How to improve WiFi reception in your home
There is nothing worse than a weak WiFi signal in your house, but there are ways of improving it.
Almost every home in urban areas has access to WiFi in the modern world. We are a generation that relies so heavily on being connected, so WiFi is a great way of doing just that.
However, a lot of those same homes struggle from poor WiFi connections, with poor reception enough to make you want to pull your hair out. You could just curse and blame Telkom in South Africa, but we can't always make them the scapegoat!
There are some very technical ways that you can improve your WiFi signal, but the truth is we are not all clued up when it comes to computers or simply don't have money to spend on someone to come out and give us a hand.
If you are having issues with your WiFi at home, there are some pretty simple solutions you can try before you throw your router (modem) through the window or sob over the phone to the IT nerd down the road.
- Go central and high
For a more even coverage, simply move your router (modem) to a more central spot in the house. This move should eliminate the dead zones you have been getting angry about. It is also important to put your router high off the ground, as radio waves perform best when travelling downwards.
- Keep your router away from other routers
If you live in a complex or flat, there is a good chance that your neighbour's router is challenging yours for superiority. Chat to your neighbour and find out where they have placed their router and move yours away if close together. You can also change the channel of your router to be different to that of your neighbour's, but you may require some assistance with that.
- Remove all interferences
Things as seemingly harmless as power cables, baby monitors, cordless phones, and microwaves can work in competition with your router, meaning poor signal is supplied. Simply ensure that when you place your router centrally, there are no interferences such as those mentioned.
- Buy a WiFi extender
A WiFi extender is a great way to remove dead spots and poor range if you live in a big house. Not all routers will work perfectly in a big home, so the extender will help with extending (duh!) the range of your router's coverage.
If you try the above and are still experiencing problems, then we suggest you call in a professional.
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Have you ever tried to fix the WiFi signal in your house by yourself? Let us know in the comments section below.