Undoubtedly, Wi-Fi is the best technology that enables connecting wirelessly to the internet. It provides great flexibility and freedom to leverage strong signals and wireless range. However, all of this is possible only till the signals are robust.
The annoyance begins when the Wi-Fi connection becomes slow or weak. You begin struggling with poor network range. The web pages take more than usual to load. All your office meetings or client calls are dropped. It becomes completely embarrassing.
Are you also facing the same situations in your office?
Although you can install a DAS antenna or signal phone booster, you can first try the below-mentioned tips. These effective solutions can help improve the Wi-Fi signal strength and range.
Let’s begin!!
How to Boost Wireless Signal Range and Strength?
Position the Router in a Centralized Location
Remember there is one rule for router placement in homes. Place the wireless router indoors within a range of 150 feet. On the other hand, keep the placement outdoors at 300 feet. However, for placement of the router in the office, the range would differ. Furthermore, there would be some signal-interfering obstacles that degrade the signal before they reach all the devices.
Hence, placing it in a centralized location and away from other electrical appliances would be great. Ideally, it would be better to position it where the signal strength is always better.
Determine the Nearby Objects Causing Signal Interferences
We all know wireless networks depend on radio frequencies for the transmission of signals. It means there could be the probability of it getting weak due to other equipment’s radio signal transmission. The reasons can be anything like external monitors, power lines nearby, cordless phones, etc.
Multiple sorts of wireless technologies are available that send or receive signals throughout the office space. Here, if any gadget functions at a similar frequency to that of the wireless, router interference will happen. So, you need to determine the signs that assure the interferences are occurring.
How?
These are some signs.
- There is consistent low signal strength and fluctuations in internet connectivity now and then.
- Internet connection is much slower.
- When using WiFi, file transfer speed drops.
You can try turning off the devices that are sending the signals at that time. See if there is now any difference between the signal strength of on devices. If there is some improvement in signal range, you have found the obstacle. Also, you can restrict the limit of installation of wireless devices in your office space.
Switch to a Better Channel
You need to know that wireless routers send Wi-Fi connectivity via a particular channel. Working in office buildings means there would be other businesses also having their access points or routers installed for internet connectivity. Their routers can act as interference. Here, what you can do is utilize a less congested channel. You can overcome this problem by switching to another channel via the user interface of your device.
Also, many access points or routers have software integrated. It helps to assess the best possible channel that helps get the most out of the network.
Keep the Bandwidth Use Limited
Weak signal strength and range can be problematic for staff using the internet for client calls or video conferencing. Mostly, there is a common reason such as increased bandwidth usage. All the office staff using the same network at the same time results in a bandwidth outage. Hence, limiting the device’s using the internet can be the solution. Keep a separate guest network installed for the visitors or if the staff wants to play games or browse the internet in their free time. This will ensure that sufficient bandwidth is available to execute the business operations without compromising on bandwidth limit or connectivity quality.
Furthermore, you can automate the bandwidth usage process by adjusting the router’s settings.
Install a Mobile Phone Signal Repeater
Sometimes, no solution seems effective or you need more robust or long-lasting results. In such a case, it would be great to invest in a mobile network booster for your office. These are available in different sizes and shapes and of different brands. However, all of these have one purpose and that is to boost the signal strength and deliver the best network coverage possible.
Buy a New Router
Is your existing router based on any conventional technology or face technical problems now and then? Thus, resulting in poor signal range or quality. Or have you installed a cheaper signal booster in your office space?
If it is so, the one effective solution comes to upgrading your router to the latest technology that complies with all the wireless standards. Moreover, it must have well-equipped technology to handle multiple devices simultaneously. In simple words, it is better to invest in expensive but quality hardware rather than the cheap options that are out-of-date.
Conclusion
Obtaining reliable wireless connectivity in your office can be daunting. However, by implementing the above-given solutions, improving the Wi-Fi signal strength and range would become easy. Don’t forget to determine the cold spots and remember appropriate router placement is vital. Always position it in a central location and away from other electronic gadgets or appliances that operate on radio frequencies.
You can invest in a DAS antenna solution. It guarantees improvement in network performance and signal strength. Thus, assuring all the business operations run smoothly and no client calls or video conference hampers.