Increasing the range of Wi-Fi: the main working methods

First of all, let's look at what determines the range of the wireless network signal. These are the capabilities of the router itself (the number of antennas and their power, supported frequencies and standards) and the presence of interference. The latter depend on:

the number and thickness of walls in the house, other barriers to the signal (mirrors, metal);
the total number of networks and various equipment using the same or similar frequency range (microwave ovens, baby monitors, etc.);
the location of the router.

Do not affect only the walls without major repairs, and you can "fight" with the rest of the interference in various ways.

RF interference for Wi-Fi signal

Working with the settings

Before buying a Wi-Fi repeater, you can reconfigure the existing router so that it transmits the signal better:

1. Channel change. If the smartphone and tablet "sees" a lot of wireless networks besides yours, then they can all load the working channel of the router and reduce the range of Wi-Fi. A simple setup can reduce the amount of interference. Either try out various static channels by brute force, or install additional software, for example, the inSSIDer or WifiInfoView programme to identify a free channel and set it exactly.

Routers with 802.11ac support

2. The transfer of the network to the 802.11n standard. By default, the router operates in mixed b/g/n mode. When your Wi-Fi equipment has more than one antenna, then a forced transfer to the 802.11n standard can not only increase the speed, but also expand the coverage area. The method has a downside: older devices that do not support this mode will not "see" the network. And if you have only the most modern gadgets, then you can try to forcibly transfer the router to more advanced standards (802.11ac/ad).

The channel and standard selection, for example, in Asus access points is performed on the "Wireless Network — General" tab:

Configuring the channel and stardart of the wireless network in Asus routers

3. Switching to a frequency of 5 GHz. If your network equipment supports two frequency bands, then to increase the range of the network, switch it to the one that is still more free — 5 GHz, disabling 2.4 GHz. Again, as with the previous paragraph, your laptops, smartphones and other devices must support working in networks with this frequency.

Wi-Fi equipment with Dual-band support (2.4 and 5 GHz)

4. Checking the transmission power. In individual routers, you can change the power level of the transmitter. Usually, the maximum value is initially set, but it's still better to check it.

For example, in Tp-Link models, you can set the power in the "Advanced Settings" tab in the "Network" — "Wireless mode" section:

Setting the transmission power on the example of the TP-Link router

We buy a router repeater or signal amplifier

If everything is fine with the settings initially or they did not give tangible results, then you should think about buying additional network equipment. It can be a Wi-Fi amplifier or a second router that supports operation in repeater mode (signal repeater). Their use is a proven method of strengthening the wireless network with a guarantee of tangible results.

Wi-Fi equipment with signal booster

A pure Wi-Fi amplifier is a compact device that extends the range of an existing network. It can be connected to an outlet (where there is a weak signal) or powered via USB from computer equipment that needs data reception/transmission amplification. Some models have a LAN port, which allows you to use the Wi-Fi repeater also as a wireless adapter.

An amplifier connected to a laptop

Advantages of amplifiers:

compact dimensions;
minimum power consumption;
simple and fast setup (in most cases automatic).

An alternative option is to use a second router in repeater mode. This is a common access point, which also knows how to work as a repeater / repeater of the signal.

Wi-Fi equipment with repeater mode

Previously, you only need to configure the appropriate operating mode. So, for example, in ZyXel routers, in the "System" section, go to the "Mode" tab, put the desired check mark and click on "Apply":

Configuring the Zyxel router to work in amplifier mode

Next, on two network devices, you need to press the WPS activation buttons. It is not necessary to do this at the same time, but with a difference of up to 2 minutes.

The use of a Wi-Fi repeater is justified in large apartments and multi—storey buildings, when the access point is installed on the ground floor, and the amplifier is installed on the second and other floors.

Testing other methods

In order not to buy a router-repeater, you can try out other ways to amplify the Wi-Fi signal, namely:

Position the device correctly. Ideally, it should be located in the centre of the room, and there should be a minimum of walls, mirrors, and metal structures between the router and remote locations.
Buy Wi-Fi antennas. If they are removable, then you can increase the coverage area by replacing them with more powerful ones. You need to choose antennas with a gain of 8 dBi or more.

Replaceable Wi-Fi router antennas

Design the amplifier yourself. The event is questionable, since the signal quality is likely to increase, but the tin cans and foil used in this case will definitely not decorate the interior.
Improve signal reception on a laptop. The power consumption mode in Windows 7 and 8 indirectly affects the strength of Wi-Fi in laptops. To improve reception, use the "Balanced" or "High Performance" mode, not "Energy Saving".
Other: periodically restart the router, update its firmware in a timely manner, change passwords to filter out unauthorized connections.

Increasing the range of Wi-Fi: the main working methods

Working with the settings

We buy a router repeater or signal amplifier

Testing other methods

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