You are enjoying your holiday weekend.. the birds are chirping, the sun is shining ... and your Wi-Fi signal is preventing you from uploading a really clever status or email...
It's hard enough for your Wi-Fi connection to reach the four corners of your house, let alone the backyard and beyond. To take your computing to the distance, you'll need to seriously boost your Wi-Fi signal.
If you’re hoping to connect remotely, say on a camping trip, where there's no Wi-Fi in sight, you’ll need to address one of two solutions: Enable your wireless plan to turn your phone into a hotspot, or get a Mi-Fi hotspot. These pocket-sized mobile hotspots connect multiple devices through your cellphone carrier. The device itself costs up to $50 with a two-year contract; add in data charges ($20-30 per month) for an expensive but convenient option.
Extending your current Wi-Fi signal to encompass the outdoor area surrounding your home is a little more complicated.
The first and easiest method is to check your router settings. Many current routers support two networking standards: 802.11b and 802.11g. Turn off the 802.11b option — it's older, slower and will clog up your connection speeds. This should give you an extra bar, but probably won't reach the far corners of your yard.
Don't worry about updating your router to a new standard, just yet. New router standards do exist and may give you a stronger signal, but sometimes suffer serious drawbacks, such as compatibility with your current devices. Your old router should work just fine.
Next, check the placement of your router. While that unsightly box might detract from your decor, avoid tucking it away in the deep recesses of your home or against an exterior wall. Wi-Fi routers work best without physical barriers, such as cement or brick, blocking their signal. Think of your Wi-Fi signal as a stream of water ripples, constantly moving outward but getting weaker as it expands. Centralize your router in your home, ensuring the strongest signal will reach as far as possible, or position it closer to the outdoor region you're hoping to boost.
If your signal isn't reaching as far as you'd like, you have options, many of which are free or relatively cheap. Remember, not everyone will have the same solution. Changes in something as simple as terrain can have a huge effect on signal strength.
Article Source: http://mashable.com/2013/06/26/better-wifi-signal/
It's hard enough for your Wi-Fi connection to reach the four corners of your house, let alone the backyard and beyond. To take your computing to the distance, you'll need to seriously boost your Wi-Fi signal.
If you’re hoping to connect remotely, say on a camping trip, where there's no Wi-Fi in sight, you’ll need to address one of two solutions: Enable your wireless plan to turn your phone into a hotspot, or get a Mi-Fi hotspot. These pocket-sized mobile hotspots connect multiple devices through your cellphone carrier. The device itself costs up to $50 with a two-year contract; add in data charges ($20-30 per month) for an expensive but convenient option.
Extending your current Wi-Fi signal to encompass the outdoor area surrounding your home is a little more complicated.
The first and easiest method is to check your router settings. Many current routers support two networking standards: 802.11b and 802.11g. Turn off the 802.11b option — it's older, slower and will clog up your connection speeds. This should give you an extra bar, but probably won't reach the far corners of your yard.
Don't worry about updating your router to a new standard, just yet. New router standards do exist and may give you a stronger signal, but sometimes suffer serious drawbacks, such as compatibility with your current devices. Your old router should work just fine.
Next, check the placement of your router. While that unsightly box might detract from your decor, avoid tucking it away in the deep recesses of your home or against an exterior wall. Wi-Fi routers work best without physical barriers, such as cement or brick, blocking their signal. Think of your Wi-Fi signal as a stream of water ripples, constantly moving outward but getting weaker as it expands. Centralize your router in your home, ensuring the strongest signal will reach as far as possible, or position it closer to the outdoor region you're hoping to boost.
If your signal isn't reaching as far as you'd like, you have options, many of which are free or relatively cheap. Remember, not everyone will have the same solution. Changes in something as simple as terrain can have a huge effect on signal strength.
Article Source: http://mashable.com/2013/06/26/better-wifi-signal/
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