Many users are interested in the question - how far is the wireless network signal transmitted and what is the WiFi coverage of the home router.
As an example, consider the most common wireless standard used on most modern routers - 802.11n or the so-called Wireless N150 or N300. Here 150 and 300 are the theoretical maximum achievable baud rates that your adapter will never develop =). For this standard, such a coverage area was voiced - up to 100 meters indoors and up to 300 meters outdoors. In this case, the range will be 50 and 150 meters, respectively. Unfortunately, these are also not real numbers and, as practice has shown, in real life they are much less. Then the question arises - how to determine the coverage area?
The only sure way is to just pick up a laptop, tablet or smartphone and go around the apartment, house or area and empirically find the boundaries of the signal coverage area.
What affects the Wi-Fi coverage area ?!
1 - the location of the router or access point
Yes, it is the location of the transmitting device in the apartment that is largely responsible for the coverage area of the wireless network. Do not forget that its radiation is omnidirectional, which means that the signal propagates equally in all directions and resembles a circle in shape. That is why it is necessary to locate the access point approximately in the center of your home.
Having placed the router in the farthest room - do not be surprised that the signal will be cut off, at best, somewhere in the middle of the apartment.
2 - materials from which the walls and floors are made
Radio waves do not like reinforced concrete structures, kiramzite and drywall very much. More than once I came across the fact that in an apartment finished with drywall, the radius of WaiFai's coverage is much smaller.
Here is a table with the attenuation of the WiFi signal in various finishing materials and decor elements:
| Material | Change in signal level, dB | |
| 2.4 GHz | 5GHz | |
| Plexiglas 7.1 mm | -0,36 | -0,93 |
| Plexiglas 2.5 mm | -0,01 | -0,2 |
| Blinds closed | -0,002 | 0,002 |
| Blinds open | 0,01 | 0,03 |
| Red brick dry | -4,44 | -14,62 |
| Red wet brick | -4,51 | -14,6 |
| Carpet | -0,03 | -0,01 |
| Carpet inside out | -0,04 | -0,03 |
| Ceiling tiles | -0,09 | -0,18 |
| Textile | 0,02 | 0,01 |
| Fiberglass | -0,02 | -0,03 |
| Glass | -0,5 | -1,69 |
| Drywall 12.8 mm | -0,49 | -0,52 |
| Drywall 9 mm | -0,51 | -0,85 |
| Linoleum | -0,02 | -0,13 |
| Linoleum inside out | -0,02 | -0,12 |
| Spruce boards | -2,79 | -6,13 |
| Chipboard | -1,65 | -1,95 |
| Plywood | -1,91 | -1,83 |
| Plaster | -14,86 | -13,24 |
| Back side plaster | -14,58 | -13,91 |
| Tile | -2,22 | -1,42 |
| Roofing material | -0,1 | -0,13 |
| Cinder block dry | -6,71 | -10,33 |
| Cinder block wet | -7,35 | -12,38 |
| Metal grill | -20,99 | -13,17 |
| Wire mesh | -1,21 | -0,34 |
3 - presence of interfering devices
Once my friend suffered for a long time and could not understand why in one of the rooms the reception was very bad, even if the router was put in it, while everything worked perfectly in other rooms. As it turned out, the source of the problems was a neighbor-radio amateur who stretched a radio communication antenna along the entire wall, which gave strong interference.
Microwaves, electric motors, large diagonal TVs hanging on half a wall, etc. can also have a strong effect.
4 - whether neighbors have wireless networks
If you have the following picture in the list of available networks when connecting to your home Wi-Fi:
Don't be surprised at low speed or poor reception. The fact is that only 11 to 13 radio channels are used for Wi-Fi, depending on the country. If at least half of them are already occupied by "neighbors", then they will already interfere with each other and create interference. But in apartment buildings this is a common picture. There is only one way out in this case - switching to equipment operating in the 5 GHz range.
5 - characteristics of the equipment used
Yes, the Wi-Fi coverage area also largely depends on your router. Specifically - from the power of the transmitter and the antennas used. And if in terms of power all home devices are approximately equal, then with antennas everything is much more interesting. The simplest and cheapest models such as D-Link DIR-300 or DIR-615 use the weakest antennas with a gain of 2dBi. At the same time, there is no difference - whether they are external or internal - the quality of the signal transmission will still not be very good. As practice shows, more or less normally such a router can cover a one-room apartment. For larger areas, it is better to buy routers with antennas of at least 5dBi.
It should also be taken into account that if the router is labeled Wireless N150, then it uses one antenna and its signal coverage will be worse than that of the Wireless N300 - there are already 2 antennas operating in MIMO mode.
How to increase the range of a WiFi network
There are several ways you can improve the performance and range of your wireless network. The use of one or another of them strictly depends on the situation. In some cases, you will have to combine several methods.
— Using more powerful or directional antennas
If the antennas on your home router are removable, then replacing weak 2-3dBi antennas with more powerful 5-8dBi antennas can significantly improve the quality and expand the signal coverage in some cases as much as 1.5-2 times. And with the help of directional antennas, you can transmit a signal over large distances in a certain direction.
— Installing a Wireless Repeater... If special devices are WiFi repeaters or repeaters that connect to an existing network and expand it by using their antennas. If there is a bad reception in one of the rooms in the apartment, put a repeater there and forget about the problem!
By the way, many modern routers support WDS technology, which means they can be used as repeaters if necessary.
— Transition to the 5GHz band.
As I noted above, this output will be optimal for those who suffer from many neighboring WaiFays. Replacing equipment with a new one, operating at 5GHz, as a rule, completely solves such problems. Firstly, very few people still use it, and secondly, there are significantly more radio channels available for operation.
There is another way to expand the WiFi coverage radius when you need this network to be available through 100-150 meters, and there is no way to install a directional antenna .. In this case, you can simply throw a twisted pair cable to the desired point and connect another router with the same name network SSID and password.
How to understand how far does the wifi router work? How far should it work stably? Why isn't it catching in my room?
Are very frequently asked questions. Indeed, you can often find that the range of a stable WiFi signal is annoyingly small. Should it be so? Maybe this is okay? Let's figure it out.
For industrial WiFi hotspots such distances as the limits of an apartment or a standard summer cottage on 10 acres is not a problem... However, the use of such devices requires permission from the frequency supervision. Without such permission, only Wi-Fi routers and access points of the consumer segment of the wireless device market are available to you. They are at least two times weaker than their industrial counterparts, which affects the range and quality of communication.
Most common home routers and access points are equipped with antennas up to 5dB and a transmitter with a power of up to 100 mW. These are restrictions for WiFi use in residential areas. It is not recommended to bypass sanitary standards of this kind. But there are ways, and they are described in the article.
Also in the given article you can find the rules for the location of the router for more efficient work.
So how far does a WiFi router work!
In an open field with a reduced level of radio interference, the signal of a good home router can be caught, and at a distance of 100 meters... Agree, not bad.
But in urban conditions, sometimes even the highest-quality representatives of the segment cannot cope with the transmission of a high-quality signal to the next room. It is sad.
Usually single antenna range router does not exceed 10m in a straight line in a city. Two and three-antenna routers can extend even longer distances due to better signal filtering.
The presence of obstacles significantly reduces the distance supported by the router. Sometimes, the signal is absent already at arm's length, if something is shielding the signal, for example, a mirror, refrigerator or metal mesh.
Conclusions:
- If your single antenna keeps communication at a distance of more than 10m, you are very lucky.
- If the situation is completely sad, then read the article WiFi Connection Difficulties. Stable signal.
- If this does not help, then we carry the router for repair or buy a new one. In the absence of a guarantee, it is more profitable to buy a new one.
I hope the material helped you. If you have any questions. Feel free to ask them in the form below the article itself. The author tries to promptly answer visitors' questions, usually within two days. Also by checking the box next to the "Notify", under the comment form, you will be able to receive an answer to the mail.
We analyze the question as with our own hands strengthen the signal of the router and thereby increase radius of action networks and wifi range... Sooner or later, he begins to bother everyone who is faced with the organization of a wireless connection in the apartment. The problem of extending the Wi-Fi reception distance is especially acute when, even at the stage of creating a local network at home, you spared money for a high-quality router with a large wifi range, with a powerful transmitter and antennas. Or they did not think over the place of its installation in your house or apartment.
Available ways to strengthen the signal of a wi-fi router at home
In fact, it is very simple and easy to amplify a wifi signal from a router. And it doesn't matter which manufacturer - Zyxel Keenetic, TP-Link, Asus, D-Link and so on.
There are several of the most popular ways:
- Buy a router with a more powerful built-in antenna,
- Place it somewhere in the hallway in the center of the apartment,
- Use one of the means of amplifying the wifi signal - a second router, an external antenna, a repeater.
Many, during repairs in an apartment, determine the location of the router somewhere in a special server room, either in a dressing room or in an electrical panel. In short, out of sight. But the configuration of the layout of the apartment is often such that the wireless signal from the router does not finish off to the rooms remote from the installation site. Either the range of wifi is not sufficient to get any acceptable speed on it.
Today we'll talk about ways to strengthen the signal and increase the range of a wifi router at home. And also about the technical characteristics required for this, the main devices for organizing a wireless network - a router and a receiver - which must be paid attention first of all when purchasing them.
Increasing the range of the signal of the wifi router and adapter
For stable network operation in a standard city apartment, the simplest router and an adapter built into a laptop are quite enough. However, there are many side factors due to which you have to amplify the signal to increase the signal radius. I talked about the main reasons that can affect the speed. Let's not repeat ourselves, but imagine that we have ideal conditions in our house for the propagation of a wireless radio signal. That is, there is no interference from neighboring routers and other active frequency emitters, such as a microwave. Under these conditions, the main function of signal absorption is taken over by the distance and obstacles on the way from the source to the receiver.
This table clearly demonstrates how much the signal quality will be lost depending on the types of obstacles in its path. For example, let's take an abstract router, which, in the best conditions and without interference and obstacles, will actually transmit a signal over 100 meters. It is under such conditions that manufacturers indicate the "firing" range of their devices on beautiful boxes and in advertising brochures.
And let's take a typical three-room apartment, where the router is installed in one room. At the same time, there is one load-bearing concrete wall and one interior wall to the farthest from it. Accordingly, we take 10% of our 100 meters - we get 10 meters. That is, through the main wall, the signal will be enough for 10 meters from the router. But we also have an interior wall - so we take our 10 meters and calculate 15% of them - we get 1.5 meters. This means that even in ideal conditions, the signal from such a router is clearly not enough for the whole apartment. Add to this the interference from devices and other wireless networks on the same frequency, and we get a completely sad picture.
We also bear in mind that the antennas on the router are omnidirectional, that is, the signal from them goes in a circle at an equal distance.
Strengthening a wifi signal from a router using an antenna
So, we found out that for good reception, the router should be located in the center of the apartment, next to the receiving device and, if possible, far from interfering devices. But like any electronic device, each model has its own characteristics that can affect the operation, in our case, the “firing range”. As a rule, the specifications for each product indicate what range it is designed for in an open space under ideal conditions. But these data - reading theory, but in real life they are simply unattainable.
The easiest way to determine signal quality is by looking at the antenna characteristics of the devices. One for transmission, one for reception. Antennas can be either hidden, built-in, or external, screwed onto the device itself. Antenna power is measured in DBI. The higher the value, the more powerful the antenna.
Below is a sample of the USB receiver adapter with the supplied external antenna.
If you paid attention, there are models of routers and adapters that have several antennas - two or even three. Using a few pieces, you can significantly improve the reception quality of the wifi adapter and increase the distance from the router. That is, a router equipped with a single 8 dbi antenna will retransmit weaker than a higher-end, cost-effective model equipped with 2 or 3 8 dbi antennas.
When choosing a receiver, also look at the values of the “Receiving mode” parameter - the higher it is, the better the reception.
However, even this will not be enough if we are talking about a decent distance of up to 100-150, or even 500 meters. In this case, it will help us to provide the desired radius of the wifi signal, which works directed to a certain sector.
Increase the radius of the wi-fi signal with a second router, repeater or access point without an antenna
- Another proven method to improve reception quality is to use a separate special device called a repeater. It is a repeater-based signal amplifier that expands your existing network. It receives the signal and transmits it further, expanding the coverage area by 15-20 meters.
- Another option is to put a more expensive one. It is installed outdoors or indoors and provides a wifi coverage radius of up to 100 meters. Able to provide coverage both inside the building and a small area nearby. There are also models that work in a narrowly targeted way to expand the area not inside an apartment or house, but to create a rather long distance wireless bridge between different buildings.
- Alternatively, you can use. For example, if you have an additional device lying idle, then it is advisable to use it as a repeater so as not to buy new equipment. In this case, this repeater mode must be present in the firmware on the other router.
Adjusting the range of the wifi signal in the router settings
And one more little secret. In the control panel of some modifications of routers, there is a separate adjustment of the power of the wifi signal relay. By setting it to the highest, you will get the most out of your router. The minimum value will ensure high-quality reception no further than inside one room. Read more about this. And now I will quickly show you with a few examples how it looks for different brands.
Strengthening wifi signal on a TP-Link router
To set the signal strength on the TP-Link router, you need to go to "Advanced settings" in the section on wireless mode. There are three grades here - low, medium and high.
Asus
On Asus routers, you can adjust the power very finely - it is called "TX Power Power Control" and is set manually in a numerical value not exceeding 200.
Zyxel Keenetic
For Zyxel Keenetic routers, the transmitter power setting is divided into fixed positions, but there are more of them than for TP-Link. Indicated as a percentage of the total strength of the wifi repeater. In the old version of the admin panel, it is located in the wifi network configurations.
And this is how everything looks in the new Keenetic panel - you need to go to the "Home network"
Tenda
These are the main effective ways to improve the WiFi signal and, as a result, expand the coverage area of the wireless network. Many craftsmen manage to strengthen the router using an ordinary tin foil can, which is put on the antenna. However, I am still an adherent of more traditional methods. As practice has shown, the best results are achieved when a combination of several techniques is used. That is, the choice of devices with the best antenna characteristics plus their good location, planned at the stage of renovation of the premises. Try, experiment, and you will succeed!
Now it has become a normal phenomenon when there are several computers and devices in the house at once, as well as smartphones and TVs that need to be connected to the World Wide Web. To provide all devices with a high-quality Internet connection, it is advisable to use a powerful WiFi router. But not all routers advertised by numerous manufacturers are capable of fully satisfying the needs of the user. This article sets out all the criteria for the correct choice of a powerful and high-quality WiFi router for a large house or apartment.
How to make the best choice?
Most people who buy WiFi routers concentrate all their attention only on the number of antennas of the supposedly best and most powerful WiFi router and on its cost.
And in some ways they are right, since a powerful router usually has several antennas that serve to ensure a stable connection, but not only the number of antennas affects the power of the device. First, you need to understand the differences between routers of different price segments. In addition to providing a good wireless signal at home, it is also advisable not to overpay for the extra functionality of the device.
Wi-Fi Long Range Routers
Obviously, living in a large cottage or house, you have to pay attention to powerful devices with the maximum possible range of action. At the same time, you should think about purchasing a more powerful adapter for a PC or laptop. It is necessary to immediately draw the attention of such people to one unpleasant fact that already on the box of the router it is usually indicated that the device is functioning in full compliance with the international requirements "ISO IEEE 802.11". This means that the vast majority of routers have a maximum range of 0.15 km, and this is in the absence of any obstacles in the path of the wireless signal, and in a house or apartment, this figure drops to fifty meters.
The main criteria for purchasing a router
We list the following main criteria that you need to focus on when buying a device:
- Antennas and broadcast area. The first ones are produced in 2 types of execution: 1) built into the device and 2) external. Of course, outdoor ones have the best signal;
- Wireless signal standards and data rates. It is recommended to purchase a device of the 802.11n standard, and in order to work comfortably on the Internet, you must opt for a router with a speed not less than the one supplied to the user by the Internet provider;
- \ * Equipment brand. Despite the banality of the sound of the criterion, the brand plays an important role in the quality of the purchased router, since during subsequent operation, as a rule, problems occur with them less often and, most importantly, devices of famous manufacturers' brands are easier to update with software. * \ The current firmware ensures stable functionality of the device and avoids many failures.
List of the best equipment
Many people are not able to make the purchase of the most expensive router with a huge number of different chips, however, even in not the most expensive lines of routers, there are high-quality models with an optimal set of functions and the power of the transmitted wireless signal.
Inexpensive devices of optimal quality
Below is the main list of devices that are optimal at the moment in terms of the ratio of their price, functionality, speed of data transfer and quality of filling.
Despite its simplicity, the device has good power and wide capabilities. Provides speeds up to 150 Mbit / s, which is sufficient for active use at home or in an apartment.
The device operates in the most common data transfer protocols, supports dynamic and static "ip". Has a firewall that protects the user's devices from malware. The device is equipped with an external antenna with a long range.
It is also a representative of the Link brand, but is equipped with 2 antennas, which provides a Wi-Fi coverage area with a radius of at least 150 meters with line of sight.
Speed - up to 300 Mbit / s. With four LAN ports, you can network multiple PCs at home.
This router has the ability to use 3G mobile Internet, and is also equipped with 1 additional USB connector.
Supplied with two antennas. Supports interactive TV IPTV.
Powerful mid-range devices
You will have to pay at least 4000 rubles for this router, but it is already equipped with 1 Gbit Internet ports and a powerful processor. Speed up to 300 Mbit / s.
It has two antennas and a Wi-Fi coverage area with a radius of at least 150 meters with line of sight.
Despite the built-in antennas, the device has a good signal. It operates in two bands (2.4 and 5 Gh) and works in all popular protocols. But the cost is already slightly higher and amounts to at least 4500 rubles. 
If the user is interested not only in functionality, but also in the appearance of the device, then the manufacturer offers this device in different colors. Like the previous one, the router successfully works in 2 bands. The speed can reach 1167 Mbit / s. The cost is about 3300 r. 
The most powerful
When buying a router from this category, you will have to pay at least 6,000 rubles.
Price from 7000 r. It has 3 antennas, which is guaranteed to cover a large home of the owner with a high-quality signal. It can function in 2 frequency ranges. Speed up to 0.9 Gbit / s. Equipped with a huge number of different chips, for example, it can organize a separate guest network, it is possible to control consumed traffic, parental control, etc. 
Among the home models of routers of this brand, it is rightfully called "top-end", but its price starts at 15,000 rubles. Of all those present in our description, it is the most powerful home router. Equipped with 4 antennas.
The manufacturer claims a Wi-Fi coverage area of 465 square meters. Speed - up to 2.3 Gbit / s. Has a dual core processor. And absolutely all the chips indicated for the routers described above.
A little trick for the router user
You can increase the signal strength, even on a device of a low price category, through the control panel, where you need to specify the country “USA” in the router settings in the “Location” section. In this country, there are several different laws and requirements for the power of Wi-Fi, which already corresponds to a range of 0.25 km in the absence of any obstacles in the path of the wireless signal, and in a house or apartment, this indicator decreases only to seventy-five meters. By adjusting the parameters in the control panel and restarting the device, the user immediately notices a significant increase in the coverage and power of the Wi-Fi.
Note: An overly powerful router with an extended range beyond legal requirements may interfere with other networks. Therefore, the authorities of the country have the right to confiscate such a device.
I had an old netbook that was almost ten years old. And for the entire time of its operation, I experienced a little discomfort, since it was very poor at catching Wi-Fi. I did not give special attention to this fact until I got my hands on a laptop, the short one had just excellent reception of even a weak signal.
The same router was caught on different machines in different ways: on my PC there was one division, and on the other laptop there was a full reception level. And then I thought.
Redesigning the built-in antenna
After reading the forums, I learned that the Wi-Fi receiving antennas are located near the display. The first thing I did was to take a look at them.He pulled out the plugs with a clerical knife.
Unscrewed the screws and removed the front panel.
There were two antennas, which were located on the sides of the camera. They were made on a printed circuit board according to the dipole principle.
A long wire went to them, which went around the perimeter of the display.
Further, it turned out that the built-in antenna was partially hidden under the aluminum foil that shielded the screen.
As a result:
- A long cable gave significant attenuation.
- The native antenna had a terribly poor sensitivity.
- Plus, all over it was partially covered by the screen, which simply ruined it.
You will need:
- Round thin metal tube 25 mm long.
Cut off the built-in modules to the root. We put on the pipe. We place the future whip antenna approximately in the middle.
Next, we clean the braid-screen of the wire to the tube and fluff the tip.
The tube is compatible with the end of the braid.
We solder it carefully without melting the central insulation of the middle conductor.
Now we cut off the center wire at a distance of 25 mm from the beginning of the tube.
Our new antenna is ready. We do the same for the other side of the display.
And lo and behold! The sensitivity has increased and is no worse than the other laptop.
Now the old built-in antennas can be thrown away and enjoy normal computer operation.
This is a fairly simple method with which you can modify any laptop and increase it sensitively, since native antennas may not always work well.
The most important thing is to strictly observe the distance when making a whip homemade antenna. For any deviation, even by a millimeter, can significantly impair its reception characteristics.
