Improving Your WiFi Signal

Looking for a little improving your WiFi home network, business network or mobile WiFi networking?

Here are some typical situations and solutions for those who need to improve their wireless signal including accessories such as wireless antennas, high powered wireless network cards, and high-powered access points.

Situation: I want wireless in my back yard, but my router does not reach.

Every wireless router has it limits on how far its signal will reach. If your router does not reach into an area you need it in such as the outdoors, guest house or basement, you can add an access point as the one pictured (EnGenius Access Points). No wireless signal in your backyard has an easy fix. What you need is an outdoor access point. For a typical back yard, a high-powered Access Point will work great.

• Plug the Access Point into your home network router using an Ethernet cable.
• Mount the Access Point either outside or pointing outside through an exterior wall, attic gable or window.

Note: metal sheet, foil, and mesh can block the signal or significantly reduce signal strength to the outside. The WiFi signal can pass through wood, non-metallic composites, and CMU with less reduction in signal strength to the outside.

Situation: I want to connect my wireless network to another network across the street.

If you want your local area network or internet connection to span two buildings without running a cable, the best way is to connect a wireless Access Point to each network and use them to bridge the gap. For instance, a 400mW unit will work great across a neighborhood street, but the 1000mW unit will go much further. If you have a clear line-of-sight between antennas and enough height, you can run a connection for miles!

• Connect one Access Point to each network router in each building using an Ethernet Cable (or a directly to a PC in building without a router).
• Direct each Access Point towards the other.
• Set the Access Point to “bridge” mode in the Setup Wizard. In the Setup Wizard, you may also set the SSID and security settings.

Note: Passing a WiFi signal through metallic obstructions, such as foil-coated roof sheathing or metal roofing, will significantly reduce the wireless signal transmission strength. We recommend mounting the Access Point units high on a pole with the clearest line-of-sight possible between them.

Situation: The router in my RV or Truck cannot reach the WiFi signal in the park or truck stop.

An excellent way to pick up a far-away signal for 1 PC or Laptop is to increase your wireless antenna gain with a high gain directional antenna.

If your WiFi adapter card has a removable antenna, just use a high-gain, directional antenna like our 15dBi Yagi WiFi Antenna (along with the right connector adapter for your router).

For more power, use powered access point and network adapter like the Long Range Access Point / Adapter. This acts as an antenna and replaces the WiFi adapter in your PC or Laptop, and you can connect up to 2 PCs or Laptops and form a peer to peer network between the two.

Situation: I want to spread a wireless signal over a long narrow hall or corridor.

If you need to transmit a signal through a long narrow area, use a high gain directional antenna just like the one above. You can connect the WiFi antenna to your wireless router with the proper connectors. Be sure and match your router's antenna connector with the opposite antenna connector.

Directional antennas can cover longer distances, but they have a more narrow, focused beam. Perfect for aiming down that narrow hallway or room. They are also useful for picking up a wireless signal from longer distances.

Situation: I want to add my laptop or PC to my wireless network.

Adding a laptop or desktop computer to your wireless network is easy. Just add a wireless network adapter to the computer.

You don't even have to open up your computer's case to do it. Add one of our USB wireless network adapters to your computer via one of its USB ports. We have high powered network adapters that leave most of the ones that come installed on your laptop in the dust in terms of distance range.

Wireless network adapter installation (just plug it in) and configuration is easy. Plus, we have a broad range of powered adapters to get you more range of service.

Need More Wireless Networking Help?

Feel free to contact us with a brief description of your situation and one of our wireless signal improvement experts will be glad to help.