How to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal

Thanks to Wi-Fi, the need for special ports, connectors, and numerous cords to connect a device to the internet are a thing of the past. But although Wi-Fi signals continue to improve, issues with strength and coverage are still with us.

Luckily, as with most technology, where there is a problem, there is a workaround and there are plenty available to help you boost your Wi-Fi signal. In this article, we’ll take you through the easiest things to try to strengthen your Wi-Fi connection. Each section offers something different so feel free to check them all out.

How to Boost your Wi-Fi Signal for Android

Try these three tips to boost the Wi-Fi signal to your Android device:

1. Restart Your Router and Your Device

Restart your router – switch it off for a while then back on. Doing this will refresh the connections and allow it to reselect the clearest channel for each frequency, resulting in the strongest Wi-Fi signal. Then restart your device to pick up the renewed Wi-Fi signals.

2. Forget and Re-Join the Network

Set your device to forget your Wi-Fi connection then re-join it. Make a note of the Wi-Fi password as you will need to re-enter it to connect. Here’s how to re-join your Wi-Fi network via your Android device:

1. Open “Settings.”
   
2. Tap “Connections,” then “Wi-Fi.”
   
3. Long press your Wi-Fi network, then “Forget network.”
   
4. Restart your phone, then re-join the Wi-Fi.
   

3. Try Removing Your Phone’s Case

Some of the materials used in phone cases are known to affect Wi-Fi signals. To determine whether your phone’s case is affecting your signal, take the case off, and perform a speed test using an online service like the Ookla Speed Test. Then test again from the same spot with the case on. If your phone’s performance is better without the case, then you’ve found your problem.

Ookla speed requires a lot of permissions, so we suggest uninstalling it after you’re done testing.

How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal for an iPhone

For a boost to your iPhone’s Wi-Fi connectivity, try the following:

1. Restart Your Router and Your Device

It’s amazing how a simple restart can make most technical issues go away. Restart your router to allow it to find a less congested channel for a stronger signal. Once it has restarted, restart your iPhone then reconnect to the Wi-Fi.

2. Forget and Re-Join the Wi-Fi

Try increasing your Wi-Fi speed by getting your iPhone to forget the Wi-Fi network then re-join as if for the first time. This action renews the connection from iPhone’s end. Before you begin, make a note of the Wi-Fi password as you’ll need to re-enter it. Here’s how to forget and re-join the Wi-Fi from your iPhone:

1. Open the “Settings” app.
   
2. Tap “Wi-Fi.”
   
3. Tap on the “I” beside the connected Wi-Fi name.
   
4. Select “Forget This Network,” then “Forget.”
   
5. Restart your phone.
   
6. Open the “Settings” app again, then “Wi-Fi.”
   
7. Tap on the Wi-Fi name and enter the password to join it.
   

3. Try Removing Your Phone’s Case

It’s a fact that some of the materials used in phone cases, like metal, can affect Wi-Fi signal reception. To verify whether your phone’s case is affecting your signal, with the case off, perform a performance test using an online service like Ookla Speed Test. Then in the same location, with the case on, perform the test again. If your phone’s performance is better without the case, there’s your problem.

Since Ookla asks for a slew of permissions, we suggest uninstalling it after you’re done testing.

How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal for a PC

Try the following tips to increase the Wi-Fi signal on your PC:

1. Restart Your Router and PC

Restart your router by switching it off for a while then back on. This allows your router to produce a stronger Wi-Fi signal by selecting the least-busiest channel for each frequency. Once it has restarted, restart your PC to renew its connection to your router.

2. Eliminate Wi-Fi Leeches

Cheapskates, spiteful hackers, or other intruders may try to connect to your Wi-Fi network to save money or do worse. The best way to keep these types at bay is by hiding your router’s SSID or Wi-Fi network name using the “cloaking” method. Only people who type in the name of your network will find it. Hiding your ID offers general protection to your modem.

This is done in the firmware settings via your Wi-Fi router’s admin. Every router’s set-up is different, so use the following steps as a general guide on how to do this via your router:

1. In a web browser, enter the IP address for your router’s admin panel. It’s typically 192.168.0.1 or similar.
   
2. Look through the navigation options for a section titled “Wireless” or similar.
   
3. Go through the submenus and look for a section named “Wireless Options.” “Wireless Settings” or something similar.
   
4. Search for an option with a name like “Enable Hidden Wireless,” “Enable SSID Broadcast,” “Hide SSID,” etc.
   
5. Select or deselect the checkbox or toggle a switch to turn off this setting.
   
6. Save your settings. Your router may or may not need to restart. You’re now invisible to devices.
   

3. Update Your Router’s Firmware

A firmware upgrade will help your router to work better and support faster internet speeds. How easy or difficult this is to perform depends on your router’s make and model. Luckily, many new devices include the update process via the admin interface, so it’s a matter of signing into your router’s admin and finding the upgrade option.

How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal Through Walls?

There’s nothing you can do about walls, their thickness and how they affect Wi-Fi signals. However, there are a few things that can be done to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal through them, and here are a couple:

1. Reposition Your Router and Remove Dead Spots

To increase the strength of your Wi-Fi network for coverage across your entire home, consider placing the router somewhere else. Sometimes, a small shift in location can make a difference. It’s better to install your router in a central place. Consider the following when figuring out the best placement:

• Give it plenty of space. Keep it away from thick walls.
• Keep it away from your windows and TV.
• Place it somewhere high like on a top shelf or on top of a cupboard.
• Place it somewhere you can see it.

The aim is to put it somewhere with plenty of surrounding space so it can send out strong signals in all directions.

2. Try Installing a Wi-Fi Repeater

It could be that the router is in a building that is too big for it to provide enough cover. If so, consider investing in a Wi-Fi repeater or extender. As the name suggests, a Wi-Fi repeater receives the current Wi-Fi signal and amplifies it to extend its range to Wi-Fi “dead zones” throughout a building.

They’re very easy to install. All you need to do is place a repeater in a location that you can receive a Wi-Fi signal, then connect it to a power supply.

How to Boost your Wi-Fi Signal With Aluminum Foil

A cheap alternative to Wi-Fi repeaters and extenders is to use aluminum foil as a reflector to increase the signal strength. It’s believed to work by redirecting the Wi-Fi signal by stopping it from going in one direction and sending it in another.

All you need to do is:

1. Fold a piece of aluminum foil into a curved shape.
2. Place the foil around the router’s antenna. The foil must face the direction you wish to increase the signal.

And there you have it. A stronger Wi-Fi connection without spending a cent.

Giving Your Wi-Fi Signal a Boost

A poor Wi-Fi signal can be annoying, especially if you’re trying to stream something or do something else that requires a strong connection – like almost everything. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can try to increase your signal strength without having to contact technical support.

The best techniques for a signal boost tend to be the easiest. For example, restarting your router and the connecting device, changing the position of the router, or placing aluminum on the router’s antenna can all noticeably boost your signal’s strength.

Do you know of any other tried and tested methods to boost a Wi-Fi signal? Tell us about them in the comments section.