Want To Know How to Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal?

There are many ways to improve your WiFi signal. In this article we will give you the answer.

Ah, nature. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining … and your  WiFi signal is preventing you from uploading a really clever Facebook status. It’s hard enough for your WiFi connection to reach the four corners of your house, let alone the backyard and beyond. To take your computing to the distance, you’ll need to seriously boost your Wi-Fi signal.

The following products, hacks and tips will ensure your WiFi keeps you connected no matter where you are.

If you’re hoping to connect remotely, say on a camping trip, where there’s no WiFi in sight, you’ll need to address one of two solutions:

• Enable your wireless plan to turn your phone into a hotspot,
• or get a Mi-Fi hotspot.

These pocket-sized mobile hotspots connect multiple devices through your cellphone carrier.

The device itself costs up to R700 with a two-year contract. Add in data charges (R400 per month) for an expensive but convenient option.

Extending your current Wi-Fi signal to encompass the outdoor area surrounding your home is a little more complicated.

The first and easiest method is to check your router settings.

Don’t worry about updating your router to a new standard, just yet.

New router standards do exist and may give you a stronger signal, but sometimes suffer serious drawbacks, such as compatibility with your current devices. Your old router should work just fine.

Next, check the placement of your router.

While that unsightly box might detract from your decor, avoid tucking it away in the deep recesses of your home or against an exterior wall.

WiFi routers work best without physical barriers, such as cement or brick, blocking their signal.

Think of your WiFi signal as a stream of water ripples, constantly moving outward but getting weaker as it expands.

Centralize your router in your home, ensuring the strongest signal will reach as far as possible, or position it closer to the outdoor region you’re hoping to boost.

Now that you’ve got the router placed correctly, you can extend the reach of the signal.

Some insist that a well-placed soda can or some aluminum foil will do the trick, if only to gain an extra bar or two. Check out the video below for a how-to on making a DIY Wi-Fi booster.

Another option is to replace the stock antenna on your router with an Omni-Directional Antenna.

This simple fix could potentially double or triple your signal strength in every direction, and only costs about R400.

If you’re looking to even more heft to your signal, you’ll need to purchase a repeater or range extender.

Place a repeater between the router and the “dead zone,” where it will catch the original signal and repeat it farther outward.

Some old routers can convert into repeaters, or you can purchase one for about R500.

One great option is the SharePort Mobile Companion by D-Link, which alternates as a router, Wi-Fi hotspot or repeater at the flip of a switch.