9 Ways To Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal

Does your Wi-Fi signal need a boost?

These days, most of us use Wi-Fi in our homes to access the internet, stream our favorite movies and television shows and connect our smart devices.

9 Tips for Getting a Stronger Wi-Fi Signal

While it’s tough to beat the convenience of Wi-Fi for staying connected, it can be frustrating when the signal is lacking. And the more devices we connect, the bigger that issue becomes.

In this article, we’ll go over some ways you might be able to improve the Wi-Fi signal in your home.

Quick Links:

1. Reboot Your Router
2. Find the Best Place for Your Router
3. Make Sure Your Router Is Updated
4. Secure Your Signal
5. Make Sure You’re on a Clear Channel
6. See if There Are Apps Hogging Your Bandwidth
7. Use 5GHz at Short Ranges
8. Get a Repeater/Booster/Extender
9. Consider a Mesh-Based System

1. Reboot Your Modem and Router

Let’s start with the simplest thing you can do to try to improve your Wi-Fi signal strength. In the same way that restarting your computer can clear up issues with its performance, rebooting your modem and wireless router could be the remedy for a weak Wi-Fi signal.

As with anything technical, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it, so make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and check the tips here.

2. Find the Best Spot for Your Router

The next thing to consider when you’re trying to optimize your Wi-Fi signal is where you place your router. In general, the farther your router is from the devices connected to its signal, the weaker that signal is going to be.

Ideally, you want to place your router in a central location in your home so you’re never too far from it even if you’re moving about with your mobile devices. If you use Wi-Fi primarily for streaming to televisions in your home, you’ll benefit from the router being closer to those TVs.

Other things that can help are making sure the router is elevated and that it’s not surrounded by other electronic devices.

3. Make Sure Your Router Is Updated

When a new version of your computer’s operating system is released, it’s a good idea to run the update to patch security holes and get the best performance. The same goes for your router.

If you’ve never updated your router’s firmware, that might explain the issues you’re having with your Wi-Fi signal. The updating process varies from router to router, but you should be able to find updating instructions on the website of your router’s manufacturer. This article goes into detail about what the process involves.

4. Secure Your Signal

Making sure your wireless network is secure not only helps protect you from malicious activity, but it can also ensure that no one is stealing your precious bandwidth. If neighbors or even just passersby are using your signal, that means there’s less available for you.

Here are keys to keeping your home Wi-Fi network safe and secure.

5. Make Sure You’re on a Clear Channel

If you live in a densely populated area, your Wi-Fi signal could be suffering from congestion. If you and your neighbors are trying to use the same channel, everyone’s router performance can suffer.

Most routers are set up to automatically use the clearest channel available, but that’s not the case for all of them. Check your router’s administration interface to see if yours is set on “automatic.” If it’s not and that option is available, select it. If your router doesn’t have that option, you’ll need to change the channel manually. PCMag has more information on how to do that.

6. See if There Are Apps Hogging Your Bandwidth

Different applications use different amounts of bandwidth, and if you’ve got multiple apps running that are bandwidth hogs, overall performance is going to suffer.

Most routers come with something called Quality of Service (QoS) tools that can help you limit the amount of bandwidth different apps use. You can use these tools to prioritize certain apps over others. For example, if you want to make sure your streaming of the big game isn’t interrupted because your kids are playing games online you would assign a higher priority to your streaming service than their device’s browser.

7. Use 5GHz at Short Ranges

If you have a “dual band” router, you have the option of using either the 2.4GHz band or the 5GHz band. You will usually get better performance if you select 5GHz, because it’s less commonly used and there will be less interference.

The caveat here is that the 5GHz signal doesn’t travel as far and doesn’t fare as well with obstructions as the 2.4GHz band does, so it isn’t a great option for devices that are located far away (or many walls away) from the router. You can learn more about the differences between the 2.4 and 5GHz bands here.

8. Get a Repeater/Booster/Extender

Another thing to consider is buying a product that will give your Wi-Fi signal a leg up. These devices go by the names “repeater,” “booster” and “extender,” but they all basically do the same thing: take your Wi-Fi signal, amplify it and then send it out again from a different location.

These are relatively inexpensive and can be particularly useful in larger homes or places where there are a lot of obstructions. This site has a good roundup of the best ones available right now.

9. Consider a Mesh-Based System

A more expensive but more thorough option is to invest in a wireless mesh router system. Money expert Clark Howard is a big proponent of these devices that you place throughout your home, essentially ensuring that your Wi-Fi signal is that same strength in every room.

Be prepared to shell out $200-$300 for a system that will cover a larger home. Of course, that’s money well spent if you never want to worry about having a weak Wi-Fi signal again.

Final Thought

Everyone’s Wi-Fi situation is different, so there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution for dealing with a weak signal. If you’re having issues, start with some of the free solutions above to see if they lead to improvement. If nothing seems to work, only then should you consider shelling out money for a repeater or mesh system.