Best Way to Setup Wifi in a Large House
Browsing slowing to a crawl, the inability to stream, dropped Wi-Fi signals, wireless dead zones—every one of these problems is maddening in a world where getting online has become, for some, as necessary as breathing. (Well, peradventure not that critical...but still important.)
If you feel similar your Wi-Fi has gotten sluggish, in that location are many tools you can use to exam the speed of your internet. There are also a few tricks you can try to troubleshoot your network issues. Still, if the just way yous can become decent reception is by standing adjacent to your wireless router, these simple tips tin can help optimize your network.
1. Check Your Wired Internet Connection
Before you lot blame the Wi-Fi, make sure the net coming into your firm is performing as it should. Find an Ethernet cable and plug your estimator straight into your modem—yous may need a USB to Ethernet adapter if your laptop doesn't have an Ethernet port.
Run a speed test to see your internet speed. If information technology doesn't friction match the speed on your internet nib, you may need to call your ISP or supercede your modem. If your speed test does friction match your internet bill, but information technology withal seems slow, it may be time to pony up for a better plan. (My grandmother was convinced her Wi-Fi was faulty, only for me to tell her she was subscribed to a snail's-pace 3Mbps connectedness.)
If the modem seems okay, try running the test again wirelessly, standing right next to the router. If you go similarly good speeds side by side to the router, but not elsewhere in the house, then your Wi-Fi coverage may exist to blame. If your internet is notwithstanding slow standing correct next to the router, you may have some outdated gear that needs an upgrade.
ii. Update Your Router Firmware
Earlier you start tweaking things, information technology's a good idea to update your router. Router manufacturers are always improving software to eke out a bit more than speed. How piece of cake—or how difficult—it is to upgrade your firmware depends entirely on your device'south manufacturer and model.
Most current routers accept the update procedure congenital right into the administration interface, then it's just a matter of hit a firmware upgrade button. Other models, particularly if they're older, all the same require you to visit the manufacturer's website, download a firmware file from your router'southward support page, and upload it to the administration interface. Information technology'southward tiresome, but still a good matter to do since it would be such a simple fix.
In fact, even if your wireless network isn't ailing, you should make it a point to update your firmware on a regular ground for performance improvements, better features, and security updates. For help with this, we accept a guide on accessing your router's settings.
If you really desire to get the virtually out of your electric current router, the adventurous should look at a 3rd-party firmware, like the open up-source DD-WRT. This can ramp upward performance and give you access to more advanced networking features, including the power to install a virtual private network (VPN) right onto your router. It's a bit more complex to prepare up, only for tech-savvy users, it may be worthwhile.
3. Reach Optimal Router Placement
Not all homes will distribute Wi-Fi point every bit. The fact is, where you identify the router can hugely affect your wireless coverage. It may seem logical to have the router within a cabinet and out of the way, or right by the window where the cable comes in, but that's non e'er the instance. Rather than relegating it to a far end of your home, the router should be in the center of your house, if possible, and so its signal tin achieve to each corner with ease.
In improver, wireless routers need open spaces, away from walls and obstructions. And so while it'due south tempting to put that ugly blackness box in a closet or backside a bunch of books, you'll get a ameliorate signal if it'due south surrounded by open air (which should prevent the router from overheating, as well). Keep it away from heavy-duty appliances or electronics as well, since running those in shut proximity can touch on Wi-Fi performance. If you lot can eliminate even i wall between your workspace and the router, you can drastically improve performance.
If your router has external antennas, orient them vertically to bump up coverage. If you lot can, it even helps to elevate the router—mount information technology loftier on the wall or on the elevation shelf to get a ameliorate signal. There are enough of tools to help yous visualize your network coverage. We like Ekahau's Heatmapper or MetaGeek's inSSIDer, which show yous both the weak and strong spots in your Wi-Fi network. There are plenty of mobile apps, too, such as Netgear's WiFi Analytics.
(Editors' Note: Ekahau is owned past Ziff Davis, the parent company of PCMag.com.)
4. What'southward Your Frequency?
Take a look at your network'south administrator interface and brand certain you have it configured for optimum operation. If you take a dual-band router, you'll likely get ameliorate throughput by switching to the 5GHz band instead of using the more than common 2.4GHz band.
Not only does 5GHz offer faster speeds, simply you lot'll likely see less interference from other wireless networks and devices, because the 5GHz frequency is not as commonly used. (It doesn't handle obstructions and distances quite too, though, so it won't necessarily reach equally far as a two.4GHz betoken does.)
Well-nigh modernistic dual-band routers should offering y'all the option to employ the same network name, or SSID, on both bands. Check your router's administration interface, look for the 5GHz network choice, and requite it the same SSID and password as your 2.4GHz network. That way, your devices will automatically cull the best signal whenever they tin.
(If your router doesn't offer you the pick to utilise the same SSID, merely give it another proper name—like SmithHouse-5GHz—and try to connect to that one manually whenever possible.)
5. Modify That Channel
Interference is a big upshot, particularly for those who live in densely populated areas. Signals from other wireless networks can bear on speeds, not to mention some cordless phone systems, microwaves, and other electronic devices.
Ever play with walkie-talkies as a kid? You may think how the units needed to exist on the same "aqueduct" in order for you to hear each other. And if you happened to be on the same aqueduct every bit your neighbors, you could listen in on someone else's conversation, even if they were using a completely unlike set. In that aforementioned vein, all mod routers tin can switch across dissimilar channels when communicating with your devices.
Most routers will cull the channel for yous, simply if neighboring wireless networks are also using the same aqueduct, you'll encounter point congestion. A expert router prepare to Automatic will try to choose the to the lowest degree congested aqueduct, but older or cheaper routers may just choose a predefined channel, fifty-fifty if it isn't the all-time one. That could be a problem.
On Windows-based PCs, you tin see what channels neighboring Wi-Fi networks are using. From the command prompt blazon netsh wlan show all, and yous'll run into a list of all wireless networks and the channels being used in your vicinity. The aforementioned network analyzers can also prove you this information, often in an easier-to-read graphical format.
At the PCMag office, for case, most of our networks and those of our neighbors are using channels 6 and eleven. In full general, for 2.4GHz you desire to stick to channels one, half dozen, and 11 since they're the merely ones that don't overlap with other channels (which can degrade performance). 5GHz generally uses not-overlapping channels, however, which should brand selecting the correct i much easier.
If you find the Auto setting isn't working well for you, sign into your router'due south administrator interface, caput to the basic wireless category, and try selecting one manually (ideally, one that isn't in use past many networks in your area). Run another speed examination to meet if that provides a better signal and faster speeds over the Automatic setting in your problem areas.
Keep in mind that channel congestion can change over time, so if yous cull a channel manually, you lot may desire to check in one time in a while to make sure it'south still the best i.
6. Kick Off Wi-Fi Intruders
It's entirely possible the problem has nothing to do with interference or Wi-Fi range. If your network is open up, or has a weak countersign, yous could take an unwanted guest or two piggybacking on your network. If the neighbor is downloading multiple 4K movies on your Wi-Fi, your video chats will suffer.
These tools can help you notice a list of devices on your Wi-Fi, which may help you sniff out uninvited neighbors. Your router'due south admin interface may too be a traffic analyzer of some sort that volition tell you which devices are using lots of information—you may even observe one of your own kids is sucking up bandwidth without you realizing information technology. (If so, here's how to kick them off).
In one case you find the intruder and remedy the problem, secure your network with a strong countersign—preferably WPA2, as WEP is notoriously easy to crevice—and so others can't join in.
7. Control Quality
Nigh modernistic routers come with Quality of Service (QoS) tools to limit the amount of bandwidth that apps employ, like the Netgear menu higher up. For example, you could use QoS to prioritize video calls over file downloads—that way, your call with grandma won't drop only because someone else is grabbing a big file from Dropbox. (Sure, their file will take longer, but grandma is more important.) Some QoS settings fifty-fifty allow you to prioritize unlike apps at unlike times of day.
QoS settings tin typically be plant under advanced settings in the network's ambassador interface. Some routers may even brand information technology easier by offer a one-click multimedia or gaming setting, and then y'all know those applications volition be prioritized. If y'all're trying to stream games while sharing a network, there are steps yous can take to make things improve.
viii. Replace Your Antenna
If your router uses an internal antenna, calculation an external one would be a practiced idea, every bit the latter tends to send a stronger point. Your router may take come with antennas you tin can add on yourself, but if not (or if you threw them away long ago), many router manufacturers sell antennas separately.
Recommended by Our Editors
In many cases, you can choose between omnidirectional antennas, which send a signal to all directions, or directional ones, which send a betoken in one specific direction. Nearly built-in antennas tend to be omnidirectional, so if you are ownership an external 1, it should be marked "high-gain" to actually make a difference.
A directional antenna tends to be a amend option, since odds are that you aren't experiencing weak spots in your network in every direction. Point your external antenna in the direction of your weak spot, and it will broadcast the signal appropriately. Cheque your router manufacturer's website for details on what to purchase.
9. Upgrade Your Obsolete Hardware
TP-Link Archer AX11000 tri-ring gaming router
It's a good idea to get the nigh out of your existing equipment, but if y'all're running old hardware, you tin can't expect the best performance. Nosotros have a tendency to subscribe to the "if it own't bankrupt, don't set it" mentality with back-cease devices, especially networking gear. Nonetheless, if you bought your router years ago, yous might all the same be using the older, slower 802.11n standard (or God forbid, 802.11g).
Older routers may cap at fairly low bandwidths, and may even have shorter ranges. Thus, all the tweaking we've outlined above will only get y'all and so far—the maximum throughput for 802.11g is 54Mbps, while 802.11n caps out at 300Mbps. The latest 802.11ac supports 1Gbps, while next-gen Wi-Fi six routers can theoretically hit 10Gbps. Our list of the all-time wireless routers is a skilful identify to starting time the search for a faster router.
Even if your router is new, you might have some ancient devices that are falling back to older, slower standards. If you lot bought a PC within the terminal couple of years, you likely accept an 802.11ac wireless adapter, or at least 802.11n. But the older your devices, the less likely they are to have mod tech built in. (Y'all might be able to purchase a USB Wi-Fi adapter that makes things a fleck better on those erstwhile machines, though.)
Remember, a college-quality router won't just back up those faster standards—it'll also do all the things nosotros've outlined to a higher place meliorate. It'll take better aqueduct selection, perform better ring steering for 5GHz devices, and include better QoS features.
Others may have features like Multi User-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), similar the Editors' Choice TP-Link Archer AX11000 tri-band gaming router. MU-MIMO routers tin send and receive multiple data streams simultaneously to multiple devices without bandwidth deposition and require specialized testing with multiple clients, but the clients demand to be MU-MIMO uniform.
If you exercise finish upwards ownership a new router, the setup process won't be also scary. Nosotros have a guide on how to set upwardly and configure the device.
10. Reach Farther With a Range Extender or Mesh Wi-Fi
Amazon Eero Pro vi
Some newer routers may have meliorate range than your old beater, simply in many homes, yous may still non become the range you demand. If the network has to comprehend an expanse larger than the router is capable of transmitting to, or if there are lots of corners to go around and walls to penetrate, operation will inevitably accept a hit. If all of the above tips fail, it's possible that your firm is just too big for a single router to send a good signal everywhere. In that case, you lot'd need another device to extend your betoken.
Range extenders receive a betoken from your router, then rebroadcast it to your devices, and vice-versa. Nevertheless, while they're inexpensive, they're often not as effective as mesh Wi-Fi systems, which replace your existing router entirely. Instead of merely repeating a router's point, multiple units work together to intelligently road traffic dorsum to your modem, blanketing your house in a single Wi-Fi network that reaches everywhere you need.
When setting upwardly these mesh points, you lot should even so use the same rules for figuring out placement: one node will exist connected to your modem, and each of the other nodes should exist shut enough to selection up a solid indicate, while yet far enough to extend coverage to dead zones.
The traditional downside to Wi-Fi mesh systems has been that they're generally more expensive than simply adding a range extender to your existing router. Nevertheless, we expect to see that change in the well-nigh future, spurred by Amazon'due south Eero half dozen and Eero Pro half dozen, which come up in around $100 to $200 less than much of their mesh competition while offering Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and fifty-fifty a Zigbee smart dwelling device hub congenital into the main router.
Fifty-fifty with a mesh arrangement, however, note that you may still incur some performance loss on the far ends of your firm, peculiarly if your Wi-Fi has to make multiple "hops"—again, placing the chief unit of measurement in the center of your house is all-time, and connecting the nodes with Ethernet will produce the best results. Trust me: if yous truly want problem-free Wi-Fi, it's worth having an electrician run a couple of Ethernet cables to each mesh unit, because in my experience, annihilation else is a compromise that may or may not measure up to your standards.
Mesh Wi-Fi Systems aren't cheap, specially if you take a big dwelling house, which will require multiple nodes. Withal, if y'all're in the market for a new router anyway, they're absolutely worth because as an alternative. If yous're tech-savvy, you might be able to relieve some money by setting upward a few cheaper-simply-more-complex Ubiquiti UniFi Lite access points.
Similar What You're Reading?
Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the nigh out of your technology.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or chapter links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Utilise and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at whatever fourth dimension.
Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/10-ways-to-boost-your-wi-fi-signal
0 Response to "Best Way to Setup Wifi in a Large House"
Post a Comment