The question of how to strengthen the signal of a Wi-Fi router is asked today by many users.
First of all, this is due to the low quality of equipment distributed free of charge by providers, subject to ordering a certain package of services from them.
Such routers provide acceptable signal quality only in the line of sight at a relatively short distance.
It should be noted that in most cases this is quite enough, especially if distribution is planned in a wooden or brick house.
In addition to purely technical problems with the distribution radius of a Wi-Fi router, there is also a legislative limit on the maximum radiation power of such devices.
Ways to increase the coverage radius of a WI-FI network
- Installing a second router for distribution in an area not covered by the main emitter. Often this option allows you to solve the problem with minimal cost. The figure explains the principle of distribution using a repeater:
- You can purchase a high-quality router, for which three or four floors in a panel house are a normal service area. This is the most reliable, but also the most expensive option;
- You can significantly increase the service area by replacing the standard antenna of the router with a more powerful one. As a rule, large antennas have higher gain;
- Good results can be achieved by installing a simple signal reflector near the antenna (the design of one of the options is discussed below);
- If it is not possible to amplify the signal of the router, then you can try to find a place in the apartment from where the distribution will be carried out with minimal losses. This is a simple but very effective method.
Practical options for amplifying the signal of a wifi router
The old truth that the antenna is the best high-frequency amplifier has not been canceled.
Here is an example of a simple but very effective Wi-Fi band antenna providing 2x to 4x signal amplification:
If the manufacture of this antenna is difficult or there are no necessary skills, then a reflective screen can be installed near the standard antenna:
Despite the elementary nature of the design, the effect of its use is simply amazing, it is not in vain that they say that simple solutions are the most efficient.
In fact, the installation of the screen does not affect the radiation power of the WI-FI router.
But by directing all the energy into a limited space for the user, this is tantamount to doubling the radiated power.
A similar effect is achieved in a flashlight or table lamp due to a reflector that directs light in a given direction.
Good advice: remember the cost of your device / devices for which you are going to distribute Wi-Fi in the apartment, and think about whether it is worth saving on a good router.
Hidden reserves of equipment
Many users are in a hurry to connect a brand new Wi-Fi router and do not pay enough attention to studying the instruction manual.
As a rule, at the factory, the router parameters are set to medium or minimum values.
This is quite justified from the point of view of noise immunity, especially in a residential apartment building or office center oversaturated with similar devices.
Carefully inspect the router and study the instructions, because it is quite possible that to increase the power, it is enough to select the value of the software switch or rearrange the chip on the case.
It is possible to specify the installed power as a percentage or fixed: maximum/medium/low (High/Medium/Low).
The propagation of a microwave signal significantly depends not only on the location of the router relative to the walls of the room, but also on the position of its antenna.
It is worth experimenting with different placement of equipment in the room, as well as changing the angle of the antenna of the router or the device using Wi-Fi several times.
For the normal use of the WI-FI network, the parameters of not only the router are important, but also the equipment receiving the signal.
When working with a laptop, we must not forget that in order to save battery power, voltage limitation on the network module is practiced, which significantly reduces the range.
Be sure to check the power settings for a weak signal and adjust them if necessary.
Today, wireless communication is the most demanded among the latest technologies. If the user is tired of looking around the apartment for a place where excellent Internet is available, you can try to strengthen the signal of the wi-fi router with your own hands.
Methods for improving the work with a wireless network are combined into three main groups: software settings on the equipment, changing the location of communication devices, and hardware amplification. The best effect is given by the third way, which has several embodiments.
Interference. Wireless communications can weaken any electrical appliances. Here you need to amplify the wi-fi signal using a second router. Another option is to place the devices away from each other. You can strengthen the wireless Internet by changing the location of the router. Install it in a free, open space.
Often this action helps to improve the speed of the Internet. An in-depth study is required to identify the problem. Perhaps the old firmware has overheated. Rebooting it once a day helps to strengthen the signal of the Wi-Fi router in the apartment. It is carried out automatically or manually.
DD-WRT flashing is also used as a wi-fi router signal booster. By performing this action, we get additional functions, the operation of the router is noticeably improved.
Installing the DD-WRT Firmware
Internet speed is affected by:
- downloading movies;
- participation in online games;
- sitting in video chats.
If this is your case, configure "QualityofService or QoS". Thus, prioritize the more necessary programs.
Set a password on the router. This action will protect the Internet from connecting neighbors to it.
Homemade screen. The additional design of the router will help to make the wi-fi signal stronger. Take a can of beer, set it as a reflector, directing the waves from the amplifier in your direction. This simple solution is considered one of the workable ones. Installing the screen will not affect the radiation of the device. The energy will be directed into a limited space and create a Wi-Fi router signal amplifier.
Homemade screen from a jar for a router
Channel change. When neighbors share the same connection, the radio waves of the routers are able to overlap each other. The speed drops noticeably. You can increase the wi-fi signal by changing the data transfer channel. Change settings on your computer. When there is a "power saving mode", Wi-Fi does not accept 100%. Switch the power mode. Find "signal strength", set to maximum, save this parameter.
Setting signal strength
As you can see, there are many tips for strengthening Wi-Fi with your own hands. What exactly each user chooses depends on the operation of his network, capabilities, desires.
Hardware amplification
The wi-fi network depends directly on the distribution power, and on the propagation conditions. The presence of barriers with a screen effect between the router and the receiving device can negate the positive characteristics of the first. The reverse is also true. Therefore, increased range and improved quality are achieved in different ways.
Using a repeater to amplify the wi-fi signal
Powerful wifi antenna
How to enhance the distribution of a wi-fi router using additional devices:
- organize a system of repeaters or repeaters;
- connect the antenna through a cable to move to the most advantageous place for signal propagation;
- use an amplified antenna for a wi-fi router;
- buy a powerful router. This method is more expensive than others, but effective and simpler. There is one catch - routers over 100 mW cannot be sold as household appliances.
Devices such as a repeater and an antenna to amplify the signal of a wi-fi router will help expand the coverage area when a convenient location is not available. A replaceable antenna for amplifying the wi-fi signal will change the shape of the coverage area, make it wider, but smaller in height. The gain will be several meters in range, not suitable for providing the Internet at different levels.
DIY antenna
How to strengthen the antenna of a wi-fi router? The simplest trick is to install the screen on the side opposite to the location of the receiver devices. This will improve signal propagation in the desired direction.
You can make a do-it-yourself wi-fi signal repeater from a second router if it has the WDS function. Special repeaters are powered from the mains and in operation are not much different from a router.
The advantage of this method is that a router with a wi-fi signal amplifier makes it possible to bypass obstacles that create an impenetrable screen. In a large house, installing repeaters will provide coverage in the most remote places.
Reinforcement with an adapter
To get a satisfactory Internet experience through wi-fi, there is special equipment - a wi-fi adapter. The device picks up a wireless connection, and connects via a USB connector or a PCI slot.
To solve the problem with the quality of communication, it is easiest to initially purchase a powerful adapter. The size of the antenna is directly proportional to the quality of information reception, so when buying, you don’t even have to study the characteristics. Sometimes the device is already available, but the power of action is not enough. There are two options here: connect via cable to a computer and amplify the wi-fi signal on the modem.
In the first case, the cable will allow you to place the adapter in the zone of the best distribution of the network. The only limitation is the length of the wire, which is difficult to find more than three meters.
To amplify the signal of the wi-fi adapter with your own hands, another antenna is purchased. But it will help if it was originally provided on the original device.
Most modern equipment has a built-in modem, for which these methods will not work. But there is a device for amplifying the wi-fi signal, which is connected via USB to computers and laptops.
Depending on the relative position of the router and gadgets, certain methods are applicable. It is important to determine the causes of a poor signal before choosing a specific type of amplification. A variety of equipment will allow you to choose the best solution for each specific case.
Gain without antenna
Ways to amplify the signal. This problem can be solved using a number of tools that enhance the signal. They are simple, do not require any additional effort to make your router work better.
How to amplify the signal of a wi-fi router without an antenna? Here you need to know that the operation of the router is affected by various interference from other devices: a cell phone, a microwave oven, a computer. These factors must be taken into account, but it is possible to increase the signal by applying some methods.
Signal amplification without antenna
How to amplify the signal of a wi-fi router Rostelecom without an antenna:
- put the router in the highest place in the house (for example, on a closet);
- do not allow the router to stand next to metal structures - refrigerators, safes, cabinets, etc.;
- if the computer or laptop does not have a very powerful wi-fi card, it must be replaced with a USB adapter;
- put a repeater between the router and the computer;
- change the signal transmission channel, for this, select a more suitable signal in the router configuration;
- eliminate radio interference as much as possible.
The listed methods are the main and most common. In addition to these methods, it is recommended to update the drivers.
How to replace the antenna on the router? On routers, the antennas are designed so that they transmit a signal in all directions at once. In such cases, part of the signal will disappear, the power of the router will work by half. Then you need to replace the antenna with an increased signal factor. To create a parabolic surface that directs the signal in the right direction, you can take an aluminum can as a material.
It will be possible to amplify the signal from the Rostelecom router if you correctly install the router in the apartment, directing its antennas at 45 ° angles and setting the 802.11 B / G mixed mode. An effective means of amplifying the signal is to install an access point in any part of the house.
Practically every user thinks about how to strengthen the signal of a wifi router at one time. As a rule, such a brilliant idea visits the “user” when, at the most inopportune moment, the WiFi signal disappears in an unknown direction: for example, you urgently need to send a message on a social network, or a climax has come in your favorite movie.
However, it is quite possible to amplify the wifi signal of a router in an apartment with your own hands, and for this you do not need to be a “hacker in a Guy Fawkes mask”.
How to amplify the signal of a wifi router with your own hands?
1. One of the most effective ways to improve the WiFi signal is. Let's say you have a 4-room apartment, and in each room there is a device that needs a wifi connection (for example, a laptop, smartphone, phone and tablet): in this case, the best solution would be to install a router in the center of the apartment so that between the wifi transmitter and devices turned out to be the same distance.
Yes, modern router models are “not scared” by small obstacles in the apartment (such as tables, headsets, refrigerators or thick walls), but such “obstacles” have a significant impact on the propagation of a wifi signal from “early” router models.
2. A special device - a repeater - will help to strengthen the wifi signal of the router in the apartment.
This inexpensive device will cost several times cheaper than buying a new, more powerful router, and by “cloning” the signals of the router, the repeater allows you to improve the wifi signal several times.
To correctly configure the repeater, you need:
- - turn on the repeater in the network and connect to it via cable or wifi connection;
- - go to the interface of the repeater from the computer: to do this, enter and specify the login and password in the browser;
- - on the main page, go to the “Repeater” section: after activation, the device will find all available wifi access points;
To strengthen the wifi signal in the apartment, select your access point and click "Apply".
3. The network standard set in the router settings has a special effect on wifi speed.
To date, the most common is 802.11n, which has replaced 802.11g (we will not take 802.11ac as an example, since it has not yet entered mass production).
Setting the desired standard is not difficult: the main thing is that your router fully “supports” it.
How to boost wifi signal on router?
4. On some models of D-link and Zuxel routers, it is possible to manually adjust the signal strength. To independently amplify the wifi signal, you need to find the item “Transmission power” (or “Wireless Transmit Power”) in the router interface in the “Advanced settings” section and set it to 100%.
For this:
Let's take as a basis that, and the main router (let it be "1") successfully distributes wifi;
- go to the settings of the router "2";
Select the "Wireless Mode" item and fill in the fields in the same way as on the router "1";
Go to the "Enable WDS" section: a window with available WiFi networks will appear here;
Here you will see the SSID (network name of router "1") and BSSID (router "2"): click "Search" and in the "List of access points" window that appears, select the network distributed by router "1".
This wifi signal amplification option is suitable for routers equipped with WDS standard technology. If your router does not support it, then simply connect the routers with a cable and set up a “bridge” between them:
Connect the cable on the router "1" to the LAN input and on the router "2" to the WAN;
In the settings of the router "1", enable DHCP;
On router "2", go to "WAN" - "Connection type" - "Dynamic ip-address";
The parameters "Ip-address", "", "" should already be specified: this means that router "2" acts as a "client" of router "1", and the bridge is configured.
All of these methods can be used individually or in combination. Particular attention should be paid to the "repeater" - the device famously broke into the market and quickly "picked up" it for itself. And this is well-deserved: for its low price (for example, a worthy version from TP-LINK TL-WA850RE can be purchased no more than 1500 rubles), the device will fully work out the money spent.
And, of course, you can increase the distribution of the wifi signal by buying a more powerful router: for example, a Tp-Link Archer C60 router, the price for this “miracle” varies around $ 100.
Another simple way to boost the signal of your Wi-Fi router, laptop or computer without spending a dime. The story will be about how to make a do-it-yourself attachment to an existing antenna, with which you can significantly increase the signal level, and therefore the range and coverage of the Wi-Fi signal.
What do we need
From the materials for the nozzle:- Foam plastic substrate - food packaging. You can use any other material or a sheet of cardboard.
- Thick copper wire. Small cut.
- Scissors.
- Ballpoint pen or pencil.
- Vernier caliper or regular ruler.
- Wire cutters.
All dimensions are in millimeters. The idea is this: a long piece of foam substrate is mounted on the antenna, into which copper pieces are inserted. This creates antenna directivity and signal concentration in one direction.
Above are the distances between the copper segments. And below is the length of each copper piece.
I took this pallet, in which dates or greens are often sold.
A piece of thick copper wire 0.8-0.9 mm in diameter. You can try with a thicker one.
We mark the lining with a caliper and set the points with a pen where the antenna from the router will be inserted.
Draw the cut lines.
Cut out the guide with ordinary scissors.
We look at the drawing and decide where and how long the segment will be inserted.
We cut the wire with wire cutters to the appropriate length.
We insert pieces of wire into the guide. If desired, you can fix them with hot glue so that they do not fly out.
Our nozzle-amplifier is ready for testing.
We turn on the laptop, run the program that scans the level of signal reception. Let's wait a bit to notice the level of initial reception. Then we put the nozzle on the Wi-Fi antenna, direct it to the router and immediately see an increase in power and signal level.
To check, we remove the nozzle from the antenna and immediately see the signal drop to the initial level.
We dress again and again we see an increase. Everything works great.
I put the nozzle on the Wi-Fi adapter module connected to the laptop. If you want to significantly increase the reception distance, then you need to put such a nozzle on the antenna of your distributing router. Two Wi-Fi antennas pointing at each other will work just fine.
Here is such a simple and effective way to make life easier in a few minutes. Now in my gazebo in the garden there are no problems with the Internet, and most importantly, I didn’t have to buy anything. And we all know perfectly well how much expensive antennas or routers for remote points and objects cost now. See you again.
Wi-Fi is the most popular way to connect to the internet today. This was made possible due to the good characteristics of this protocol, the ease of connection and the availability of a wide range of low-cost equipment.
However, this interface also has disadvantages. Many users experience incomprehensible disconnections, errors, or slow data transfer rates. In this case, do not rush to immediately call the support service or call a repair team. You can deal with many troubles in the operation of your home Wi-Fi network on your own.
1. Restart your router
Yes, yes, this is what is first of all advised to do when contacting the support service. And absolutely right.
A modern router is a complex device, in the operation of which software errors may appear over time. The easiest and fastest way to get rid of them is to reboot the hardware. Some routers allow you to do this automatically on a schedule, you just need to look for the appropriate option in the settings.
2. Install alternative firmware
Alternative firmware is written by enthusiasts to eliminate the shortcomings of proprietary software. The most famous project of this kind is DD-WRT. This firmware supports a wide range of hardware and is distributed free of charge.
Installing third-party firmware allows not only improving network performance, but in some cases activating previously inaccessible device functions. It is worth considering, however, that the process of flashing and subsequent configuration of the equipment will require time and special knowledge from you.
3. Use a Wi-Fi repeater
If devices in any part of the house constantly lose their connection to the Internet, then the signal of the router is too weak there. You can solve the problem with the help of a special repeater, which is also called repeaters, or repeaters.
The main task of the repeater is to amplify the signal of an existing Wi-Fi network. These compact and inexpensive devices are produced by almost all popular manufacturers of network equipment, as well as dozens of obscure Chinese companies.
4. Build a Signal Amplifier
Using a Wi-Fi repeater may not help out in all cases. Sometimes, to amplify the signal of the router, you have to resort to other, more artisanal methods. For example, you can design a special reflector from or for CDs.
But if you need something really powerful, then try to assemble an antenna from improvised materials to expand your “home zone” of wireless Internet, which we wrote about in this one.
5. Control App Access to the Internet
If someone in your home is constantly watching streaming video, playing online games, downloading large files, then this can significantly slow down the network. Particular attention should be paid to torrent clients. Some of them are configured in such a way that they automatically start at system startup and continue downloading and distributing data in the background. A separate pain is computer games that quietly download multi-gigabyte updates and add-ons.
6. Block access to strangers
By default, the manufacturer sets the same well-known logins and passwords on all of its routers. Each user must independently change them in order to protect their network from unauthorized access. However, unfortunately, not everyone does it.
If you do not want neighbors to use your wireless network, thereby interfering with you, then you need to perform detailed configuration of the router. How to do this, you can read in our guide "".
7. Get rid of interference
The quality of the signal transmitted over a Wi-Fi network can be affected by many different factors, including interference from phones, microwave ovens, and so on. You can get rid of them only by placing the router and the source of interference at the maximum distance. A special WiFi Analyzer application will help to cope with this task, which can display signal strength in real time.
8. Tune in to a free channel
In modern apartment buildings, many wireless access points operate simultaneously, occupying all available channels. As a result, some of them have to share the same channel, which leads to a mutual decrease in the speed and stability of the connection.
9. Find a New Location for Your Router
The unsuccessful location of the router in the apartment can also affect the quality of the connection. If your workplace is separated from the connection point by several concrete walls, then you should not be surprised that the Internet constantly slows down.
You can choose the optimal place for the router only empirically, moving it around the apartment and measuring the signal quality. The NetSpot diagnostic utility and our instruction, which is called "", will help to do this.
10. Use modern technology
One of the best ways to make your wireless network as fast, stable, and secure as possible is to use modern hardware.
Communication standards are constantly evolving and improving. Newer implementations of this protocol provide faster connection speeds and reduce errors and susceptibility to interference.
However, they require the right equipment to use them. Therefore, the most radical and expensive method to improve the quality of your home network is to buy a modern dual-band router from a well-known manufacturer.
