How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal on Laptop
We live in an unplugged world today; thanks to the developments in radio communication technology. Wired Internet seems like a thing of the distant past, as most of us increasingly prefer opting for wireless Internet access. Modern wireless networking systems are easy to set up and manage. One of the major problems encountered by most wireless Internet users is a weak Wi-Fi signal which reduces data transmission speeds, causing connectivity problems. In this article, I share some tips on how to boost Wi-Fi signal on laptop computers.
The Wi-Fi signal is a radio wave, which gets weaker with increasing distance of travel. The wireless router is the transreceiver, that is the source of the Wi-Fi signal and your laptop's wireless adapter is its receiver. The reception of the Wi-Fi signal is therefore dependent on the initial output power at the router's end and the distance between the router and the adapter. Let us see how to boost your laptop Wi-Fi signal by tweaking certain settings and adding some new equipment.
How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal on Laptop Computers?
I faced a problem with my wireless network some years ago as despite a high bandwidth and state-of-the-art router installed, I used to receive a very weak signal on my laptop. I decided to look into the problem and study ways in which the Wi-Fi signal can be boosted. With some modifications that I learned about through my research, I was able to boost the Wi-Fi signal beyond its existing limits. Whatever I learned about how to boost Wi-Fi signal for laptop, I share in the following lines.
Upgrade Router Firmware
One of the first things that you need to do is check to see if your wireless router's firmware is the latest one. If you find that it's outdated, get the latest version Updating the router firmware can take care of some of the software issues that can bring down strength of the Wi-Fi signal. For boosting Wi-Fi signal for laptop, make sure that you install the latest driver for your wireless adapter.
Increase Wi-Fi Router Output Power
One way of boosting the Wi-Fi signal is increasing the output power of the wireless router. Refer to the router manual to determine the procedure for increasing the power output of the router. When the power of router's output signal is enhanced, the Wi-Fi signal reception on your laptop will automatically improve. If you ask me how to boost Wi-Fi signal on laptop, most economically, increasing router output power is the best choice.
Use a Wi-Fi Signal Booster Antenna
You can install a Wi-Fi signal receiver booster antenna to the laptop, which will certainly improve the signal reception and your download speed will certainly be boosted. Check out antennas which offer a high gain and reduced noise levels.
Change Position of Wireless Router
Simply changing the position of your wireless router can boost the Wi-Fi signal reception of your laptop. Physical constraints like walls can damp out the Wi-Fi signal. So position it in such way that the signal is least obstructed by such physical barriers. A change in installed position will certainly boost the Wi-Fi signal strength.
Use a Wi-Fi Signal Repeater
If you need the Wi-Fi signal to be receivable over large distances, you need to have a Wi-Fi signal repeater installed. These devices receive the original signal from the router, amplify its strength and then retransmit it over longer distances. Use of long range Wi-Fi repeaters will certainly help in improving Wi-Fi reception.
Attach a Wi-Fi Range Extender Antenna to the Router
Another simple way of enhancing reception of your router is by attaching a Wi-Fi signal booster. Once you attach an external wireless signal booster, the coverage range of the router will certainly increase, providing better wireless Internet access. Signals boosters for Wi-Fi are available in all the major electronics stores.
Buy a New Router
Wi-Fi antennas and signal boosters can substantially increase the range of your wireless network. The last option of course is to buy the best wireless router (2011), which provides greater signal strength and high transmission speeds. As wireless router reviews (2011) will reveal, the latest 802.11n based routers offer dual band transmission and transmission speeds in excess of 450 Mbps, which can certainly boost your laptop's Wi-Fi reception.
Hope these tips on how to boost Wi-Fi signal on laptop computers help you improve your wireless Internet access experience. If you use a home wireless networking system, I suggest that you go for the best 802.11n router, which will not only provide you with longer range, but it will also enhance the data transmission speeds over the network. Make sure that you follow all the steps to secure a wireless network, as enhanced range makes your network vulnerable to external hacking attacks.
