How to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal: Increase Your Wi-Fi Speed
A few small tweaks to your home Wi-Fi network can often greatly improve speed and reliability.
- You can improve your Wi-Fi signal in two ways: boosting your Wi-Fi or optimizing your network.
- Outdated Wi-Fi equipment is often the culprit behind poor signal, and upgrading to newer technology can solve the problem.
- The easiest way to improve Wi-Fi throughout the home is finding the optimal router placement.
It’s frustrating to run a speed test and discover you’re getting only half the internet speeds advertised for your broadband plan. Luckily, optimizing your Wi-Fi network for faster speeds isn’t rocket science. All it takes is a basic understanding of how your network operates. In most cases, you can boost your speeds significantly for little or no extra money. Here, we break down how your Wi-Fi network works and walk through steps you can take to boost your internet speeds.
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Methods Used to Increase Wi-Fi Speed
Before we get into how to improve your Wi-Fi speed, it helps to understand the two main methods you can use to be successful. Methods of increasing your Wi-Fi network fall into two categories:
- Signal boosting: Changing the physical position of network points and/or boosting the signal with antennas or repeaters
- Signal segregating: Dividing your bandwidth between devices by manipulating the frequencies and channels available to your devices/li>
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How to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal in 6 Steps
Improving your Wi-Fi speed can be as simple as making a few setup changes and following best practices. Follow these first three steps to see if your signal has improved. If not, it may be time to invest in equipment that can provide effective improvements.
1. Optimize Router Placement
The first consideration for boosting your Wi-Fi signal is the physical placement of your Wi-Fi router or gateway. Because the Wi-Fi signal radiates from your router’s antenna in a spherical pattern, the best place to put it is the center of your house. Even if central placement isn’t an option, don’t put the router on the floor, in a closet, in a corner, or directly next to thick solid barriers. Concrete, brick, and stone are all very difficult for Wi-Fi signals to penetrate.
The ideal placement for a router is often in the middle of the room. Any elevated spot, such as a desk or shelf, should work well. If optimal positioning and barriers prove to be an issue, skip down to the section on powerline adapters and repeaters, which can boost the signal in specific areas.
2. Boost Router Antenna
Routers vary widely by brand, but many include an antenna. (If your router doesn’t have one, skip to the next step). The antenna is the broadcast point of your residential Wi-Fi network, sending the signal out in all directions in a spherical shape, often called a Wi-Fi bubble. Some routers support external antennas designed to boost your Wi-Fi range.
External antennas come in two types: omnidirectional and directional. Their signals are measured in dBi (decibel isotropic), with higher dBi corresponding to a greater range boost. Omnidirectional antennas boost the signal in all directions and work well when the signal is generally weak at the edges of the bubble. Directional antennas boost the signal in a single direction, which is useful for homes with unique layouts or when your router can’t be centrally located.
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3. Update Router Firmware for Better Performance
Firmware is the software that runs on your router, similar to an Operating System (OS). Updated firmware makes small fixes to improve security and performance. Each update may not bring noticeable changes, but keeping your firmware up to date helps maximize data security. Newer, more advanced routers should include an option in the network admin panel to check for updates and upgrade with a few clicks. Older routers may require you to manually install updates by checking the website or downloading a ZIP file.
Because the process for finding your firmware version and available updates varies by manufacturer, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. If you’re an advanced tech user, you can consider installing alternative firmware. Third-party options like DD-WRT, Tomato, and OpenWrt provide extra security and advanced features like real-time network monitoring.
Updating Firmware: Always update firmware via an ethernet cable. Updating router firmware over Wi-Fi can damage the device.
4. Powerline Adapters Can Let You Hardwire Devices
Powerline adapters allow you to use your existing electrical wiring as a data network. While they don’t technically optimize your wireless network, they can free up bandwidth by effectively wiring devices that otherwise would struggle on a weak signal. They’re a great solution for desktop devices like TVs and computers that you might normally hook up to an Ethernet cable. Instead of dragging a cable all the way across your house to the TV den, you can connect devices through electrical sockets in either room.
Another nice thing about powerline adapters is that they don’t require much technical know-how to set up. All you have to do is plug one into your router via an Ethernet cable, then plug another into the target device and connect it with a second Ethernet cable. For best performance, make sure the outlets you plug your powerline adapters into are on the same side of your circuit breaker. The powerline devices connect through your electrical wiring automatically, and the speeds delivered can get pretty darn close to a gigabit.
Powerline Adapter Tip: Make sure the outlets you hook your powerline adapters to are on the same side of your circuit breaker for optimal performance.
5. Use Wi-Fi Extenders to Expand Your Signal ‘Bubble’
Wi-Fi extenders, also called repeaters, are devices that pick up and amplify your Wi-Fi signal. The problem with extenders is that the signal they boost is already diminished, often delivering limited speeds by the time it reaches your far-flung devices.
A powerline-enabled system and/or additional routers will generally provide better results than extenders, but extenders can work in a pinch if you’re looking for a quick fix to a specific area.
6. Upgrade Your Router
If you’re using an old router, sometimes the simplest solution is to replace it with a new model. High-end routers with beamforming, the ability to direct their signal to specific devices, can automatically concentrate the signal to work around problems that may require hours of tinkering in older routers.
Investing in a more advanced router may save you from having to do so later down the line if you have or plan to purchase a new laptop or smartphone that supports Wi-Fi 7, the latest wireless standard. If you’re using a Wi-Fi 5 router, it’s a good idea to upgrade to one that supports Wi-Fi 6 to take advantage of improved features.
If you have a large home that struggles to provide signal with just one router, a mesh Wi-Fi system delivers strong speeds and improves coverage throughout the home. These systems are ideal for homes with a large square footage or with multiple people engaging in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How to Optimize Your Wi-Fi Signal
To optimize your signal, it helps to understand the basics of how your router works. Wi-Fi routers work like cordless phones, baby monitors, Bluetooth, and other wireless connections between two or more devices. Your router is the base that broadcasts the Wi-Fi signal. Your laptop, phone, or tablet is the receiver, which picks up that signal.
Like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi only works on a device with an embedded Wi-Fi chip. Virtually all laptops, smartphones, and other consumer digital devices come with Wi-Fi chips.
Routers broadcast over a variety of wavelengths and channels, and the channels available to your network depend on the Wi-Fi standard your router and devices support.
The Wi-Fi standards change from year to year. The common standards you’ll see on the market (or printed on your router) are:
- 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7)
- 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
- 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
The newest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11be (more commonly referred to as Wi-Fi 7), is extremely fast and is considered a revolution in the world of Wi-Fi. However, as a newer standard, it’s not as widely used as Wi-Fi 6. If your router doesn’t have any of the above standards printed on it, you may have an extremely outdated router that is slowing down your internet.
If you run anything older than Wi-Fi 5, your router is most likely the reason your internet is slow. If you want to speed up your internet, consider upgrading to a Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 router.
1. Choose the Optimal Wi-Fi Channel to Increase Your Wi-Fi Speed
For most routers, changing the channel is as easy as opening your browser, entering the router’s IP address, and selecting a new channel from the dropdown. Think of Wi-Fi channels as highway lanes. When one lane is congested, you switch to another to try to bypass the traffic. The same applies to Wi-Fi channels.
Wi-Fi Channels: Think of Wi-Fi channels as highway lanes. When one lane is congested, you switch to another to try to bypass the traffic. The same applies to Wi-Fi channels.
Simply type in the IP address the same way you would a dot-com website address. Your router’s IP address should be available from the manufacturer. The most common are:
- D-Link: 192.168.0.1
- Netgear, Linksys: 192.168.1.1
- Clear: 192.168.15.1
- Apple: 10.0.1.1
2. Segregate Older and Newer Devices
Because Wi-Fi is a broadcast medium, home Wi-Fi networks are limited by the slowest device connected to a network. An 802.11g device will slow down an 802.11ac network, so long as all the devices are being used at the same time – regardless of Wi-Fi standard. The solution: 802.11n and 803.11ac routers both offer the ability to segregate your devices between two networks, called “dual-band,” running newer devices on the more advanced 5 GHz Wi-Fi band and older devices on the more dated 2.4 GHz band. Slower devices still receive their fair share of bandwidth, while the faster devices can take advantage of a less congested 5 GHz network.
Modern Wi-Fi routers offer the ability to segregate your devices into two or three networks. Dual-band devices can run on 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi bands. Tri-band devices have the added 6 GHz band. Slower devices still receive their fair share of bandwidth, while the faster devices can take advantage of a less congested 5 GHz or 6 GHz network.
Using the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band for newer devices also helps avoid the channel congestion common in apartment buildings and other densely populated areas. While the 2.4 GHz band has only 14 channels, the 5 GHz band gives your devices room to spread out over 24 channels (or 59 channels on 6 GHz) and uses a different frequency than competing signals from baby monitors, microwaves, etc., that can interfere with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks.
The only notable disadvantage to 5 GHz and 6 GHz networks is the limited range compared to 2.4 GHz, making them less ideal for irregularly shaped spaces where thick walls and other obstacles can block the signal.
3. Optimize QoS (Quality of Service)
QoS (Quality of Service) is a router feature that gives you control over how bandwidth is shared among your household’s devices. QoS comes in two types:
- Traditional QoS: Allows you to prioritize traffic types manually
- Intelligent QoS: Prioritizes traffic automatically
With both, you can reduce latency and network clutter by prioritizing streaming and other latency-sensitive data. For intelligent QoS, look for WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) on router packaging.
Optimizing Wi-Fi Networks Requires Work, But It’s Worth It
The Wi-Fi standard is constantly evolving, but the goal of network optimization will remain the same: avoid obstacles and allocate bandwidth for specific devices. Your home internet network is like a pie, with each device on your network requiring a slice. A cutting-edge 802.11ac beamforming router may do some heavy lifting, but getting the most out of your Wi-Fi network comes down to your router placement and, if possible, how you prioritize your data.
Frequently Asked Questions About Boosting Wi-Fi Signal
What blocks Wi-Fi signals the most?
Your home’s construction and layout are often the culprits of blocked Wi-Fi signals. Materials like concrete, brick and metal can significantly weaken the signal. Even household items such as mirrors, fish tanks, and appliances can cause interference.
Why is my Wi-Fi signal so poor?
Poor Wi-Fi signal can result from improper router placement, interference from electronic devices, outdated hardware, or too many devices connected to the network. Physical barriers like walls and furniture can also weaken signals. Overlapping Wi-Fi channels in densely populated areas can cause congestion. Ensure your router is in a central, unobstructed location, consider upgrading your equipment, and check for interference or bandwidth-heavy activities affecting your network.
What is the difference between a Wi-Fi extender and a Wi-Fi booster?
A Wi-Fi extender and a Wi-Fi booster serve similar purposes but differ slightly. A Wi-Fi extender extends your existing network’s range by creating a new, secondary network. A Wi-Fi booster amplifies and strengthens your current signal, improving coverage within its existing range. Extenders are ideal for covering dead zones in larger areas, while boosters work best for enhancing signal strength in weaker areas of the same network.
Is a Wi-Fi extender worth it?
A Wi-Fi extender is worth it if you experience dead zones or poor signal in specific parts of your home, especially if you have dense walls. However, extenders may slightly reduce network speed because they rebroadcast the signal. For best performance, ensure compatibility with your router and place the extender where the signal is moderately strong to extend coverage effectively.
Which is better, a Wi-Fi extender or mesh?
A mesh system is generally better than a Wi-Fi extender for large homes or spaces with multiple obstructions. Mesh networks consist of multiple nodes that work together to provide seamless, high-speed Wi-Fi across the area. They avoid the speed reduction often seen with extenders. Wi-Fi extenders are more affordable and sufficient for small-scale needs. Your choice depends on your specific needs and budget.