How to improve WiFi experience

Moving  WiFi router around  home or office with the aim of maximising signal coverage could be a challenge.

Wi-Fi signals emitted from a router can be blocked or weakened by a variety of factors – which can leave users with weak signal and, ultimately, a poor internet connection on their Wi-Fi-enabled device.

Wi-Fi signals are short radio waves, with a single Wi-Fi router generally having a range of around 50 metres.

The Wi-Fi signals get weaker as they travel away from the router, and are blocked and absorbed by walls and other barriers.

Experts have come out with solutions on how these limitations could be tackled. These are:

• Place router in the open

The first step to overcome this challenge is to position the router near the centre of the house or office so that signal strength is evenly distributed throughout the building.

Make sure it is in the open, and not hidden behind walls or bookcases– use line of sight to determine the least-cluttered position for the router.

• Keep router off the ground

Since most routers are designed to broadcast waves slightly downwards, placing routers on an elevated surface aids in signal distribution.

The signals Wi-Fi routers give off also can’t penetrate some of the materials that make up floors, like metal and concrete.

• Keep router away from other electronics

Electronic devices may interfere with the router’s signal. Therefore, television sets, computers, microwaves, and devices with a motor inside all hinder signal reception. Routers should not be placed near one of these devices if the best must come out of them.

• Point router antennas in different directions

Most routers have two antennas – you may want to position one vertically and one horizontally.

Devices work best when their antennas are parallel with a router’s, and the vertical/horizontal antenna placement optimises the chance of this occurring.

Antennas inside laptops are usually horizontal, and antennas in a smartphone or a tablet can be either horizontal or vertical, depending on how you hold the device.

• Measure signal strength

If there are problems connecting to the router, measure the Wi-Fi signal strength around your house/office or the location where the router is being used.

There are a variety of apps available which can measure signal strength, and help to find weak spots.