gave. This is quite logical, since between them there was not that extra “knee” in the chain, in the form of a router, whose role in this case was played by today’s hero. Although the spread between the largest and smallest values ​​is a little annoying - the connection is not stable.

But the most questions from this test arose for my ASUS RT-N10U router - why does it output only 2 MB per second?? It turns out that in my network it is he who is the weakest link - it’s worth thinking about, as in one famous program, saying “goodbye” to him and looking at another model.

The second place in speed went to scheme No. 2, in which one of the computers was connected to the router using a patch cord, and our repeater distributed a signal to the laptop. Although, as we found out, the router played a disservice to us here, this does not affect the overall picture in any way, since after that we tried to use TP-LINK as an adapter (No. 3), receiving a wireless signal and sharing it on the PC - with this he did the worst job.

Range of wifi amplifier

As for the distance over which this repeater model expanded the signal from the main source and strengthened WiFi. I connected it in the room farthest from the access point in an ordinary “Brezhnev” three-ruble note - it turned out that it directly passed through 3 plasterboard walls at a distance of about 10 meters. In this room, even the iPad Air couldn’t connect to the Internet, the wireless module of which has no complaints - it sees wifi even where it is no longer available on other smartphones. Our Extender from TP-LINK also caught it (two antennas make themselves felt). And without any problems I began to extend it all the way up the staircase. I agree that the initial location of the Point is not very good, but for our experience it was just right.

Numerically, this is expressed as follows. When there was no repeater, in the far corner of the apartment the Internet speed from the router was as follows:

When we connected the amplifier, this is what we got for the wifi signal zone:

Of course, these results are relevant only for my network - they were influenced by the characteristics of the PC’s network card, the laptop’s wireless module, the router’s hardware, and even the radiomagnetic environment in the room, which we brought as close as possible to a quiet everyday one. But they certainly represent the overall picture, so you can safely use these conclusions in your practice when designing your networks.

Well, the TL-WA850RE did its job perfectly, and I can recommend it to my subscribers as an effective way to expand your WiFi reception area.

Running around your apartment looking for a Wi-Fi signal is not a pleasant experience. We will tell you in our article what impairs data transmission from a router and how to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in an apartment using software and technical methods.

What affects the strength of a Wi-Fi signal?

Wireless digital streaming technology, commonly referred to as Wi-Fi, was invented in 1991. Today we give it preference even when the device has a LAN port. But the problem is that the router’s coverage area is often insufficient, and there are places in the house where the signal does not reach.

The term “Wi-Fi” was originally coined as a play on words to attract the consumer’s attention with a “hint” of Hi-Fi (English: “High Fidelity”). Despite the fact that at first the phrase “Wireless Fidelity” appeared in some WECA press releases, this wording has now been abandoned, and the term “Wi-Fi” is not deciphered in any way. Wikipedia

The following can extinguish the Wi-Fi signal in an apartment:

  • walls. Plasterboard covering, partitions made of aerated concrete and foam blocks are a significant barrier to the path of radio waves. If the wall is cast from concrete and reinforced with metal reinforcement, the signal is shielded and loses strength. Mirrors, aquariums and stained glass have the same effect;
  • Appliances. Devices whose operating principle is based on radio wave radiation (microwave ovens, cordless phones, radios, etc.) can distort the Wi-Fi signal;
  • nearby access points. Clogged channels negatively affect data transfer speeds.

Try to minimize the influence of the above factors, this will help to some extent strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in the apartment. The location of the router is also an important point. It should be in the center, then the coverage area will be maximum.

Ways to boost the signal using settings

If you are unhappy with the signal quality, do not rush to purchase additional devices. Your wireless network may not be configured correctly. Therefore, check the options listed below and change the settings if necessary.

Frequency Match

Often there are several wireless networks in a house, the frequency channels of which may coincide. As a result, the quality of data transmission even over short distances deteriorates significantly. Therefore, you should check and reconfigure the channel. Install the inSSIDer program on a computer that has a Wi-Fi adapter, open it and in the table that appears on the screen, look at which frequency channels the nearest wireless networks operate on (the “Chanel” column).

Having found out which channels remain free (usually used from 1 to 13), retune yours, following the instructions:

Low router power

A low-power transmitter on a router can also degrade signal quality. In advanced network settings, this setting is called Wireless Transmit Power. Opposite it you need to set the maximum power (in some models it is indicated as a percentage, in some - in words indicating low, medium and high power) and press the save button.

Wireless standard

The 802.11n standard can provide maximum coverage today. To reconfigure the network to it, select Wireless Mode in the web interface settings in the Wireless menu and select 802.11n in the column opposite. Then save, reboot and reconnect the device. A prerequisite is that this standard must be supported by both the router and the computer.

frequency range

Some modern router models are dual-band, that is, they can operate in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Switching to 5 GHz will provide better signal quality because it will not interfere with radio waves emitted by other household appliances (they operate at a lower frequency).

Ways to boost the signal using devices

You can also make a number of technical improvements to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in your apartment.

Antenna modification

The first way is to strengthen the antenna. Some “kulibins” try to do this using improvised means - foil or tin cans. In the video you can see the principle of manufacturing such “amplifiers”:

However, according to those who have already tried this method, you will not get a noticeable effect. It’s better to replace the antenna with a more powerful one: you’ll have to pay about $8, but the coverage area will increase significantly (provided that an 8dBi device is installed in place of the 2-3dBi antenna).

Repeater installation

The repeater is capable of significantly expanding the signal propagation radius.

GSM repeater is a repeater and amplifier of radio communication signals, designed to locally expand its coverage area. It is a complex active radio-electronic device that operates complete with antennas and radio frequency cables. Wikipedia

Outwardly, it resembles a small power supply that plugs into an outlet. This device costs about $25, but you are guaranteed to be able to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in your apartment.

Are you going on vacation to Crimea and want to know where the nearest Wi-Fi points are located? Find their list in the material “Wi-Fi points of Crimea”.


Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Read also on our website:

show more

It is impossible to count the number of devices that have a built-in Wi-Fi module. Smartphones, laptops and desktop PCs, as well as refrigerators, televisions and other household appliances have this technology. Many users use routers to connect their devices to the Internet; they can have both a LAN port to connect using a cable, and a Wi-Fi adapter to distribute the Internet to other devices that also have Wi-Fi technology. Unfortunately, the wireless signal propagation area is not very large, and if there are obstacles in the way, it is generally very small. Of course, there are many standards on which the signal strength depends, and another important parameter is the number of antennas.

If you use Wi-Fi technology, but don't know what you can do to strengthen your adapter's WiFi signal, then this article is for you. Here I will try to explain hardware and software ways to improve the signal.

But before we begin, I would like to note one important point.

Pay attention to the location of the router. It would not be bad if it was located closer to the middle of the room and the whole house, so that the signal spreads evenly and you feel comfortable using the wireless network. Signal deterioration can be caused by many factors. At home, these are walls, and if it is also concrete, then transmitting radio waves will be much worse. Any thing - from a painting, a drawing or a mirror can, to some extent, degrade signal reception. Therefore, I want you to try to position your router in such a way that the signal is available in all areas of the house. If possible, remove things that may cause interference.

How to strengthen WiFi signal reception using programs?

Many users, due to inexperience, leave the router settings at their defaults, unless they change the network name and password. This is not entirely correct and now I will explain why.

Channel frequencies match other Wi-Fi networks

If you live in an apartment building, then there is almost a 100% chance that there is a Wi-Fi network that broadcasts on the same channel as you. This phenomenon often interrupts signal reception. In the router settings, you need to change the channel to a free one or to one with the fewest other wireless networks.

You can see who is on which channel using the program inSSIDer. Download it from here and install it on a PC with an outbred adapter.

The program window will indicate the found wireless networks, and in the column "Channel" the channels they occupy are displayed. In the Russian Federation, only thirteen channels are usually used, in other countries either more or less.

We have figured out the channels, then we will start changing the settings of our router. Typically, the following addresses are used for this, which must be entered into the address bar of the browser: http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1. Next, you will be asked to enter your login and password; if you have not changed anything, then by default it is admin (both login and password).

You need to find the functions related to the Wi-Fi wireless network, it may be written Wireless. There will definitely be a section Channels(Channel), from which you can select a number from 1 to 13.

Change the channel to free and save. After this action, you will suffer much less from interference and the signal will be more stable.

Router transmitter signal low

By default, some routers may have low transmitter power. But it can be changed. Still in the same router settings, find the parameter Transmission power(Transmit Power), and set the value to 100%. Or you need to select a value High(High).

Of course, this function is not available on all models. Sometimes special firmware for similar models, if they exist, helps.

802.11n is faster

Wi-Fi has many standards by which a wireless network can operate. The fastest is, of course, the 802.11n standard, which even gives a larger coverage radius if several antennas are used. You also need to take into account the support of this standard by other devices, because if you switch to it, some devices will not detect your network due to low range.

Look in the router settings "Operating mode" or "Wireless Network Mode", or "Wireless mode" and switch to 802.11n. For the changes to take effect, reboot the router.

Using the 5 GHz band

The use of the 802.11n standard makes it possible in expensive models to use two types of range - 2.4 GHz (Used by all devices) and 5 GHz(Not used by everyone). The 2.4 GHz band is very busy, it is used by many devices around us and these are not only wireless adapters, but even a microwave oven can create problems for us. The 5 GHz frequency range is now practically free, so it is advisable to switch all devices to it.

Improving Signal in Windows

In this paragraph, more attention is focused on laptops. The fact is that when you set “Energy Saving” in the energy settings, this can affect the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. Therefore it is better to set "Balanced" mode, or "High performance". Then you will receive the signal from a greater distance.

For those who don’t know, the power settings are located in the following place: right-click on the battery icon on the taskbar and select “Power Options” and set the required control scheme.

Signal power limitation and can it be removed?

I would like to note that all routers have a strict power limit of 100 mW. Of course, in Chinese stores there are adapters that can handle distances of up to several kilometers, but you won’t find this in regular electronics stores. Is it possible to increase the signal strength programmatically? Answer: partially possible.

Unfortunately, there is some complexity - you need to use a Linux distribution, for example, Kali Linux, or an analogue - Backtrack 5r3, support for which has ceased.

The fact is that in most countries the power of the wireless transmitter is limited to 100 mW, but for Bolivia and some other countries there is no this limit, so in the terminal you need to enter a number of these commands:

In this example wlan0 is the wireless adapter you are using, and 100 – set power in mW (milliwatt).

How to boost WiFi signal using hardware method?

All means are good, which means that together with software methods we can achieve a stable and high transmitter signal. Even if software methods do not produce results, the following methods may help.

Improving the signal by upgrading antennas

I have come across many methods to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal on the Internet. For example, people make a directional antenna that works in all directions and for this they use foil or a Pepsi or beer can. Of course, the use of such methods is doubtful, but for whom?

More powerful antennas, which can be purchased at the store, are more effective. You need to make sure that your antenna has a gain of 2-3 dBi, then they can be replaced with 8 dBi antennas.

Using a repeater to strengthen the reception signal

These devices are also called repeaters, and they can greatly increase the coverage area. The repeater connects to your wireless network and increases its range.

Buying a more powerful Wi-Fi adapter

You can do this: if you have a laptop that does not have strong enough signal reception on the wireless adapter, replace it with a more powerful one. This also applies to desktop computers. It is best to take an adapter that connects via USB and has an antenna, which can perhaps be replaced with a more powerful one.

If you have other ways to increase the signal of a wi-fi adapter, write about it in the comments, everyone will be interested.