The issue of home connectivity has always been a reason for conversation, especially those of these devices, which because they are easy to use and comfort have become an ideal option at the moment we want have internet access , without the need to be anchored to a computer connected to another, or when we want to be in different places of the house.
But as a result, the question arises Where can we place the router to have more WiFi coverage? Choosing the ideal site for this is not so easy, since it is not always enough to place it near the place Where is the point of the phone. There are also other factors that influence this and must be taken into account when locating it, since it must be positioned in a strategic space.
Many of these things can influence the signal quality to a greater or lesser extent. Achieving a better location within our home may be the answer to any possible problem. However, there are still more points to consider. That is why this tutorial will indicate the causes and possible solutions.
Index:
What factors affect the quality of the Wi-Fi signal ?
In the first instance the decrease in its quality is due to the dividing physical elements inside a house, such as walls, metal objects that interrupt the signal quickly, the local characteristics of the environment, shared access , poor performance when connected, among others.
Although some things cannot be avoided, there are methods that can help minimize these situations and improve network performance. One of them may be a correct location of the equipment inside the home.
- Physical elements: The greater the number of obstacles that exist between the transmitter and the receiver, that is, between the equipment and who receives the signal, the greater the possibility that The intensity of this is degraded. So you have to try to always have direct vision between them. This in the real world is impossible, but it is possible to minimize these effects if we use the appropriate frequencies. As a general rule, at a lower frequency, greater penetration of Wireless waves. In the same way at higher frequencies, better wave reflection properties.
- Metallic objects: This is because the equipment has electromagnetic waves that can be crossed with the waves of Internet signal and distort it by not being in an interference-free zone.
- Local characteristics of the environment: Refers to the type of material from which the physical elements of a place are constructed , because these waves cannot cross these divisions and therefore the transfer decreases.
- Shared access: If there are many users connected the signal speed will decrease, since the distances between connected and orientation of the WiFi router influence considerably.
- Poor performance when connected: This is when there are household electrical appliances near the router device.
Steps and tricks to improve and increase the WiFi signal in our house
Next we will reveal some tricks that you can take into account to intensify it. First of all, check the frequency of range your router has, because this depends on the range it can cover.
Most devices are capable of emitting and receiving 2.4 GHz, but many others cover the 5GHz band. This difference may be the main cause of the intensity it has.
Improve Router location
An ideal place to cover great coverage and speed as much as possible is the center of your home, because that way all the spaces where you want to be connected and at a height would be distributed evenly considerable. This favors the signal by having fewer obstacles that decrease its frequency.
Use a second router
This can be a used equipment but in good condition. Locate it near the main router and in an area where you want to have greater amplitude of WiFi signal .
Minimize obstacles
We have so many objects at home and we have no idea how they interfere with the transmission of internet data, among them we can find: mirrors, this material reflects the electromagnetic waves of the signal , that is, they divert it by interrupting the communication. Another obstacle is the closed doors, because if the internet team is distant from the area where you are, you will have less receptivity .
Change the network channel
This is a concurrent problem due to saturation of channels, interruptions and frequency locks. The solution in this case is to modify the WiFi channel from the router configuration and set it to a different one from other nearby users.
Buy a repeater or PLC
It is a simple device that allows you to transfer the internet connection through wired electrical connection. It can be plugged into the specific place where the internet signal does not arrive , what it will do will be to distribute the coverage and allow a greater reach through the electrical installation of the house.
It is worth mentioning that this device may not work properly if it is not plugged directly into a wall socket, since if you use a power strip or extension , this repeater does not optimally distribute the power connection internet.
They consist of two devices, where one takes the WiFi and feeds the power grid and another acts as an extender to distribute the signal to different places inside a house, office and others. It is possible to use several of them to be able to distribute the entire signal through more places in the house, it is a very effective and really economical method for the benefits we get from it.
Orientation of the antennas
These should be at 90 ° and parallel to each other, so that in this way they provide a better transmission of the internet signal. The waves work best in their ability to receive other independently connected equipment. While they do not influence the speed, it is so that it works effectively in the range of the router.
>
How to make a homemade Wi-Fi amplifier?
There are low cost and artisanal solutions, to put it in a less technical way to expand the WiFi signal. These are ideal in very specific situations, because they focus only on it being amplified and in only one direction.
For example, if you are doing an activity from your computer with internet access, but you are in an area like your home office, you will have to locate the home amplifier directed towards your work area with the cans as parabolic, This will make the power rise and have a better range. You can do it as follows.
- Two routers are needed, this to use one as the main one to emit signal and the other to increase the coverage. Otherwise, it can be a device that has two antennas.
- DHCP is deactivated and the IPLAN is changed. Connect the secondary router to the main one. Next, it is advisable to separate both devices to increase the WiFi signal and cover all rooms.
In recent years, researchers at Dartmouth University confirmed that the use of foil bordering a 3D printed sheet and placed between the router’s antennas, could expand the WiFi signal and its speed . To evidence this theory, they experimented. Evidently it turned out to be feasible, so it surpassed other higher cost solutions.
If the previous one you experienced did not convince you, this trick may seem unfeasible. It is to elaborate a tool in a homemade way that allows to extend the coverage in the house by means of cans of soda or beer . Then:
- The can cylinder is trimmed. Separating the upper and lower base and leaving the middle part as a rectangle.
- Next, introduces the router antenna through the hole in the upper cylinder can and place it in the rectangular part behind it pointing towards the top, similar to satellite dishes.
It is a simple trick that seems to be very effective, can improve the signal and also increase coverage in every corner of our house.
What devices and devices serve to extend the wireless network signal? / span>
There are other devices that can help in case the previous methods of improving the signal amplitude are not favorable. These devices contribute to increase the internet signal in our equipment.
A signal extender
It is a device that has a plug to connect it to the power outlet of the house, this is located in a central place so that it is distributed equally throughout the area. The virtues of these devices is their simple structure and easy installation and functionality. Its drawbacks is that if the signal of the main equipment is already low the repeater will be sent in the same frequency.
Usb WiFi antennas for coverage extension
The most effective solution to cover the connection with your PC is using a USB antenna, this is about external directional antennas that connect to the computer port. To increase the signal you just have to point to where the network comes from.
Improve the router
There will always be many advantages in terms of the power that a computer offers, due to its design and configuration. In the market there are from the most elementary to the most powerful, which greatly affects the necessary operation that we require if we have several users connected to a single network. The prices are very varied and in addition to this the broadband capacity of the internet influences considerably.
The Movistar, Vodafone and Orange devices can be a good option, although everything will depend on the cost, because the higher the price, the better the quality. Apart from these, there are other routers such as dual band, which broadcast on two frequencies, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. They can be connected to your company’s device or to the network itself. optical fiber. You also have other options such as TP-Link Archer C2600 and TP-Link Archer C3200 .
Wifi router firmware update
There are devices that are configured to update themselves, others must instead be done manually. Reviewing the instruction manual of the equipment will let you know what conditions it is in and be able to take this action in case it is necessary.
List of applications that help us improve the reception of the WiFi signal
If you have a bad signal, you may be looking for a way to improve it. Previously we mentioned some methods that you can use, but if you are looking for something else, it is possible that with some tools you can achieve to expand your connection. With the help of these tools you can contribute to greatly optimize its range.
Connection Stabilizer Booster
The application is available on Android. This seeks to offer you a stable internet connection and stabilize even mobile networks such as 2G GPRS, EDGE, HSPA 3G, 4G and LTE. Helps maintain traffic on servers and optimize TCP / IP parameters.
Speedtest and 3G 4G WiFi Maps
This platform is responsible for improving the signal of your Android device. When you open it, it shows a map with the nearest WiFi signals so you can identify them. Among its tools it has a compass that will help you identify the direction where it comes from so you can achieve a better connection. The function of SpeedTest will allow you to check the speed with which it works.
Wireshark
It is an open source software used to analyze and solve network problems. It is compatible with all operating systems and with a series of communication protocols in addition to WiFi. This allows you to see all the traffic passing through the network setting the configuration known as “promiscuous mode”.
Among other options are:
- NetSpot
- WiFi Manager
- WiFi Analyzer
- Acrylic Wi-Fi Home
- WiFi Connect
- Signal Finder