Our top 7 tips for improving Wi-Fi signal

Slow browsing, video buffering, uploads failing and dropping out of online games servers should all be a thing of the past with unlimited 4G wireless internet connectivity but if your Wi-Fi signal is not strong you can still run into difficulties.

In this article we will take you through our top 7 tips for getting the most out of your 4G wireless internet connection.

OPTIMAL ROUTER PLACEMENT

Assuming that you have good indoors 4G coverage, you should be able to place your 4G wireless router anywhere within reason. We recommend placing the 4G wireless router in a central location with as few obstacles as possible; large furniture, large appliances, electrical equipment and thick masonry walls all count as obstacles. External antennas should be extended horizontally to maximise range.

If you have poor indoor 4G coverage you may wish to try placing the 4G wireless router near to a window but this may limit the range of the wireless signal around your property, and so we recommend that you install one of our outdoor antennas. An outdoor antenna will require a cable to connect to the 4G wireless router which should still allow for you to better position the 4G wireless router to optimize wireless coverage around your property.

To help you with selecting an optimal location for your 4G wireless router we recommend that you download a Wi-Fi analyser application to a mobile handset or tablet, such as Wi-Fi Sweet Spot, that will analyse and highlight any weak spots of your wireless network.

FREQUENCY

All wireless routers operate at a particular frequency, some use a single frequency and others can operate on two frequencies. The two frequencies utilised by wireless routers are 2.4GHz and 5GHz, wireless routers that can operate on both frequencies are referred to as dual-band wireless routers.

The most common frequency used is the 2.4GHz frequency band and is supported by almost all wireless devices offering the greatest range (distance the signal will travel) but it is also the most prone to interference. In contrast, the 5GHz frequency band is supported by most wireless devices created within the last 5 years, is less prone to interference and offers better throughputs (speeds) but the signal does not travel as far as 2.4GHz.

CHANNELS

Channels are a subset of the frequencies used by wireless routers and are set automatically by wireless routers and most users will never need to change channels. However, as more and more devices become wireless and as the Internet of Things (IoT) grows more people in built up areas are finding that they are needing to make changes to channels to overcome interference issues.

FIRMWARE

Like most technology, manufacturers will release periodic updates to address bugs and to add features. It is a good idea to check for firmware updates if you begin to experience stability and performance issues and have exhausted other checks.

RANGE EXTENDERS

Assuming that you have optimally placed your router, as per tip 1, and you have ruled out interference you may need to consider installing a range extender. Range extenders are great for getting around thick walls or to simply carry your Wi-Fi network further if you have a large property. It is important to install a range extender in a location where it receives a strong signal from the main wireless router, otherwise you will simply be extending a weak signal.

WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS (WAP) & POWERLINE ADAPTERS

Both WAP and powerline adapters could have been discussed under the Range Extender tip but these solutions require an ethernet connection either directly to a wireless router or through a switch that connects to a wireless router. Both solutions offer wireless connectivity but usually using a different wireless network name (SSID).

Powerline adapters traditionally required special considerations such as knowing how your house was wired but most modern iterations of power line adapters are smart enough to work across wiring circuits within a single property. WAPs are a more flexible method of range extending as you can run an ethernet cable around thick walls and through ceilings and provide a separate strong Wi-Fi signal in a location away from your main wireless router.

TIME TO UPGRADE

If you have tried all of our tips but still find that you have weak Wi-Fi signal you may simply need to upgrade to a more powerful wireless router, this is likely to be the case if your wireless router is more than 4-5 years old. At the time of writing the best wireless rating is AC7200.