Can you Boost a Free WiFi Signal?
Is it possible to amplify a free wireless Internet signal?
People don’t even remember the times when they were without WiFi since it is used in work, entertainment, and communication nowadays. However, sometimes this can prove disadvantageous if for instance you are out of the range or get a weak free public WiFi signal. Is there a way to increase the effectiveness of this free WiFi so that you can connect from further distance or achieve higher speed? Often, yes! If you prepare yourself with some equipment and some fundamental guidelines, it will be possible for you to enhance the range and signal strength of even the weakest public Wi-Fi systems which are normally found in places such as coffee shops, airports, hotels, etc. Here is what you should know.
Weak WiFi signals: what can hinder the transmission of wireless signals?
When preparing to learn what it takes to amplify a WiFi network, it is pertinent to know what makes its range and speed shrink in the first instance.
There are a few key culprits:
- Distance From the Router: WiFi signals tend to become less intense the farther one moves away from the wireless router producing them. It is justifiable to note that the signal strength declines quite steeply after approximately 100 feet. Other major physical barriers include thick walls that hinder signals transmitted between users.
- Interference: Some other radio frequency signals and electronic devices that are in the same frequency range can affect the Wireless fidelity signals. Most household electronics such as microwave ovens, baby monitors, Bluetooth devices and even more can negatively interfere with WiFi if they are nearby. Interference from nearby WiFi networks is a known issue that also contributes to interference.
- Obstacles: Common household items like thick walls, metallic objects like ovens, large fish tanks, etc can either obstruct or weaken WiFi signals merely by the physical barrier of interrupting the path of the radio waves. If there is a lot of physical equipment in the chain from the router to the device, the connection is weaker.
- Network Congestion: This is a fact that the greater the number of devices connecting to a single WiFi router, the slower it becomes for each user. When many users are active simultaneously, they strain the router’s capacity and distribute its bandwidth.
Given the above challenges, here are constructive approaches to overcome the challenges and even boost the signals of public ‘WiFi.’
Utilize a WiFi Repeater/Signal Booster
Another simple and efficient measure is using a WiFi range extender or a repeater, which is a device that takes a signal and retransmits it. These helpful gadgets are designed to pick up all existing WiFi signals including weak signals, then boost the received signal and relay a stronger signal which goes a longer distance at a faster rate. Some of the features of the models such as TP-Link RE220 include Dual Band Extended Range technology with up to 300Mbps. All you’ll need to do is to put the repeater in the middle of your router and the area that needs a better signal booster. It shall impress the signal in you so that you do not need to stretch it.
Adjust Your Router Placement
If you want to modify your private WiFi router, then it may be advisable to move the router to a central location within your place if possible to broadcast the strongest omnidirectional WiFi signal. Place it on a shelf or mounted on the wall, ensuring that no furniture or wall obstructs it from the mentioned position. Access points, including Wi-Fi routers, tend to work best on the upper floors as there is less competition from other devices, and objects do not hinder the signals. Routers should also be placed out of harm's way from other appliances that emit signal interference such as microwaves, metal shelves, aquariums, and baby monitors among others.
This the authority should invest in high-gain WiFi antennas to enhance connectivity in the difficult to reach areas.
Another great range and power amplifying option is to increase the external antennas on your Wifi router. Directional antennas are used in focusing and strengthening signals in certain directions while the other hand, while omnidirectional antenna upgrades send the WiFi signals in all directions in a circular large area. High-gain WiFi antennas transmit and receive signals at greater distances and greater levels than depending solely on the router’s internal antennas. Specifically for antennas, signal boosters can be gotten from the Alfa Network that supports the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. They typically include simple magnetic attachment interfaces for the router antennas or screw terminals to the router antenna connectors.
Optimize Your Channel Selection
The features of WiFi channel selection can be defined as the ability to choose the cleanest, channel that has the minimum interference from other local WiFi networks for your router. It eliminates situations where different channels compete with each other or try to influence the outcome. There are applications for Android, such as WiFi Analyzer, which scan all visible WiFi networks in proximity and recommend the specific network channel with the least traffic in the vicinity. Of course, the ideal channel may shift with time as other WiFi networks in the surrounding area are turned on or off.
Leverage Reflective Surfaces
The following is a pretty nifty trick to help you manipulate and amplify WiFi using reflectivity as the mechanism. To enhance signal reflection up to the desired area, one can use an aluminum panel, a sheet of galvanized steel, or even a household aluminum foil on an adjacent wall or any other barrier. Rotating the two routers’ antennas towards the reflective surface directs signals to places the signals could not otherwise reach. It effectively allows WiFi signals to bend around a corner or in other instances, go to areas that cannot otherwise be reached without a clear line of sight. But do not overdo it, especially in environments where multipath distortion is likely to be severe, for example in confined spaces.
The two bands that can be used are one and five GHz WiFi frequency bands.
If your router can support both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, the later 5GHz band has less interference and more bandwidth available due to many available channels with less interference from other home appliances. The only drawback is that 5GHz does not go as far in terms of physical distance since higher frequencies are more susceptible to being attenuated and cannot penetrate certain barriers. However, it is a common practice to move more devices closer to the router to the 5GHz band as that offers a much faster connection than the overcrowded 2.4GHz frequency channel.
If possible, connect with Ethernet or use a wireless bridge instead.
This provides network access in areas that cannot be reached using only the RF signal over WiFi, but using ethernet cables or wireless bridge adapters to provide wired access points in far-off regions. It is more reliable than wireless technology and faster while being immune to the barriers of Ethernet. On the other hand, wireless bridges such as the Ubiquiti Nanostation work more or less like focused dedicated wireless Broadband connections between your router and the distant location that requires connectivity. It transmits Ethernet over a dedicated powerful radio link over longer distances as compared to point-to-point communication.
In conclusion, there are several methods to mitigate public or even home WiFi dead zones, but they all boil down to assisting the signal directly to travel further with a larger channel capacity. The next time you are faced with a poor or limited internet connection from the free hotel or airport WiFi, do not be too quick to shy away, instead try to figure out how you can apply some of these strategies to get the best from the system through your preferred spot. By making sure you’re using the appropriate equipment, fine-tuning, and positioning, you can often extend and enhance poor public WiFi much of the time to gain the faster and more reliable connections you require.
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