The low speed of the Internet via wifi on a laptop is a misfortune that can really fray your nerves. Of course, if such is provided by the provider itself under a contract, then it will not be possible to increase it (except for connecting a "high-speed" tariff).

But if you suspect there are still unused resources, then some improvement can be made.

How to improve wifi reception on laptop?

Immediately, we note that almost all options for amplifying the wifi signal relate to the settings of the network, router or external devices. On the laptop itself, in order to improve wifi reception, you should make settings in the "Power supply" mode, namely:

• - Depending on the installed operating system open "Control Panel" (for XP / 7) then "Power supply" and set the mode "High performance".
• - Next, open the section "Setting up the power plan" - "Change Extra options nutrition ". In the list, find the line "Adapter parameters wireless network"And in the line" Power saving mode "set the value" Maximum productivity"During operation and" on battery "and" on mains ".

Also, keep in mind the importance of updating your wireless adapter driver and keeping it up to date and working.

The laptop does not receive the wifi signal well: what to do?

Now about the main thing: why the laptop does not catch wifi well, and how to strengthen the reception of the wireless network signal?

1. 1. It has a huge impact on the quality and stability of the signal relative to the connected devices. It is logical that the greater the distance and the number of "obstacles" between the router and the device using the resources of the wireless network, the lower the signal received by the laptop and, accordingly, the speed of the Internet connection.

The ideal location of the router is in the center of the network, on equal distance from all devices connected to it (or closer to those devices that consume large quantity traffic).

An example of the correct location of the router is shown in the following figure:

In addition, you can enhance wifi reception on a laptop by installing additional antennas on the router. There are many types of such antennas, and the choice mainly depends on the router model and the required antenna power.

1. 2. Significantly enhance the reception of a wifi signal on a laptop using a "repeater" or / repeater.

This is a great option for those who have an old unused router lying around.

1. 3. Check the signal strength level set in the router settings.

For some models of routers, a parameter such as "Wireless Transmit Power" is provided: if it is not set to 100 percent, then, accordingly, you have an "unused margin" of wifi signal strength.

In the router settings, you just need to find this parameter - usually it is next to the "Standard" and "Channel" parameters - and set the value to 100%.

1. 4. It is also worth dwelling on the above-mentioned parameters "Standard" and "Channel": right choice These parameters can significantly enhance the reception of the Wi-Fi signal on the laptop.

To begin with, about "Standards"

Currently / the protocols are 802.11a / 802.11b / 802.11n, which provide a maximum data transfer rate of 54 Mb / s.

Today the leader is the 802.11ac protocol, with a maximum speed of 1.3 Gbps, but supporting this protocol devices are rare enough.

So, in order to improve a weak Wi-Fi signal on a laptop, it is worth experimenting with the protocols and choosing the best one for your devices (or, if possible, setting automatic detection).

Now about the "Channel" parameter

This moment is most relevant for apartment buildings, where most (if not all) networks operate on one data transmission channel. Q (but note that there are devices that do not support channels greater than 10).

There are many utilities () that can "shed light" on such a moment as "Channel busy". After determining the most free channel, you need to set it in the wireless network settings on the router and check the wifi internet speed on the laptop.

Thus, in order to significantly strengthen a weak wifi signal on a laptop, you should use all the above methods "in a complex", if the wi-fi signal is still weak, it may be worth replacing the router with a more modern and powerful one.

Please turn off the power

"All you bloggers have to do is turn off your base stations," Steve Jobs told the assembled audience at the iPhone 4 show in June 2010, annoyed more and more. "If you want to see samples, turn off your laptops. all points Wi-Fi access and put them on the floor. "

In the crowd of 5,000, barely 500 had working Wi-Fi devices. It was a true wireless apocalypse, and even a group of the best specialists from Silicon Valley could not do anything about it.

If this example of the urgent need for 802.11 does not seem to apply to your daily life, remember September 2009, when the THG team first looked at technology from Ruckus Wireless in their review. "Beamforming Technology: New WiFi Opportunities"... In that article, we introduced readers to the concept of beamforming and reviewed several comparative test results in a fairly large office environment. At that time, the review turned out to be very instructive, but, as it turned out, there was still a lot to tell the readers about.

This idea came to us a few months ago, when one of our employees installed a nettop for his children, using a dual-band wireless USB adapter (2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz) to connect to his Cisco Small Business-Class 802.11n access point. Linksys with 802.11n support. The performance of this wireless device has proven to be terrible. Our employee was not even able to watch the streaming video from the YouTube site. We believe that the problem was the nettop's weak ability to process information and display data graphically. Once he tried to replace the device with the 7811 wireless bridge described in our article "802.11n Wireless Routers: Twelve Models Test" by taking it from previously used equipment. And immediately felt the difference, since the streaming video could now be watched at a fairly good level. It was like switching to a wired Ethernet connection.

What happened? Our employee was not in the audience with the 500 bloggers who blocked his connection. He used what was reputedly optimal small business Cisco / Linksys hardware that he personally tested and knew to offer better performance than most competitors. trade marks... We felt that switching to a wireless bridge from Ruckus was not enough. Too many questions remained unanswered. Why did one product perform better than the other? And why did the original article indicate that performance is affected not only by too close similarity between client and access point, but also by the shape of the AP itself (access point)?

Unanswered questions

Six months ago, Ruckus tried to develop a test case to help us sort out the unanswered questions by analyzing the effects of over-the-air electromagnetic interference on Wi-Fi equipment performance, but before the tests could begin, the company stopped the experiment. Ruckus installed high-frequency noise generators and standard client machines, but the measurement of the test results obtained in one minute was replaced by completely different values ​​after two minutes. Even converting to an average of five measurements at a given location would be pointless. This is why you have never seen real interference studies published in the press. Managing the environment and variables is so difficult that testing becomes completely impossible. Suppliers can talk as long as they want about all the performance values ​​that were obtained during testing of optimal configurations in soundproof chambers with high frequency oscillations, but all these statistics are meaningless in the real world.

To be honest, we have never seen anyone explain and research these issues, and therefore decided to take over the initiative, shedding light on the nature of productivity. Wi-Fi devices and revealing their innermost secrets. The review will be large enough. We have a lot to tell you, so we are going to split the article into two parts. Today we will get acquainted with the theoretical aspects (how Wi-Fi equipment works at the data and hardware levels). Then we will continue to add theory with practice - actually testing in most of the extreme wireless environments we have ever encountered; this includes 60 laptops and nine tablets, all tested on a single access point. Whose technology will withstand and whose will be far behind the competition? By the time we finish our research, you will not only have an answer to this question, but you will also understand why we got exactly these results and how the technologies behind these results work.

Network congestion versus line hijacking

We usually use the word "congestion" to describe cases where wireless traffic is overloaded, but when it comes to important network issues, congestion doesn't really mean anything. Better to use the term "capture". Packets of information must compete with each other for the right to be sent or received at the right moment when there is a free gap in the transmission of traffic. Remember that Wi-Fi is a half-duplex technology, and therefore at any given moment only one device can transmit data on the channel: either the AP or one of its clients. The more equipment in the wireless local network, the more important it becomes to control the seizure of the line, since there are many clients competing for air.

With the propensity of wireless networks to constantly grow rapidly, it becomes extremely important who exactly prepares to transmit data and when. And here there is only one rule: whoever exchanges information in silence wins. If no one is trying to transmit data at the same moment as you, then you will be able to interact with the necessary devices unimpeded. But if two or more clients try to do the same at the same time, a problem will arise. It's as if you were talking to your buddy using a walkie talkie. When you speak, your friend has to wait and listen. If you both try to speak at the same time, neither of you will hear each other. For effective communication, both you and your friend must control access to the air and line capture. This is why you say something like "trick" when you finish speaking. You give a signal that the ether is free and someone else can speak.

If you've ever hit the road with a portable radio, you might have noticed that it has only a few channels available - and there are also a lot of people around who also came up with the idea of ​​walking with a radio in their hands. This is especially true of the time when there were still no cheap ones. cell phones- it seemed that everyone they met had a radio. Perhaps you would not have talked to your friend, but there were other people with walkie-talkies next to you who, as it turned out, were using the same channel. Every time you were about to insert a word, someone was already occupying your channel, making you wait ... and wait ... and wait.

This type of interference is called "co-channel" interference, in which the interferers make it difficult to communicate on your channel. In order to fix the problem, you can try to switch to another channel, but if nothing better is available, you will be forced to work at very, very slow data rates. You will only have to transfer data when all the talkative fools around you are silent for a moment. You may need to say nothing at all, for example, "Gee! This co-channel noise again!", But you will have to wait 15 minutes for a moment of calm, during which you can make a short, concise remark.

CONTENT

A weak signal of a home router in an urban environment is not news for a long time, but with the question of how to strengthen a wi-fi signal home router faced by every active netizen. There are several reasons for such problems with reception, these are: malfunctions of the device itself, interference caused by other electrical appliances operating in the house, and other reasons. It should be recalled that there are no less wi-fi methods on the router, the services of a specialist are not needed.

Often the transmitter power of a router is adversely affected by nearby electrical devices. Tangible effects are, for example, microwaves, Cell phones with powerful electromagnetic radiation. It is easy to amplify the signal of a wifi router if you place the equipment away from each other.

The router needs an open area that is freely accessible, not behind a closet or sofa. If for some reason the microwave is located close to the router, you need to amplify the signal using a second router (optional). This is a win-win.

Strengthening the signal in the router settings

In most cases, this, of course, does not solve the problem, and the signal is still weak. The ability to enhance the wi-fi signal of your router is in the device, its settings. The signal of insufficient strength is "conceived" in the default settings of the home router, this happens due to the reluctance of users to change them individually for themselves. With the settings, you often do not want to mess around, read something, delve into the process. This is the problem. Neighbors who live through the wall think the same way, and their devices located nearby operate at the same frequency, which leads to inhibition of the system.

Increasing the transmit power of the router

You can improve a weak signal by boosting the transmit power of your home router. True, regulators are not installed on all devices and it is recommended to do this only if other methods do not help. Uncontrolled intervention in the system may damage or overheat the device. Therefore, before resorting to this method, you should carefully read the instructions (after all, read), remember that the power indicator should not exceed 45 mW. And improve the signal strength as follows:

1. In the settings, open the "Advanced network settings" section.
2. Go around the perimeter Wireless Transmit Power - "Transmission power".
3. Values ​​are expressed either in "%" or High - high, Medium - medium, Low - low.
4. In the first case, you need to increase to the maximum: 100%.
5. In the second, select "High" and set the value to "20".

Change channel to free

It is also possible to enhance the weak signal of "Wi-Fi" by switching to a free transmission channel. If the router is configured by default, it is highly likely that no action was taken with the neighbors either. this direction... This is one of the most common reasons for slow network speeds. Being on the same channel with devices located nearby, its radius is significantly reduced. In order to increase the communication speed, it is recommended to select several options for changing the channel:

• Set “Auto mode” for the router in the network settings.
• In the same settings, set some of the static channels.
• Use programs like inSSIDer or Acrylic that track free channels.

Changing the broadcast mode of the router

How to strengthen a weak signal wifi router and in the settings, it's not so difficult to figure it out. All that is needed is to change the existing standard for wireless networks, usually operating in b / g / n mode. The new devices are configured according to the modern 802.11ac standard, which is considered the most advanced. However, the outdated 802.11n is capable of increasing both the transmission speed and the network coverage radius. But this will not work if the wireless router has only one antenna, or if it does not support these standards.

Switching the network to the new-old mode is simple:

1. Go to the settings at the router address: 192.168.1.1.
2. Open the section Wireless - “Wireless network.
3. Go to the item Mode - "Wireless network mode.
4. In it, select the value N only - Save - "Save".
5. All that remains is to reboot.

Amplification with additional devices

You can enhance the signal of the router using the capabilities of other devices specially created for this. Additional antennas, amplifiers, adapters will help to significantly increase the range and range of operation if USB ports work in the home router. These options are often more effective than other options, especially with older wireless devices.

Replacing the standard antenna

If your router has a detachable antenna, replace it with a more powerful antenna. Albeit insignificantly, the range of the network increases. This is certainly not the best way... The effect of such changes is insignificant, but when other methods do not help, this one becomes alternative.

Some of the best antennas for wi-fi routers are TP-Link: high quality and relatively inexpensive. But not suitable for all devices of this type... For the result to be noticeable, you need to choose an antenna that has a gain of at least 8 dBi.

It will help to strengthen the signal of the wi-fi router by installing another antenna or even two, but this is only possible if the device itself supports them.

Installing a wi-fi amplifier (booster)

Strengthening the signal of a home router is possible using Range Extender Booster repeaters. it good amplifiers Wi-Fi signals with superior antenna performance, but are cheaper. Other benefits of the booster:

• Suitable for all broadcast standards.
• Improves, expands the signal up to the edge of the coverage area.
• Supports the power of wireless devices from 2.4 GHz.
• Boosts the transfer rate to a maximum of 300 Mbps.
• Stable, safe to use.

Installing the repeater

A repeater (repeater) is another signal amplifier, similar in principle to a booster, but much inferior to it. The repeater is able to significantly increase the signal, and this is where its capabilities end. And the booster, in addition, is able to expand the reception range. By the way, there is no need to buy this device, another router can act as such a repeater.

There are other ways to amplify the signal. Perhaps this is with the help of laptop settings or the use of improvised means, self-manufacturing of the antenna. Really gaining a router without an antenna, if you adhere to simple rules:

• Set it high.
• Do not place next to flat metal objects.
• Avoid radio interference.

Setting up the receiver on a laptop or computer

Few thought about how to amplify the signal. wi-fi reception on a personal laptop and is this even possible. The solution to a problem, unnoticed, often lies on the surface. Often, users put their laptop in power saving mode to conserve battery power. At home, this is useless, since at any time it is easy to connect the beech to the mains, but wi-fi networks from this significantly "lose", hence the weak signal. To enhance it, just change the power settings:

1. Open "Control Panel".
2. Go to the section "Electric control".
3. Select the item "High performance".

Homemade antennas

How to slightly enhance the signal of a wi-fi router with your own hands, without resorting to standard tools, many people know. Tellingly, the methods work. An increase in the range of the device is possible due to the manufacture of a kind of do-it-yourself wi-fi repeater repeaters. For this, nothing special is required: the manufacturing scheme is quite simple. You need to take a piece of foil or cut an empty tin can, give them a curved shape and place them behind the router, preferably near a wall, artificially creating a directed wave. By reducing the angle, the waves bounce off the surface of the improvised antenna, the signal is slightly amplified.

Replacing the router

If none of the above helps, then the problem lies in the device itself. In this case, there is only one thing left: replacing the wireless router.

Actually, after that, problems are eliminated, provided that users do not save on purchases, otherwise they will again have to look for the cause from the outside or do some "handicrafts" It is better to purchase a modern wi-fi router that supports operation at a frequency of 5 GHz, then you can forget about a weak signal once and for all.

Conclusion

Strengthening the signal of a router in an apartment with your own hands is an activity that does not require any special knowledge. You just need to delve into these recommendations and it will become clear that doing this at home is as easy as shelling pears.

I decided to prepare an article with tips for signal amplification Wi-Fi networks... On the Internet, there are many different articles on this topic, but in almost every article there is a lot of unnecessary information. More precisely, there are many recommendations for some settings that have nothing to do with increasing the range of the Wi-Fi signal and cannot in any way affect the range of the network itself.

If we are talking about strengthening the Wi-Fi signal, then of course we will introduce exactly the coverage radius of the network itself, that is, the range of Wi-Fi. For example: we bought a router, installed, configured, but in the farthest rooms Wi-Fi does not catch at all, or the signal level is too weak. Or, the router is installed on the ground floor (where there is a signal), and on the second floor the signal is already very weak, or even absent. A common situation faced by many, but I myself have come across it.

What determines the range of a Wi-Fi network? There are a lot of different factors: from the router itself (number and strength of antennas), from the walls in your house, from the number of neighboring Wi-Fi networks, from the location of the router, some other interference, etc. Many people ask for advice on a router, which, for example, will provide a stable wifi signal for a three-room apartment, a private house, etc. In such cases, it is impossible to advise anything specific. Everyone has different conditions, different walls, etc. The only thing I can advise is to roughly focus on the area of ​​your house. If you have, for example, a one-room apartment, then even an inexpensive router with one antenna power of 3 dBi will cope with its task without any problems. Well, if you have a house or a bigger apartment, then take a more expensive device. Although, the price is not always an argument. I have - dear, three antennas, some kind of Asus proprietary function that increases the network coverage radius. So, under the same conditions, at the same distance, it shows the result not much better than that of the same. Which has internal antennas, and it is several times cheaper.

How to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in the router settings?

If you have already bought and installed a router at home or in the office, and Wi-Fi does not catch where you need it, then you can try to strengthen the wireless network. We will now look at how to do this. You can amplify the signal both with the help of settings in the router, and with the help of separate devices and accessories.

1 Search and change the channel on the router. If your devices see many networks of your neighbors available for connection, then all these networks can load the channel on which your network operates, and thereby reduce the range of the network.

You can try, in the router settings, set some kind of static channel, or set Auto. This is where you need to experiment. If you are not lazy, then with the help inSSIDer programs you can find a freer channel and set it in the settings of your router.

I will not describe in detail, I just give you a link to the article. In it, I talked in detail about the channels, and how to find an unloaded channel. Also, there is an instruction on how to change the channel on routers from different manufacturers.

2 We put our network into 802.11N mode... As a rule, by default on all routers, the wireless network works in mixed mode b / g / n (11bgn mixed). If you force the router to broadcast Wi-Fi in the 802.11N operating mode, then this can increase not only the speed, but also the radius of the Wi-Fi coverage. (if your router has more than one antenna).

The only problem is that if you have older devices that do not support 802.11N, then they simply will not see your network. If you don't have old devices, then no doubt switch your network to n mode. This is very easy to do. We go into the settings of the router, usually at the address 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.0.1 ( detailed instructions on the entrance to the settings, see).

In the settings, open the tab where the wireless network is configured. They are usually called like this: Wi-Fi, Wireless mode, Wireless network, Wireless, etc. Find the item there Wireless network mode(Mode) and set in it N only... That is, the network only operates in N.

For example: changing the wireless network mode on an Asus router

Save the settings and reboot the router. If there are problems with connecting devices, then return the mixed mode back.

3 We check the transmission power in the router settings. On some routers, it is possible to set the power level wireless wifi networks. As far as I know, the default is maximum power. But, you can check.

In Asus routers, these settings are changed on the tab Wireless network - Professionally... At the very bottom, there is an item " Tx power control "... There is a scale that can be adjusted as a percentage. It looks like this:

On the Tp-Link routers open the tab Wireless - Wireless advanced... Paragraph Transmit Power allows you to adjust the signal strength. High value means maximum power.

These settings are more useful if you want, on the contrary, to reduce the signal strength of your Wi-Fi router.

How to increase the range of a Wi-Fi network using additional devices?

1 Installing a repeater, or setting up a second router in amplifier mode. Of all the recommendations that you will see here, or even find on the Internet, this method is the most effective and reliable. True, you will have to spend money on a repeater.

Ordinary routers can act as a repeater. Here are the setup instructions ZyXEL routers and Asus in repeater mode:

If your Wi-Fi does not "finish off" in some rooms, then installing a repeater will solve this problem. And if you have a house with several floors, then you can install a router on the first floor, and a repeater on the second. Excellent and working circuit.

2 Changing the antennas of the router to more powerful ones. If your router has detachable antennas, then you can buy more powerful ones, and thereby slightly increase the coverage of your network. Why a little? Because the replacement of antennas, as a rule, does not give a very good result. It is there, but not such that it would increase the radius by several rooms. In any case, you have to spend money on antennas. And it seems to me that it is much better to spend this money on a repeater. Yes, it will cost more, but its benefits are much greater.

If you decide to change antennas, then take powerful ones with a gain of 8 dBi. But, they are expensive, and several of these antennas will cost as a repeater.

I already wrote, you can see the results.

3 Purchase of a new router, transition to 5 GHz. You can buy a more powerful, expensive router. Better yet, a router with support for the 5 GHz band. What is the advantage of the 5 GHz band? It is practically free, now most of all networks and other devices operate in the 2.4 GHz range. Less interference means more speed and more range.

There are places where the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network practically does not work. It bugs all the time, the connection disappears, low speed etc. And all due to the fact that there are a lot of different networks. In such cases, the transition to 5 GHz solves all problems.

1 Choose the correct location for your router. In fact, this is very good and effective advice. As a rule, everyone installs routers at the entrance, or in some distant rooms. The correct location of the router will allow you to correctly distribute the signal, thereby increasing the Wi-Fi range.

Simply put, you need to install the router as close to the center of the house as possible. Yes, this does not always work, since you need to lay a cable to the router, and pulling it to the middle of the house is not very convenient. But, even minor movements of the router can increase the level of the network in the rooms you need. And also, you need to remember that walls are the enemy of Wi-Fi networks.

2 Homemade amplifiers for Wi-Fi antennas. You can find many instructions that show how to make amplifiers for a router. As a rule, these are ordinary foil, and cans. It turns out that if you put a sheet of foil on one side of the antenna, then the signal will be bounced from it and directed in the direction we need.

I think this is all nonsense. Firstly, a cut beer can or a piece of foil on the back of the router does not look very nice, and secondly, there is practically no effect from this. You can check.

These are the tips. I think you have found a suitable way for yourself to increase the range of your Wi-Fi network. Share your tips in the comments!

Even some 10 years ago, a wireless network at home was the lot of only advanced users who were ready to overpay several thousand for a radio module in a modem or router.
Today, almost every apartment in a typical high-rise building has a point WiFi access.
In general, this is good - people are no longer tied to wires: you can watch videos in bed before going to bed or read the news on a tablet with a cup of morning coffee. But on the other hand, a number of new problems arise that, in principle, cannot arise with conventional cable networks. One of these - poorly catches Wi-Fi at home or in the apartment.

The whole difficulty is that the user is left with this problem "one on one": the provider's technical support will not deal with this, because it is not their problem, but service center can only take your router or modem for testing and issue a conclusion about its serviceability or breakdown. They will not deal with a working device at all. Meanwhile, the main reasons for poor reception of Wi-Fi not that numerous. Let's list them.

Frequency response is overloaded

This is the most common reason for which the residents of apartment buildings suffer. The fact is that the 2.4 GHz band, which is used by ordinary access points on routers and modems, has a limited number of radio channels. In the Russian segment there are 13 of them, and in Europe, for example, even less - only 11. And non-overlapping, that is, those that do not influence each other - in general, there are only 3 pieces.
Now start a search for networks on your laptop or phone.

If about 10 access points are found, similar to the screenshot above, then you shouldn't be surprised that Wi-Fi is bad at home! The reason - the range is overloaded! And the more points there are in the neighborhood, the worse your reception will be. Many forums and blogs advise you to try to select channels in the hope of catching a less busy one. I think this is useless, since with such a density of access points, the load of each of the radio channels changes several times a day, which means that all the work on the selection will turn out to be stupid. There is a way out of the situation, but it will be expensive - this is a transition to another WiFi range - 5 GHz.

It is practically all free and problems with crossing frequencies will not arise for a very long time. Unfortunately, you will have to fork out for a new router (at least 3000-4000 rubles) and Wi-Fi adapters for all devices (1000-1500 rubles apiece). But on the other hand, the problem with the "neighbors" will be completely resolved.

Incorrect router location

This is the reason for the bad reception WiFi signal is also very common both in apartments and in private houses. The culprit here is most often the master installers from the provider. To put the router faster and save twisted pair- they put the access device either directly in the corridor or in the nearest room. After that they put a laptop next to it, set up access and show it to the subscriber. By itself, everything works fine and the master is quickly removed. And then the most "fun" begins - the user discovers that in the distant rooms of the house he catches Wi-Fi very badly, or there is no reception at all. But you just had to spend an extra 5-10 minutes and choose the right location for the access point. In the apartment, it will look like this:

That is, you need to put the AP so that it covers the dwelling as much as possible. You can walk around the corners with your phone or tablet and check where the signal level is, and then adjust the location of the router taking into account the required coverage area.

In a large private home, the situation can be more complicated. If it has several floors and concrete floors, then it is best to additionally install WiFi repeaters - repeaters on the upper floors.

Connecting them to the main router not via WDS, but with a cable - this will avoid a loss in speed.

Advice: Never try to bring your laptop, tablet or phone as close as possible to the access point - the effect can be completely opposite: the signal quality may become even worse than it was at a distance. There must be a distance of at least a couple of meters between the devices.

Router software settings

Any wireless WiFi access point is a combination of not only hardware, but also software parameters, each of which can affect the quality of the wireless network coverage. Incorrect configuration or selection of device characteristics can easily cause the connected clients to have poor Wi-Fi catching. So, on many modern routers, in the advanced settings of the wireless module, you can find the parameter Transmit Power Is the signal strength with which the access point is distributing WiFi.

I have repeatedly met devices where it was exposed at 40% or even only 20%. This may be enough within one room, but in neighboring rooms the signal level will be low. To fix this, try increasing the "Transmit Power" parameter gradually and check the result. It is likely that you will have to put everything 100%.

The second parameter, which also has a very significant effect on the coverage area and on the data transfer rate in the wireless network, is Mode... The fastest and longest "range" is the 802.11N standard.

Therefore, if your Wi-Fi network does not catch well at home, try forcibly setting the "802.11N only" mode. The fact is that due to some circumstances, in mixed mode (B / G / N), the access point can switch to a slower mode G. Accordingly, the quality of the network coverage will be lower.

Weak antenna

Now let's go directly to the hardware part of the access point. Many users, having bought the simplest and cheapest router, hope that it will give out a signal like a powerful military radar, breaking through all walls and ceilings in an apartment or house.
Let's take a look at a typical economy class representative - wireless D-Link router DIR-300 D1.

As you can see, it does not have external antennas and even lacks a connector to connect them. A weak 2 dBi antenna is hidden inside. It is quite enough for a one-room apartment. And only ... For a big "three ruble note" or, even more so, a private house, the power of this device will not be enough at all, which means you need to buy something more powerful. For example, let's look at the same model - ASUS RT-N12:

On the left you can see a simple version with 3 dBi antennas, which is suitable for a small apartment. But on the right is the same router, but already a modification with amplified antennas at 9dBi, which should be quite enough for a large private house.

Do not forget that in order to improve the quality of work in WiFi networks, you can strengthen not only the router. An additional antenna can also be connected to wireless adapter computer:

But the owners of laptops and netbooks are out of luck - their devices do not have an RP-SMA connector, which means that connecting an external antenna is impossible in this case.

Note: If your range is overloaded, which I talked about at the very beginning of the article, and you hope to solve the problem of poor Wi-Fi reception by replacing the router antennas with more powerful ones, do not waste your money, because this most likely will not help you. The "noise" of the air will not go anywhere, which means that even if the signal level becomes higher, the data transfer rate and stability will constantly drop. In addition, the so-called "cold war" may begin with your neighbors, when everyone will different ways amplify the signal. And the solution, in fact, is only one - the transition to an extended range.

Hardware malfunction of the device

Do not forget that the reason bad signal wireless network can be trite poor quality of soldering contacts. A friend of mine shoveled his entire network at home, changed the router several times until he accidentally discovered that the connected iPhone was working fine, and the laptop practically did not see the network. As it turned out, from the shaking in the bag, the poorly soldered contact of the internal antenna laptop fell off and, accordingly, the adapter began to catch very badly home network Wi-Fi.
By the way, I have repeatedly heard that on many smartphones and tablets, both cheap and expensive, there were similar cases.
So, if you suddenly have such suspicions, just connect another wireless device to the access point and watch it work. It will immediately become clear who is the culprit of the problem!