Cordless phones, baby monitors, and wireless speaker sets can all operate at 2.4 GHz and mess with your Wi-Fi signal if your router operates in that range (and most do). While your neighbors Wi-Fi signal may be interfering with yours (we’ll get to that in a minute) there are other devices that can easily get in the way of good connectivity. This will also help elevate the router away from common sources of interference, like televisions and cell phones without having to worry about placing it in the right corner.
You can mount it to a wall to both raise the elevation and orient it correctly, but make sure you check the signal around the house before you screw it into the wall. If your router doesn’t have that feature, it nonetheless makes a big difference to point the back side of the router straight up.
If it has antennas that are bendable, you can simply turn them upward to improve the signal strength. There are a few consistent schools of thought behind router placement that you should start with.ĭespite looking so nice sitting there on your bookshelf, if you want a stronger signal, it helps to flip your router vertically. Walls, fish tanks, microwaves, even large pets can obstruct the signal, so it’s important to carefully consider your options and test different placements. One of the easiest ways to improve your Wi-Fi signal strength is to move your router’s location to take full advantage of its signal strength. Back in the app, simply tap Wi-Fi Scan in the upper right corner to see what networks are nearby. The functionality is a bit hidden, but if you download the Airport Utility to your phone, and go into the global settings pane for the app, you can turn on the Wi-Fi scanner. As an added bonus, it runs on your tablet or smartphone so you won’t have to awkwardly carry your laptop around trying to test the signal.įor iOS, Apple actually has its own software available in the app store that lets you scan and view the information of available wireless networks easily, as well as see the channel spread for possible interference. Acrylic Wi-Fi Analyzer has a free version that should be more than comprehensive enough for the basic user, displaying detectable networks and real time channel usage.įor Android, Wifi Analyzer is a free, well featured app that can show you networks and channels, as well as graph connection strength over time as you move about the house. If it’s a priority to get your Internet working at full efficiency, the program is worth shelling out for, because it will show you nearby conflicting channels, identify problem devices, and help with blind spots and router placement. If you’re just trying to patch the holes, there are a few free software options that should get the job done. On a laptop, inSSIDer is a great paid option for finding and solving issues. Ideally, a laptop will show you the most detailed information and widest array of access to software, as well as allow you to identify relevant issues in problem areas.
No matter your preferred device, you have options for identifying potential issues with your network, and you’re better off testing the network with the device you’ll be using the most. Diagnosing the problemīefore you start drilling holes into your wall to run ethernet cables, you’ll want to identify exactly what the problem with your Wi-Fi connection is. There are a number of ways to increase your Wi-Fi range and speed across the board, but if it’s just one room, or one corner of one room, there are some steps you can take to identify and resolve that issue. Even worse, you may find your wireless connection functions fine in some rooms of your house, and not at all in others. Ijansempoi/ShutterstockWireless Internet problems are among the most frustrating to deal with, both because of the large range of potential issues, and when your Internet isn’t working it can be hard to find a solution.