How to Improve Your Wireless Range and Network

It might sound funny but there is a similarity between the mantra for a wireless network router and a real estate deal- and that's 'the location.' Choosing a real estate location may be a difficult task for you but finding an ideal location for a wireless network router can be easily decided by paying attention to the following tips.

Your router should be placed in a location where it can form a clear line of sight for devices, which will be using the network. The RF radio signals, which help in strengthening the wireless data networks, work best if there is an actual line of sight from the transmitter to the receiver.

The line of sight is often interrupted by thick walls, metal objects, floors, light fittings and kitchen or cafeterias having microwaves. It is advisable to place the router on a higher place or in the central location so that the wireless connection should optimize the line of sight to the fullest.

While choosing an antenna for the router you need to make sure that it possesses the highest degree of omni-directional properties, which enable sending signals in all directions around the router. Placement of the router should be decided in such a way that it should not stick close to an outside wall as this may result in sending half of the wireless signal outside your home. If you have a router whose antenna is removable, then you can also upgrade it to a high-gain antenna to get better network performance.

Laptops and PC's nowadays come with built-in wireless networking capabilities which give excellent range and networking performance. If you are using a device which does not have built-in wireless networking, then replace your card-based wireless network adapter with a USB wireless network adapter. The USB wireless network adapter uses an external antenna and brings a visible change in wireless networking experience.

Wireless repeaters or boosters are the devices that you can trust the most while planning for extending your wireless range. These devices offer you a great change in connectivity without installing any additional wiring. For using this technique, all you need to do is to adjust the repeater between the router and the target area and you will experience its immediate effect on performance.

Upgrading your router's firmware is another option for seeking performance improvements and better reliability on network connection. All wireless routers contain firmware, which plays an important role in the smooth operation of the device. Several manufacturers offer a firmware upgrade capability to ensure that their consumers get hands on improved versions resulting in better connectivity and optimum performance.

Changing the channel of the router sometimes helps a lot in getting better connectivity. If multiple devices are operating on the same channel, then they might cause various networking issues or may result in dropping a wireless signal altogether. You can change these settings by going into 'channel setting' section under the router menu and selecting different available options. Combine and save the suitable channel settings with the maximum signal strength and speed to enjoy the best performance.

Wireless network security is a major issue to be focused on while using an Internet connection through a router. Although, it will not bring any changes to the speed and range but gives a mental satisfaction that you are using the services, which you have paid for. To make sure that your wireless network is secure, you need to check that only you, your family or your employees can access it. The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) are the two most common security options that you can trust upon. Both of them use a predefined network security key, which is essential to identify and authenticate users for giving the access.

Here are some of the tips that can help you in getting the most out of your Wi-Fi signal. You can try them according to your need, location and purchasing power for experiencing improvement in the performance of your routers. Even after that, if the problem persists, then you probably need to check the properties of the router you already have or take the decision of purchasing a new one.