In which direction does the wifi router antenna radiate? Choosing a transmitter for the router

I decided to prepare an article with tips on strengthening the signal of a Wi-Fi network. On the Internet, there are many different articles on this topic, but in almost every article there is a lot of unnecessary information. More precisely, a lot of recommendations for some settings that have nothing to do with increasing the range of the Wi-Fi signal and cannot in any way affect the range of the network itself.

If we are talking about strengthening the Wi-Fi signal, then of course we will introduce the coverage radius of the network itself, that is, the Wi-Fi range. For example: we bought a router, installed it, configured it, but in the farthest rooms there is no Wi-Fi at all, or the signal level is too weak. Or, the router is installed on the ground floor (where there is a signal), and on the second floor the signal is already very weak or absent altogether. A common situation that many people face, and I’ve encountered this myself.

What determines the range of a Wi-Fi network? There are a lot of different factors: from the router itself (number and strength of antennas), from the walls in your house, from the number of neighboring Wi-Fi networks, from the location of the router, some other interference, etc. Many people ask you to recommend a router that, for example, will provide a stable Wi-Fi signal for a three-room apartment, a private house, and etc. In such cases, it is impossible to advise anything specific. Everyone has different conditions, different walls, etc. The only thing I can advise is to roughly focus on the area of your home. If, for example, you have a one-room apartment, then even an inexpensive router with one antenna with a power of 3 dBi will cope with its task without any problems. Well, if you have a larger house or apartment, then take a more expensive device. Although, price is not always an argument. I have an expensive one, three antennas, some kind of proprietary Asus function that increases the network coverage radius. So, under the same conditions, at the same distance, it does not show much better results than the same one. Which has internal antennas, and is several times cheaper.

How to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in the router settings?

If you have already bought and installed a router at home or in the office, and Wi-Fi is not available everywhere you need it, then you can try to strengthen the wireless network. We will now look at how to do this. You can strengthen the signal both using the settings in the router and using separate devices and devices.

1 Search and change the channel on the router. If your devices see many of your neighbors’ networks available for connection, then all these networks can load the channel on which your network operates, and thereby reduce the network’s range.

You can try to set some kind of static channel in the router settings, or set it to Auto. This is where you need to experiment. If you are not too lazy, then using the inSSIDer program you can find a freer channel and set it in the settings of your router.

I won’t go into detail, I’ll just give you a link to the article. In it, I talked in detail about channels, and how to find an unloaded channel. Also, there are instructions for changing the channel on routers from different manufacturers.

2 We switch our network to 802.11N operating mode. As a rule, by default on all routers the wireless network operates in mixed mode b/g/n (11bgn mixed). If you force the router to broadcast Wi-Fi in 802.11N operating mode, this can increase not only the speed, but also the Wi-Fi coverage range (if your router has more than one antenna).

The only problem is that if you have older devices that don't support 802.11N mode, they simply won't see your network. If you don't have any older devices, then don't hesitate to switch your network to n mode. It's very easy to do. We go into the router settings, usually at the address 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.0.1 (see detailed instructions on entering the settings).

In settings, open the tab where you configure the wireless network. They are usually called like this: Wi-Fi, Wireless mode, Wireless network, Wireless, etc. Find the item there Wireless mode(Mode) and set it to N only. That is, the network operates only in N mode.

For example: changing the wireless network mode on an Asus router

Save the settings and reboot the router. If you have problems connecting devices, return the mixed mode back.

3 We check the transmission power in the router settings. On some routers, it is possible to set the power level of the wireless Wi-Fi network. As far as I know, the default is maximum power. But, you can check.

In Asus routers, these settings can be changed on the tab Wireless network - Professionally. At the very bottom, there is a point " Tx power control". There is a scale that can be adjusted in percentages. It looks like this:

On Tp-Link routers, open the tab Wireless - Wireless Advanced. Paragraph Transmit Power allows you to adjust the signal strength. The High value means maximum power.

These settings will be more useful if you want, on the contrary, to reduce the signal strength of your Wi-Fi router.

How to increase the range of a Wi-Fi network using additional devices?

1 Installing a repeater, or setting up a second router in amplifier mode. Of all the recommendations that you will see here, or generally find on the Internet, this method is the most effective and reliable. True, you will have to spend money on a repeater.

Ordinary routers can act as a repeater. Here are the instructions for setting up ZyXEL and Asus routers in repeater mode:

If your Wi-Fi does not reach some rooms, then installing a repeater will solve this problem. And if you have a house with several floors, then you can install a router on the first floor, and a repeater on the second. Excellent and working scheme.

2 Changing the router antennas to more powerful ones. If your router has removable antennas, you can buy more powerful ones, and thereby slightly increase the coverage of your network. Why a little? Yes, because replacing antennas usually does not give a very good result. It exists, but not enough to increase the radius by several rooms. In any case, you will have to spend money on antennas. And it seems to me that this money would be much better spent on a repeater. Yes, it will cost more, but the benefits from it are much greater.

If you decide to change antennas, then take powerful ones with a gain of 8 dBi. But they are expensive, and several of these antennas will cost as much as a repeater.

I already wrote, you can see the results.

3 Buying a new router, switching to 5 GHz. You can buy a more powerful, expensive router. Better yet, a router that supports the 5 GHz band. What is the advantage of the 5 GHz range? It is practically free, now most all networks and other devices operate in the 2.4 GHz range. Less interference means more speed and greater network range.

There are places where a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network practically does not work. It glitches all the time, connection drops, low speed, etc. And all because there are so many different networks. In such cases, switching to 5 GHz solves all problems.

1 Select the correct location for your router. This is actually very good and effective advice. As a rule, everyone installs routers at the entrance, or in some distant rooms. The correct location of the router will allow the signal to be distributed correctly, thereby increasing the Wi-Fi range.

Simply put, you need to install the router as close to the center of the house as possible. Yes, this does not always work out, since you need to lay a cable to the router, and pulling it to the middle of the house is not very convenient. But even minor movements of the router can increase the network level in the rooms you need. Also, you need to remember that walls are the enemy of Wi-Fi networks.

2 Homemade amplifiers for Wi-Fi antennas. You can find many instructions that show how to make amplifiers for a router. As a rule, this is ordinary foil and tin cans. It turns out that if we place a sheet of foil on one side of the antenna, the signal will bounce off it and be directed in the direction we need.

I think this is all nonsense. Firstly, a cut beer can or a piece of foil on the back of the router doesn’t look very nice, and secondly, it has practically no effect. You can check.

These are the tips. I think you have found a suitable way for yourself to increase the range of your Wi-Fi network. Share your tips in the comments!

Using a router at home or at work, you may encounter that its signal does not reach certain places or is weakened so much that it is uncomfortable to use. In this case, it is necessary to amplify the distributed signal using an external antenna.

What is the router antenna responsible for?

Most routers come with one antenna installed initially. It creates a network of radio waves near itself, and also receives signals emanating from devices connected to Wi-Fi. By transmitting a signal, the antenna allows devices to download something from the Internet, while receiving it - upload information to websites and other resources.

If one antenna is installed on the router, it distributes its power between transmitting and receiving information. If two antennas are used, then one works only for reception, and the second for transmission. If there are three, two for transmission, one for reception (since we download much more to the device than upload something from it to the Internet). A maximum of 6 antennas can be connected to the router.

The most powerful modern routers have six antennas

By increasing the number of antennas, you will increase the data transfer speed. Of course, if your router and Internet have power reserves.

The type of antenna indicates how the signal will be distributed in space: evenly or in a certain direction. This factor depends on the shape of the selected antenna.

What types of antennas are there?

There are two main types of antennas used to distribute a Wi-Fi network:

Antenna attachments

A separate type can be distinguished as attachment antennas. They are put on an already installed circular antenna, turning it into a directional one. Of course, they do not replace a fully directional antenna, but they can slightly enhance the signal in a certain direction.

You can put an attachment on the antenna to amplify the signal in the desired direction

Video: types of antennas for a router

Which antenna to choose

Circular antennas distribute the signal evenly. If you need to have access to the network from all directions, it is worth purchasing just such an antenna. It is suitable in most cases. For example, it is convenient to use it in a home or office, when there are people above, below, to the right and to the left of the router who need Wi-Fi.

If the devices that will connect to the network are located on one side of the router, it is better to choose a directional antenna. The signal will only be transmitted there, but it will be much stronger. When choosing an antenna, you must keep in mind that any obstacles in the path of signal propagation reduce its quality. The table below shows the degree of attenuation of the radio signal depending on the partition material.

Table: influence of obstacles on signal level

Main characteristics of antennas

When choosing an antenna, you need to know what parameters you should pay attention to. It will depend on them how high-quality the distributed signal will be, whether the antenna will use all the power of the Internet and whether it will be able to work with existing equipment.

Price

Circular antennas are cheaper than directional ones, since their design is simpler. The manufacture of directional antennas requires special precision, otherwise the signal will be scattered, and without clear focusing, the meaning of a directional antenna is lost.

The price of the antenna will depend on:

quality of materials used;
build quality and technologies used;
purpose (street or home);
power and gain.

Depending on these parameters, a household Wi-Fi antenna can cost from two hundred to several thousand rubles.

Purpose

If an antenna is needed for a router that is located indoors and distributes a signal only within its limits, then you can use a regular antenna. But if the task arises of installing an outdoor antenna, you should pay attention to the materials from which it is made, as well as its tightness and operating temperature range. An important part will be the presence of a lightning rod (if it is not included in the kit, you will have to buy it separately).

More secure antennas with a lightning rod are installed outdoors

An outdoor antenna should be used if Wi-Fi must be available both indoors and outdoors. This is necessary because any obstacles degrade the quality of the signal, resulting in reduced Internet speed and network coverage area.

Supported Standards

A standard is a set of rules by which a router, modem and antenna communicate. If one of the devices does not support the standard used by the others, it will not be able to work in conjunction with them. Therefore, you need to choose an antenna that supports the standard that your router uses.

At the moment, the most universal and frequently used standard is 802.11n. There are different modifications (for example, 802.11a/b/c), the names of which are distinguished by the letter at the end. But the standard with an n at the end is backwards compatible with all the others. That is, if you purchase an antenna that supports 802.11n, you can use it with almost any device.

To find out what standards your router supports, read its documentation. It can be found on the manufacturer's official website.

Connector

When choosing an antenna, you should pay attention to the connector with which it will be screwed to the router. Of course, if the connectors do not match (the antenna will not be inserted into the router), you can purchase an adapter. But any extra intermediary can negatively affect the quality of the signal.

When choosing an antenna, you need to pay attention to the connector with which it will connect to the router

Gain

Gain indicates how much the signal will be amplified by the antenna. Gain affects the range of signal propagation. Since the antenna itself does not generate energy, but takes it from the router, it can only amplify the signal by concentrating the energy, that is, changing the range. For example, do not send the signal upward, distributing the freed power horizontally.

The parameter is calculated by the formula: 10* log (P out / P in), where P in is the power at the input, and P out is at the output, and is measured in decibels (dB). For example, when the energy in a certain direction is doubled, the coefficient will be equal to 3 dB.

Sometimes you can see the unit dBi. It is calculated differently and is not a reliable indicator. It is usually used to visually increase the numbers in the antenna characteristics.

Polarization

There are three types of polarization: vertical, horizontal and circular. The antenna propagates waves, and they can oscillate in both the vertical and horizontal planes. Circular antennas spin the waves in a spiral.

There are three types of polarization

You need to know this characteristic of the antenna in order to position it correctly. The antennas of the receiving and transmitting devices must have the same polarization, otherwise the signal speed will drop. Most home routers use vertical polarization, so the antenna must be positioned vertically.

Both devices must have an antenna with the same polarization

In most cases, antennas with vertical or horizontal polarization are used, since they are easier to manufacture and, accordingly, cheaper than circular ones.

Manufacturer

When choosing an antenna, you will come across a large number of manufacturers of this product. Which one you choose depends on what features you need and what price you're willing to pay. It is better to choose an antenna in online stores, since there is more choice and lower prices (the main thing is not to forget to check the delivery conditions).

The cheapest are circular antennas with low gain or attachment antennas. They cost around 200 rubles. Directional antennas will cost a little more, from 400 rubles. The most expensive are external directional devices; their prices start at 2,500 rubles.

To make your task easier, it is better to indicate during your search the model of the router for which you are purchasing the antenna. Then you can immediately remove options that do not work with your router. Although not all stores provide a complete list of supported devices. But you can buy an antenna from the same company as the router, then there will definitely be no conflicts.

Is it possible to make an antenna yourself?

You can make an antenna yourself, but this will require some skill, an understanding of how they are designed and what type of antenna you need. There are a huge number of types of antennas designed for different situations.

Available materials are suitable for manufacturing (for example, ordinary wire and a DVD), but the power of the antenna will depend on their quality. The most important thing is to maintain the dimensions of the structure and correctly replace the old antenna; in most cases, you will have to desolder it and then solder a new one.

On the Internet you can find many examples of how people assemble their own antennas. Study them before you take on this business. For example, this is how a Kharchenko biquad antenna is assembled:

Video: do-it-yourself antenna for a router

Connecting an external antenna

Most routers can use multiple antennas at the same time. Thanks to this, an external antenna can be connected and configured, for example, only for data transmission, and the internal ones, which are located on the board of the router itself, can be set to receive mode. By increasing the number of antennas, the speed will increase, and an external antenna will increase the range of the signal.

To connect an external antenna and configure it, you must complete the following steps:

If an antenna is already connected to the router, unscrew it. The MMCX connector must be free.
Connect an external antenna to the vacant connector
On a computer connected to the router via a LAN cable or Wi-Fi network, download and install the WinBox application. It will allow us to configure the network.
Once the program is open, go to the Wireless tab. In the Interface block, select your connection (by default it is named wlan 1).
A window will open in which you need to select the HT section. In the Antenna mode line, select antenna b mode. After saving the settings and rebooting the router, all antennas will start working simultaneously. If you want only the external antenna to work, and the internal ones to remain idle, then uncheck the chain0 item.
Set the operation option antenna b

Testing

After the antenna is connected and configured, you can proceed to testing.

You can test it manually, checking each time the Internet speed and its stability. But it is better to use special programs that collect all information automatically. For example, you can use the simple Homedale app. By running it and waiting for the result, you will see the following data:

After installing the program, follow these steps:

Connect to the router.
During the setup process, you need to find out in which position the antenna works best. Change the angle of the antenna and the location of the router, checking the signal quality each time. As a result of the work done, you will find their best location.

The antenna determines how the signal will propagate through the network. There are two types of antennas - directional and non-directional. Instead of completely replacing the antenna, you can connect an attachment. The external antenna must be correctly positioned and configured. After changing the antenna, it is recommended to carry out testing to check the signal quality.

In the previous article in tips for choosing a router, we only briefly touched on the topic: “ Location of the router in an apartment or house". If you bought an expensive router model, then, basically, such people do not have questions about this due to the built-in high parameters of the device, which can provide strong and large wireless network coverage. And those who purchased a router option in the middle or low price category will have to think about the place where their Wi-Fi distributor. And to make their life easier, we'll give you 13 tips on this occasion:

Central placement of the router in your home

The biggest problem for the passage of Wi-Fi frequencies is walls. The very essence of the central location involves the passage of wireless connections through doorways. The classic room in this regard is hallway. In most cases, the hallway has access to all rooms. For example, when the router is located in the living room or in another extreme room, you will not be able to cover all residential premises, and so-called "empty spaces" no connection.

Consider the layout of your home
Select a room from which all rooms have access
Doorways are your helpers
Walls (especially concrete ones) will be enemies in signal propagation

The fewer walls in the way, the better the connection

To understand how a Wi-Fi signal affects objects that get in your way, you need to understand the propagation process. The signal, passing through objects, loses the strength of the standard indicator or, in the worst cases, disappears completely. It all depends on the material through which a wave passes. All apartments in their usual architecture consist of concrete walls. But due to the development of technology, walls consisting of lighter materials are also being added to the design of homes. As you can understand above, concrete walls do not help signal propagation, but on the contrary, they worsen it. Here are the materials from drywall and trees are less detrimental to signal strength. Another interesting property of a wireless network is reflection from any object. As with transmission, there are materials that promote reflection. Mostly these are mirrors. To ensure that the “not running away from you” signal, you can think about buying a couple of mirrors and placing them in the room. This will help achieve an extremely strong signal in your one room without leaking into others.

Closer to the sky

The higher the router, the better the signal. Because there are no obstacles to spread on the ceiling. From here it turns out the opposite, close to the floor will degrade your signal due to the large number of objects you encounter along the way. Usually following this rule, you can use router wall mounts. Yes and doesn't lie underfoot and does not take up space on the closet.

Electrical appliances are not friends in this matter

Now there are so many devices that depress the signal 2.4 GHz. This issue directly relates to choosing a location for the router. You need to choose a place where there will be no devices that operate on a wireless network. Rest assured, almost all of them operate at 2.4 GHz. And the most dangerous thing in this matter is the microwave oven, it is the one that will nullify your signal. So, place the router in the kitchen, when the presence of a microwave oven there will be detrimental to you.

Should you position the antenna up or sideways?

Everyone, I think, asked the question: “What will happen if we place the antenna in different positions and what is the effect of this?” . Answer to the question didn't have to wait long. If you place the antennas up towards the ceiling, the signal propagation area will be horizontal vector. If the antennas are positioned sideways, the vector will change to vertical. Here the choice will fall only on you and your home construction. One option is suitable for ordinary apartments, and the other for residential ones multi-storey buildings to achieve signal transmission to the floor above. You can also choose an intermediate position of the antennas, which will provide an average signal in both horizontal and vertical plane. There are also built-in antennas in which we ourselves will have to move the router in one direction or another.

We must not forget that our router is an introvert

Large companies are not for our router. This is the device. I’m surprised myself, but there’s nothing to be done. Placing the router in a public place will be a mistake. If you believe science, then a person 70% consists of water. And such water accumulations of people “extinguish” the Wi-Fi signal. If this is an office or other crowded place, then the advice is to place the router higher and further away ( not forgetting the rule of “center”) will be the best decision.

Keep hot objects away from the router

No art put the router on the battery, processor or other hot items. This will have a bad effect not only on operation, but also on signal transmission. Because the temperature is higher 40 degrees Celsius entails breakdown and malfunction of the device. And in the saddest situations, you can sacrifice your safety. May occur ignition, which in turn will entail fire. When it comes to your safety, take it seriously.

crazy hands

If all your strength is running out and you give up on your own, then only the recommendations of “Crazy Hands” can come to the rescue. This option only works in the most extreme situations. It will help improve wireless distribution and coverage Wi-Fi at 20%. You'll need some steel. It can be found from for any cans with food products, the main thing is that the inside is shiny. This inner part is about we mount the antenna of your router. There are indeed improvements, but very small.

Dual band will solve problems with neighbors

When living in a multi-storey residential building, you will be provided with neighbors who also use routers and their own wireless networks. Most of them operate at 2.4 GHz. When purchasing a router that supports not only 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, you can achieve individuality and non-competitiveness of your neighbors. So, when working at a higher frequency, you can avoid a decrease in signal strength due to the fact that other networks operate at a different frequency and do not compete with you.

Mobile application to help!

In addition to applications that monitor your router, there are also those that can show the strength of your Wi-Fi signal. That is, being in different rooms you can determine what signal each of them receives. And considering these parameters, move your router from one place to another until you won't achieve the desired effect. This is usually useful for those who have an unusual structure for their living area and the center rule does not apply here. For example, there are good applications: Wifi Analyzer, WiFi Master Key, WIFI WPS WPA TESTER, WPS Connect.

Pets

Pets can too join you in the war for stable Wi-Fi and I think they will not take your side. Otherwise, you need to protect the wires and the router from animals. Otherwise, you may end up with a faulty router or, worse, a chewed fiber optic cable, which will lead to to big problems and call specialized personnel about this.

Repeater

Another option to improve your wireless connection flow. True, you need to spend a small amount of money, but for large rooms - this is an indispensable lotion. With its help, the signal will spread twice as strong and the coverage will increase to exactly match your stationary router. The repeater gets practice in use in offices, hotels and cafes. Entrepreneurs should think about this purchase.

Software and firmware updates

Don't forget to check the updates that the manufacturer provides monthly. Not always, especially for young manufacturers, a router can reveal all its potential with a standard updated software. Already during operation, people write reviews, and the development team has a clear opinion about their product and what shortcomings need to be corrected. Then, after about a month, updates come out with the problems fixed. This only applies to decent producers, who care about the opinions of their customers.

Anyone who has a Wi-Fi router installed at home or in the office has probably encountered the problem of lack of Internet in some rooms. And more than once I wondered how to position the antennas of a wi-fi router so that the signal was of better quality.

All 802.11n routers come with stock whip antennas. They, depending on the model, can be removable or stationary. The most basic version of a router antenna is the whip antenna.

How does a wi-fi router antenna work? There is a small wire inside the removable plastic case. This is the working part of the antenna. Its length does not exceed 31 mm. Of course, this size was not chosen by chance. With the frequency range of standard Wi-Fi routers from 2,400 MHz to 2,473 MHz, the wave ranges from 12.10 cm to 12.50 cm.

So 31mm is about 1/4 of the wavelength. It is this antenna size that allows you to receive a higher quality signal. To achieve full network coverage, you must correctly direct the antennas of the wi-fi router.

How to correctly position the antennas on the router:

the optimal location for devices with one antenna is vertically upward;
for gadgets with two or more emitters, a multidirectional location would be best.

When using a router without an antenna, do not place it on its side. To achieve good results, it is recommended to install it vertically and then move it while checking the signal level.

Using an external antenna

The signal from a router with a built-in antenna is not always enough for uninterrupted operation on the Internet. One of the best ways to expand your coverage area is a wi-fi router with an external antenna.

If the router is in a closed place (for example, in a closet), an external device can be plugged into the router’s antenna connector and placed in the center of the room.

Owners of large houses who want to use the Internet not only indoors, but also in the yard, will need a router with an external wi-fi antenna. With the help of a cable it can be placed at the highest point of the house. This more powerful antenna for the router will provide better signal reception quality than the one built into the router.

How to connect an antenna to a Wi-Fi router:

We connect the router to the antenna using a special cable. The length of the router-antenna cable can vary from 20 cm to several meters, depending on the location of the antenna;
To configure the router we use the WinBox program. We launch it on the computer and find the router;
In the program settings, we look for networks, go to the interface and indicate the connection option - antenna b.

After the settings have been made, the external amplifying antenna for the router should work in parallel with the internal one.

Other ways to improve the signal

Most modern routers are equipped with removable antennas with a power factor of 2.5 to 5 dB. They can be replaced with more powerful ones (8-10 dB). To do this, unscrew the old ones and install new ones in their place.

If the router is equipped with a non-removable antenna and without a warranty, it is worth trying to solder an antenna with a better gain to it. You can buy the device in a store or make it yourself.

DIY antenna for router

How to solder an antenna to a router:

disassemble the router;
unsolder the internal antenna;
in its place, solder the coaxial RF cable from the new antenna;
test the circuit with a tester or multimeter;
assemble everything in reverse order.

Using the same method, it is not difficult to repair the router antenna. You need to remove the remains of the broken antenna and solder another one in its place.

A tin of drinks can be used as an antenna amplifier for a wi-fi router. To do this, take an empty container and rinse it well. The bottom and 2/3 of the upper part are completely cut off from it. The can is cut lengthwise and straightened. The device is mounted on the wi-fi antenna of the router.

There are other options for signal amplification. The choice depends only on the user. It must be remembered that, regardless of the type of antenna used, it must be directed towards the signal source.

In the modern world, for many users an uninterrupted connection to the Internet is, if not critical, then an extremely important condition. It is known that in order to obtain maximum signal reception with the best coverage area, the device must be located in the signal reception area from the Wi-Fi router.

The main reasons for a weak Wi-Fi signal

On the other hand, the main problems for high-quality reception are limitations in the range of the transmitted signal and physical obstacles in the form of walls and corners in the room. It is also impossible not to take into account the interference that occurs when there is a large number of potential network subscribers located in the reception area, as well as telephone subscribers. However, after the introduction of the DECT 6.0 standard, the influence of cordless phones on the operation of the wireless network ceased.

In the network settings of your Wi-Fi router, you can always see the names and number of users who are currently connected to the network. In order to limit such access to “unwanted guests”, it is enough to come up with and set a password for accessing the Internet, and also encrypt it using the WPA2 security system.

There are also a number of other reasons why communication may not be ideal. Luckily, we have some troubleshooting tips to help improve your signal. And most of them won't cost you a penny.

1. Update your Wi-Fi router firmware

Despite the fact that manufacturers usually release routers with the latest firmware, sometimes it becomes necessary to update it in order to increase the performance and speed of the equipment. Usually the update occurs automatically by clicking the corresponding button in the router settings. In older router models, you need to download the latest firmware from the manufacturer's website.

In any case, it is recommended to update it periodically, even if you have the latest version installed. This will ensure the latest security, functionality and performance updates are installed. Below are the network settings of the router.

2. Place the router correctly

As already mentioned, the router develops its maximum data transfer speed in open space. However, it is often convenient to hide the device somewhere in a closet or on a shelf, next to the network cable running along the wall. In addition, the speed and coverage area may be affected by other electronic devices located nearby.

Related article: How to distribute Wi-Fi via a Samsung Galaxy smartphone

If the router has external antennas, they should be positioned vertically. Besides, For better signal reception, the device should be placed higher. There are both hardware methods for determining signal strength (Heatmapper or inSSIDer for the office) and software methods (Netgear’s Wifi Analytics).

3. Choose the optimal frequency

First, you need to make sure that the optimal frequency is set in the router settings. If you can switch to the 5GHz frequency, then most likely doing so will improve performance as opposed to the standard 2.4GHz frequency.

But not every router supports the 5 GHz frequency.

4. Change the current channel

All modern routers are multi-channel. However, the channel may not be able to withstand the heavy load arising from connecting several devices.

If several routers within the same range are configured to the same channel, congestion may occur.

On computers with the Windows operating system, you can see which channels are used by neighboring Wi-Fi networks. To do this, on the command line (in Windows 7) you need to type

netsh wlan show all

A list of all wireless networks and channels used within the device's operating range will be displayed. For example, at PC Labs, most connected devices use channels 6 and 11.

After this, you need to select the channel that is less busy and manually switch the router to it. This can be done in the web interface in the wireless network settings section.

5. Prioritize

Most modern routers come with Quality-of-Service (QoS) tools to limit communication bandwidth. This is done so as not to “clog” the channel when downloading large video files or when using Voice over IP (VoIP) frequently. This tool allows you to set priorities and limit the download speed of data.

QoS settings can usually be found in the advanced settings in the web interface. You can also manage the priorities of the data used using multimedia or gaming settings.

6. Upgrade legacy hardware

Time passes, and technology also does not stand still, which means sooner or later network equipment becomes obsolete and it’s time to change it. In particular, communication standards are being improved: the outdated 802.11b and 802.11g (54 Mbit/s) have been replaced by faster 802.11n (300 Mbit/s) and 802.11ac (1 Gbit/s).

Related article: Serious Wi-Fi vulnerability discovered

In addition, the hardware network adapter in your computer may also become outdated. You should make sure that it is compatible with new standards (at least 802.11n, and preferably 802.11ac). For laptops, a wireless USB network adapter can be used, which usually supports new communication standards. Otherwise, you should replace the device with a more modern one.

The latest trend in this area is 802.11ac multiple-input (MU-MIMO) routers. Models such as the Linksys EA7500 Max-Stream AC1900 can simultaneously send and receive multiple data streams to multiple devices without sacrificing throughput, and clients must be MU-MIMO compatible.

7. Replace the antenna

Modern antennas also come with a number of requirements. For the best signal, the antenna should be external and omnidirectional. However, in the case of an omnidirectional antenna, you should pay attention to the gain.

It must be high enough so that the signal does not dissipate and the data transfer rate does not decrease. If there are places in the room with a stronger signal reception area, a narrowly directional antenna may be a more reasonable solution. For more detailed information on purchasing such antennas, please visit the manufacturer’s website.

8. Use an amplifier to increase the signal range

In large rooms, the coverage area may not be sufficient for stable high-speed signal reception. In this case, it is necessary to use a signal amplifier or, as it is also called, a range extender. It can also be useful for rooms with thick walls and massive physical objects.

These amplifiers look similar to a router, but their operating principle is different. To begin with, they adapt to the operating frequency of the router and simply relay its operation. In fact, this is another network device with its own IP address. The amplifier should be located near the router to maintain a stable connection with it, as well as with an area of weak signal reception for more effective amplification in this area.

When purchasing such a device, you should make sure that it, like the router, supports one communication standard (preferably 802.11ac) and operates at the same frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). Otherwise, the amplifier can be of any brand. For more detailed information, you can read the article on testing modern wireless amplifiers.