How to Increase Your Wireless Network Signal

So you've got your wireless network setup and you feel super nerdy. Everything talks and life seems good.

Then all of a sudden you want to use your wireless upstairs or in the backyard or while your in the lew and notice your bandwidth slows to a crawl.

follow the steps below to prevent this from happening.

Things You'll Need

• a wireless repeater
• possibly a new antenna
• possibly a new network card.

Instructions

1. 

   As with everything location is key. Depending on your home try to place the wireless router or access point in a central location in your house. If this is an impossibility don't fret there are many other ways to get around it. Just keep reading.

2. 

   Move your router or access point away from walls and off the ground, the closer your device is to these objects the more interference and the weaker the connection. ya dig?

3. 

   If you have a slightly higher budget you can by a better antenna for your access point or router. Some devices are unidirectional so you can point the antenna where you want the signal to go opposed to having it spread out like a ripple in lake.

4. 

   You can also increase signal strength by upgrading your network interface card. Some of the newer cards use an external usb connection which works great.

5. 

   However if you don't want to buy a network card when you already have a perfectly good working one, you can always opt for a wireless repeater.

   Rule of thumb more access points or repeaters, the better signal for everyone.

6. 

   Another great tip is that you can always change your change your wireless channel. Make sure you go through your routers manual to get more detail on how to do this.

   Try changing the router channels through the router configuration software that comes with each router. Depending on where you put things your signal might be better with another channel.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on your budget the best bet is to position what you already have in a strategic area. Worse case scenario buy another repeater.

Resources

• HOW TO SET UP A WIRELESS NETWORK
• HOW TO SET A WIRELESS NETWORK PASSWORD
• HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT YOUR WIRELESS CONNECTION
• HOW TO ADD A WIRELESS PRINTER