How To Check And Boost The Strength Of Your Wi-Fi

          How To Check And Boost The Strength Of Your Wi-Fi

 
      If your Internet connection seems slow or web pages do not load, the problem may be caused by your Wi-Fi connection. 

     You may be too far from the source or thick walls are blocking the signal. Here's how to check the strength of your accurate Wi-Fi signal.

     Why is the strength of the Wi-Fi signal important?

     A stronger Wi-Fi signal means a more reliable connection. This allows you to take full advantage of available Internet speeds. The strength of the Wi-Fi signal depends on many factors, such as your distance from the router, a 2.4 or 5 GHz connection, and even the materials in the walls around you.

     The closer you are to the router, the better. Although 2.4 GHz connections broadcast more, they can have interference problems. Thicker walls made of denser materials (such as concrete) block the Wi-Fi signal.

     A weaker signal, on the other hand, leads to lower speeds, dropouts, and (in some cases) total disconnection.

     Not all connection problems result from weak signal strength. If the Internet on your tablet or phone seems slow, start by restarting your router if you have access to it.

     If the problem persists, the next step is to check to see if the problem is Wi-Fi. Try using the Internet with a device connected via Ethernet. If you still have problems, the network is the problem. If the Ethernet connection is working properly and a router reset did not help, it's time to check the signal strength.

          Easy to check Wi-Fi signal strength

     To check the strength of your Wi-Fi network, first examine the device that is experiencing problems. Whether you use iOS, Android, Mac, or Windows, you should have a Wi-Fi connection indicator. Typically, the Wi-Fi symbol consists of four or five curved lines. The fuller the value, the stronger the connection.

     Each phone, tablet, and laptop is different and may indicate a different Wi-Fi strength. But it's worth looking at a second or even third device. If you've checked off a phone, consider testing a tablet as well.

     Compare the Internet performance on the two devices and see what they display to boost Wi-Fi. If you get similar results with both, you have an excellent baseline to use.

     If you've determined that your Wi-Fi connection is weak in a particular location, then you need to move around and pay attention to the Wi-Fi bars on your smartphone or tablet.

     Keep track of how far away you are from the router and how many walls there are between the router and the router.

     Pay attention when your Wi-Fi bars go up or down. It's a rudimentary check, but in most cases, it will be enough.

           The most advanced (and accurate) method to check the power of Wi-Fi

     Looking at the bars in a symbol tells you a lot. If you want to get a better sense of the strength of your Wi-Fi network, you need to use an application or program (such as the AirPort Utility application or the Wi-Fi Analyzer) to measure its decibels relative to a milliwatt (dBm).

     You can measure a Wi-Fi signal in several ways. The most accurate measurement is milliwatt (mW), but it is also the most difficult to read because of the number of decimal places (0.0001 mW). The Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is another option, but Wi-Fi service providers manage it inconsistently and at different scales.

     Decibels to a milliwatt (dBm) avoids these problems, and many manufacturers still convert RSSI to dBm, so we will cover this measurement.

     The first thing to know is that dBm measurements will be displayed as negative numbers. The scale ranges from -30 to -90. If you see -30, you have a "perfect connection" and you are probably next to the Wi-Fi router.

     However, if you identify a Wi-Fi signal listed at -90, the service is so weak that you probably won't be able to connect to that network. An excellent connection is -50 dBm, while -60 dBm is probably enough to broadcast, handle voice calls and anything else.

     To measure the strength of the Wi-Fi signal on your phone or tablet, you can use the Airport Utility application for iPhone and iPad or the Wi-Fi Analyzer for Android. Both are easy to use and display results for all wireless networks in your area.

     For iPhone users, the Airport Utility app requires you to set your device settings and activate the Wi-Fi scanner. Simply access your iPhone or iPad settings (not the app settings), type Airport Utility in the settings list, and then turn on the Wi-Fi Scanner. 

     Now go back to the Airport Utility app and start scanning. You will see the measurements in dBm expressed in RSSI.

     For Android users, Wi-Fi Analyzer is an easier step. Open the application and search for found networks. Each entry will show the strength in dBm.

     Windows 10 does not have a built-in way to display signal strength accurately, although the netsh WLAN show interface command gives you the signal strength in percent.

     In the past, we have recommended NirSoft's Wifi Info View for inspecting Wi-Fi channels. NirSoft has also been given the go-ahead to check Wi-Fi strength. 

     The program is free, easy to use and requires no installation. Simply unzip and double-click on the EXE file. 

    As with Mac and iOS, you will find the dBm measurements listed in the RSSI entry.

     On the Mac, you do not need to download any programs or applications if you want to measure the connected network. Press and hold down the Option key and click the Wi-Fi symbol. You will see the dBm measurements in the RSSI entry.

          How to improve Wi-Fi signal strength

     Once you know how strong your network is, you'll have a better idea of how to improve it. 

     For example, if you can reach the limits of your home while displaying a 60 dBm signal (or most measurements), not all the problems you encounter are related to the strength of Wi-Fi. 

     Check for interference, consider changing channels, or switch to a router that supports 5 GHz if your current router does not.

     If you move away from the router quickly and find that you are losing signal quickly, it's time to consider the age of your router and its location. 

     Either your walls are very thick and dense, or your router is old and unable to broadcast very far. If you have plaster walls, consider moving the router as close to the center of the house as possible.

     If your router is older, it may be time to upgrade. When doing so, look for one that supports 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi signals. The 5 GHz signal doesn't extend to 2.4 GHz, but it has more options for bypassing interference problems.

     If you have a large house, you may want to consider a mesh router. They are a simple way to increase the Wi-Fi signal throughout your home and include other great features, such as automatic firmware updates and guest networks. 

     Most people probably don't need a mesh network, however, and you can find cheaper routers that also offer firmware updates and guest networks.

     If you're not sure if you need a mesh router, you may want to consider creating a Wi-Fi heat map of your home. 

     Heat maps are a great way to determine where your wireless network is strongest and weakest with an easy-to-understand visual. You create a sketch of your home's configuration, then walk around while the program measures the power of the Wi-Fi. 

     It then colors in on your map to give you a general idea of the strength of the Wi-Fi signal. If you're in the center of your house and the heat map shows weak signals everywhere, it may be time for the mesh router.

     Unfortunately, there is no single solution to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal in every home.

    However, if you try each of these methods, you can get the most accurate information to make an informed decision about what to do next.