MAKE WI-FI GO FURTHER IN YOUR HOME
Upgrade to a mesh network
Mesh Wi-fi is the perfect, if rather pricey, answer to weak Wi-fi and infuriating dead spots. It comprises a number of access points across the home that work together to deliver blanket coverage. The beauty of mesh is you only have a single network name and password to worry about, and once connected, the system will automatically switch you to the nearest node as you move around the house. This happens seamlessly and you shouldn’t notice any change in the quality of your wireless connection.
Mesh networks are a lot more expensive than traditional Wi-fi extenders, but they work exceptionally well, and you can add as many, or as few nodes (also known as satellites) as required. Start with two, and add a third (or even a fourth) later on, if you feel you need it. There are several good meshrouter systems available from Google (see ‘How I fixed my own Wi-fi Woes’ box on page 53), BT, Tp-link and Netgear (turn to page 58 for our top picks). Each product comes with a helpful diagram illustrating just how mesh Wi-fi works (see TP Link’s above).
Use a wireless extender
A mesh network will give you wholehome wireless coverage, but it’s not cheap, and nor is it necessary in a lot of cases. If you have a room or two where the wireless signal is weak then a Wi-fi extender – which takes the existing signal and repeats it – might be all you need. In our experience testing numerous extenders, we’ve found you do often get what you pay for, with cheaper models typically delivering disappointing results. If you have an 802.11ac router, be sure to also get an ‘ac range extender’ as this will deliver the best results. For our favourite extenders turn to page 58.
Add antennae to your router
Some routers have external antennae, letting you direct the wireless signal where you want it to go. Others have internal omni-directional antennae that send the signal in all directions. If your router has an internal antenna, you might be able to add an external ‘high-gain’ one to extend its range, such as this pack of four from Linksys ( www.snipca.com/ 26518, pictured above right) – £49.99 from Amazon: www.snipca.com/26520.
Not all routers let you add an external antennae though. If yours does, check the manufacturer’s website to see if it sells compatible ones or browse the selection on Amazon. External antennae can be directional or omnidirectional - buy the former if you want to eliminate a dead spot in a particular area.
Identify the optimal location for your router
A router’s signal can get blocked by various barriers around the home, including walls, furniture, mirrors, and electrical appliances (microwaves are particularly impenetrable). For that reason, you should look to place your router away from solid objects, higher up, and in a central location.
For a more scientific approach, use Ekahau Heatmapper ( www.snipca. com/26513) to create a Wi-fi heatmap of your home. It will identify any weak areas and dead spots, helping you to locate the best place for your router.
To use the software, install it on a laptop or Windows tablet, add a map of
your home (a blueprint, or something you’ve drawn to scale yourself) and then move around the rooms, recording the signal strength as you go. Strong areas show up in red, weak areas in green (see screenshot below).
3D-print a Wi-fi reflector… but not quite yet!
If your router has adjustable antennae, you can direct your Wi-fi where you want it, that is into the room, and away from the outside world. If it doesn’t, well, you can’t. But you can use age-old tricks, like placing a mirror or a label-less tin can behind the router, to reflect the signal.
A team of researchers at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire recently found a way to improve this method – 3D-printing a customised reflector. It may not look very hi-tech (see image above right), but this wave-shaped reflector, made from plastic and a thin layer of metal, boosted a Wi-fi signal by more than 50 per cent and reduced it, where it wasn’t wanted, by 63 per cent.
First, the researchers had to input information about the room’s dimensions, the desired target area, and the locations of wireless access points. Their specially created algorithm then computed the optimal shape for the reflector. It took just 23 minutes to print and it cost just $35 (£26). Watch how it works on Youtube at www.snipca. com/26517.
The team’s next project is to make reflectors that can adapt their shape when the interior layout changes. If they’re successful, you may soon be able to print a Wi-fi booster for your own home.