How to boost wifi range

• You can improve your Wi-Fi signal by rebooting the router and checking your internet speed.
• Your Wi-Fi signal can be increased by upgrading your router and adding extenders or an antenna.
• The ISP, settings, router, and signal blockers are all common sources of Wi-Fi issues. 

Although it might be far more unpredictable, Wi-Fi is a commodity that is just as necessary as water and electricity. Your Wi-Fi connection may not always give the claimed speeds from your internet service provider, or it may change significantly from day to day (ISP).

How to boost wifi range. Here are 9 ways to boost your Wi-Fi signal for faster internet speeds.

1. Run a speed test

You may have slow Wi-Fi for several reasons, so it's better to start with the basics. Run an internet speed test to see what kind of internet speeds the router is seeing before it gets converted to a wireless signal. 

A problem with your ISP may exist if you're not getting at least 5 Mbps; 20 Mbps is more typical, though your exact speed may depend on your ISP and internet subscription.

If the speed you're receiving doesn't correspond to the package you purchased, get in touch with your ISP or think about replacing your outdated router.

On the other hand, if you're receiving the speed that your plan includes but it still seems slow, you might need to change to a faster internet plan.

2. Verify that you are using the 5Ghz band.

If using a dual-band or triple-band Wi-Fi network, you should try to avoid using the 2.4GHz frequency and always use the 5GHz band.

Your phone, laptop, tablet, and TV should all be linked through 5GHz to make use of the substantially faster bandwidth it offers, although many smart home devices (such as video doorbells and smart speakers) can only use the slower 2.4GHz band.

To determine which Wi-Fi band you are using, check the Wi-Fi settings on each of your devices. Then, you should let the devices select the correct frequency on their own. If you have a modern router, you may do this by visiting its setup page, choosing the 5GHz band option, and giving it the same name or SSID as the 2.4GHz band.

If your devices are using the slower 2.4GHz frequency band, switching to the 5GHz band will definitely greatly improve your performance.

3. Adjust your router.

If your router passed the speed test but your Wi-Fi is slow or frequently goes out, it may simply be placed incorrectly. Wi-Fi signals have problems passing through dense objects, and some barriers, such as brick walls, metal appliances (like a refrigerator), and areas with a lot of water, like fish tanks, completely block the signal.

For your Wi-Fi router to have the best chance of reaching the edges of your home without any barriers, it is generally ideal to locate it in a central area with a lot of open space.

4. Upgrade the firmware on your Wi-Fi router.

Is the router you use updated? Its performance may be severely hampered if its firmware hasn't been updated recently, if at all.

Few routers can update their firmware automatically, so check if it can be updated using the router's mobile app (if it has one) or by logging into its control panel. Check your user manual for specifics because it could be particularly difficult if your router is older.

If your router doesn't perform automatic updates, make sure you maintain it updated after it is running the most recent firmware. The easiest approach to make sure your router has the best performance and security features is to do this. But if your router is too old, the maker will likely quit releasing updates for it, forcing you to replace it.

5. Change to a less-crowded channel

When broadcasting the Wi-Fi signal, your router likely has many channels to select from. There are other channels inside the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, so don't confuse them with the frequency band. While most routers set a certain channel by default for each band, there are moments when those channels are extremely busy, which might cause your Wi-Fi to lag.

If your router has a mobile app, check it out or log into the admin control panel to see if you may try switching to a different channel to see if it helps. For specifics, you might need to consult the user manual for your router.

6. Make sure there are no Wi-Fi freeloaders

A large number of users or devices utilizing your internet together may be overloading your Wi-Fi. Neighbors may be connecting to your network and using your bandwidth if you aren't protecting your Wi-Fi network with a secure password. If that's the case, you should immediately reset the password and make sure it's a strong one using the router's mobile app or admin control panel.

Your Wi-Fi could be overloaded by an army of devices in your home even if you don't have a freeloader. Netflix streaming might be significantly slowed down if multiple family members attempt to do so simultaneously.

For more information, look through the list of devices connected to your network (again, your router's mobile app or admin control panel can typically provide this information), then use the router's admin controls to ban users or devices you don't want online.

7. You can add extenders or upgrade your router.

It's always best to replace your router as a final resort. A new router can be expensive, and setting one up so that all of your devices can connect to the network takes a lot of effort. However, you might want to look for an 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6 router if your current router is only compatible with antiquated 802.11n or 802.11g standards, for instance.

You could wish to add a few Wi-Fi extenders if your home is very big and your router isn't yet outdated. These are small, inexpensive devices that boost Wi-Fi signals, expanding the coverage area inside your home.

They should typically be plugged in so that they receive a strong, constant signal from your router but are also close enough to your home's "dead zone" to fill in the gap. Since extenders typically have their own SSID, switching Wi-Fi networks is required when moving from one end of the house to the other.

8. Get an external antenna

Unbelievably, the antenna on your router is located inside the device, out of sight. The problem with these built-in antennas is that they are often less powerful than external ones and cannot be changed.

Luckily, you can boost the signal of most routers by attaching an additional antenna to them. You could already have the extra antenna with your purchase, but if not, there are many of them available on Amazon.

9. Make Quality of Service (QoS) settings adjustments

The QoS feature on your router is a useful tool that enables you to select which applications receive the highest priority in terms of bandwidth.

If you primarily use the internet for work, your router should provide Microsoft 365, Skype, Zoom, and other similar business applications priority access to the network's resources.

The QoS settings of a router are often located in the setup page's advanced options section.