Improve your WiFi at home with these insider secrets
As a starting point, it is recommended that for ADSL or fiber optic networks, it is always connected by Ethernet cable. This is the best way to achieve maximum speed reaching the devices connected to our home Internet network; however, it is often not possible due to some specific particularities of our home.
When using a WiFi connection, it is important to take into account some aspects that allow us to have the best possible signal and thus reach each device with the strongest signal possible.
Generally when using a WiFi connection at home, only the main access point is used as the source of signal emission; in other words, the router. This is the first mistake if the house is very large or has certain location constraints such as different heights. In addition to this, it must be taken into account that certain objects can interfere and decrease the strength of the WiFi signal and its coverage. Even so, let’s go deeper into each of these aspects to expose what we can do to extend the WiFi signal in our house.
FACTOR 1: The router must be your greatest support ally.
The basis of our review should always be the WiFi Router. The most common is to use the Internet service provider’s own router; however, if possible, if we want to have the maximum WiFi signal capacity, we can purchase third-party routers.
The best WiFi routers have multiple antennas, a more powerful processor, QoS capability to increase performance, reducing latency and/or freeing up bandwidth for certain priority services for a better user experience, as well as the ability to broadcast dual band at 2.4 and 5 GHz.
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FACTOR 2: The router must be your greatest support ally.
The router is a device that, acting as a signal source, can be affected by any object that interferes with the wireless signal. Therefore, we recommend that you place the router in a free space, without interference from furniture or objects.
Additionally, orient the router’s antennas, one vertically and the other horizontally to improve the signal range. As we know, most documentary records show the routers with both antennas facing upwards, which is a mistake and therefore we have all made it at some time.
Finally the precision in the position of the antennas, leaving one vertical and the other horizontal is because the radio reception is more powerful when the client device and the signal itself are in the same plane, so one of these antennas should be in the direction of the place where we mostly use electronic devices with internet connection. This is why it is so convenient that the antennas form an angle of 90 degrees, so that the coverage radius improves.
As an additional recommendation, you should try to place the router as high as possible, since this will allow you to have a greater signal capacity in the different areas of the house. This finally translates into better speed and perceptible efficiency to your user experience.
FACTOR 3: Selection of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band.
When analyzing this issue, we can consider that when choosing the 5 GHz band, the signal will be weaker and will reach less places, but it can be a wise choice, since it is the signal that will offer you higher speed, between the two, since it is the less sensitive to interferences.
For our part we always recommend you to test both bands to finally be sure which one can better meet your needs, according to the areas, types and number of devices.
On the other hand, the 5 GHZ band has the advantage of having 25 non-overlapping channels, while the 2.4 GHz band has 14.
Finally, you should evaluate which one best suits your needs, bearing in mind that the 2.4 GHz can cover a wider area, although with better signal strength, while the 5 GHZ has higher signal strength, but limitations in the range of wide areas.
FACTOR 4: Router configuration according to the environment.
It is important to consider that our router is located and works around other WiFi network emitters, from the locations of our neighbors. This also affects and even more in the case that they are working in the same band.
This is why the router configuration is crucial, and specifically on the wireless settings, where you select a low saturated channel, so that interference and speed losses occur, due to the close relationship of our router with those located nearby.
