5 Wi-Fi Fixes That Are Better Than a Wi-Fi Band-Aid

If your Wi-Fi reception is weak, chances are you’ve considered using a Wi-Fi repeater. It seems like a natural solution since a Wi-Fi repeater promises to boost the range of your Wi-Fi signal. The problem is that all the repeater does is rebroadcast the already weak signal from your router; it doesn’t address the root of the problem.

To create a better home network, I recommend trying some of these solutions before buying a Wi-Fi repeater.

Move the router

The easiest recommendation from this list to implement is to move your router to a more central location. Follow these tips when deciding where to place your router:

• Central is best
• Ideally, maintain direct line of sight between the router and internet devices.
• Wi-Fi can pass through walls, but materials like metal, stone, and tile can block its signal.
• Make sure the router is not on the floor. The higher it is, the fewer objects block its signal.

It is also important to note that the antennas of the router transmit a signal. To optimize signal strength, make sure each antenna points in a different direction.

Wi-Fi Extender

Wi-Fi extender sounds synonymous with Wi-Fi repeater, but there are some important differences. The extender amplifies Wi-Fi signals without compromising bandwidth. Extenders are often wireless, but can also be wired. Connecting the extender directly to the router ensures that the connection speed will not be reduced when broadcasting from the extender.

The second important difference is that extenders do not create their own network. Repeaters, on the other hand, create two networks. This may not seem like a problem. However, the device cannot automatically switch to the network that offers the best connection. This means that even if you are closer to the access point offering the best connection, your device can still connect to the farthest access point. Using an extender means you’ll never have to manually switch networks again every time you walk into a new room.

Switch your devices from 5GHz to 2.4GHz

Did you know that your router operates on two different frequencies? Most people will own a dual-band router that uses 5GHz and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. No one frequency is inherently better than another, with each offering certain characteristics.

For example, 5 GHz is faster than 2.4 GHz, but only over short distances. 2.4GHz is slower than 5GHz, but as you move away from the access point, the 2.4GHz connection will be the only one you can connect to. So you might consider switching your device from 5GHz Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz. You might take a slight hit in the speed department, but the range will likely make up for it.

Change the Wi-Fi channel

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Routers use radio waves to connect to your devices. Radio waves are fast, but they can also interfere with each other. If you open your Wi-Fi settings right now, chances are you’ll see dozens of networks you can connect to. This is especially true if you live in a densely populated residential area or apartment complex. If all the routers in your area are operating on the same channel, there will be interference.

The good news is that you can change your channel to one that is less congested. 2.4 GHz has three non-overlapping channels to choose from, while 5 GHz has 23 non-overlapping channels available. If you happen to be using 6E Wi-Fi (that’s the new 6GHz Wi-Fi channel), you have 59 non-overlapping channels to choose from. Even better, it’s easy to change the channel of your Wi-Fi router.

Upgrade your router

We like to replace our smartphones every other year and no doubt buy the latest games console as soon as it drops, but when was the last time you bought a new router? You may be using a router that can only work on older, slower Wi-Fi standards. In that case, you have two options. One of them is a firmware upgrade. If the firmware upgrade cannot increase the speed, you may need to purchase a new router.