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My Wi-Fi is Lousy. What Can I Do?
Solutions for boosting wireless internet don’t always require buying an expensive new router
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I have a Wi-Fi-ready garage door that you can control remotely with a smartphone. But my Wi-Fi signal is blocked by metal and doesn’t extend that far, so the feature does not work. What options am I left with? — Joni P.
Few things in tech drive folks nuts more than spotty Wi-Fi.
This is true whether you’re attempting to work from home, find out whodunnit in a streaming TV mystery or tame misbehaving smart home technology such as your garage door.
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The good news is you have options to bolster a crappy Wi-Fi signal, and not all of them cost money.
Before investing in a new router — the device that distributes the internet signal coming into your house to your computer, smart thermostat, smartTV, video doorbell, Wi-Fi-ready garage door and other electronics — examine your current model. Make sure the firmware — permanent software embedded into the hardware — is up to date, and with luck you have the instructions from your router manufacturer to do that.
Next, consider the location of the router and modem, which brings the internet into your house. I suspect you’ve already investigated this, but find a spot closer to the garage if possible. And yes, I recognize we’re all at the mercy of where you can plug in an ethernet cable and get power.
Another low-tech solution that sometime helps: Pull the plug on your router and modem, wait a minute or so and then reboot.
I’m certainly not naïve enough to think you can avoid Wi-Fi kryptonite easily. That includes metal that can put the kibosh on Wi-Fi.
Other elements that can interfere with the strength and range of a Wi-Fi signal include thick walls, cordless phones, microwave ovens, refrigerators and even routers down the street if you live in a crowded neighborhood. The number of people competing for bandwidth in your own home can contribute.
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Check the age of your router
If you’ve exhausted the free and simple solutions, consider whether your router is getting long in the tooth. Every few years, the tech industry graduates to a more modern Wi-Fi flavor.
The time might be ripe for a replacement. Wi-Fi 7 routers are the latest top standard, and such devices promise zippier speeds; lower latency, a measure of network responsiveness; and some relief from network congestion.
As the newest wireless kid on the block, Wi-Fi 7 routers, the seventh generation of the standard, are expensive. Moreover, only the latest compatible tech products can exploit all the benefits, which include the ability to have multiple devices simultaneously tap into different frequency bands.
Wi-Fi 7 is backward-compatible with prior generations, including Wi-Fi 6 routers, which emerged a few years ago, and Wi-Fi 6E.
At the risk of getting a bit technical, Wi-Fi 6 routers operate on the 2.4 and 5 GHz radio frequency bands; Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 operate on the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands.
In a nutshell, higher-frequency bands are faster, but their range is shorter.
You don’t have to spring for Wi-Fi 7 at this stage unless you want to future-proof your home network. Solid Wi-Fi 6 and 6E models from reliable brands will deliver robust Wi-Fi and you’ll pay less, perhaps around $100 for Wi-Fi 6 routers. Be prepared to pay more for 6E models.
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If your home is big, consider a mesh router system
A decent solo router should provide perfectly adequate coverage in a medium-size home. In a larger living space, think about a more costly mesh router system. The idea is to form a network by placing individual mesh routers in strategic locations around the house.
The first one plugs into your modem like other routers and serves as the base or hub. You then can place two, three or more of these routers in other rooms, even on different floors if you have more than one story.
Mesh routers are typically sold in packages of three. Each unit or box communicates with the others to intelligently distribute this mesh wireless network throughout the house and reduce the likelihood of dead zones.
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Don’t rule out a Wi-Fi extender
A cheaper but often less satisfying option is to purchase a so-called Wi-Fi extender, which may be fine if you’re dealing with a limited dead zone. Plug these small boxes into an electrical outlet about halfway between your router and the area where the signal goes kaput.
Wi-Fi extenders are generally priced at $25 to $100.
While extenders may rebroadcast Wi-Fi to the area where you need help, you won’t experience any increases in speed. And their performance isn’t always seamless.
The Wi-Fi could become be slower, and extenders can interfere with devices such as microwaves that may operate on the same frequencies. If all you want to do is to open and close the garage door from your phone, that might not matter.
Bonus tip: How to understand the Wi-Fi alphabet
Tech geeks sometimes cannot help themselves.
While the concept of a Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 is something most consumers can get their heads around, you’ll sometimes see the numbers 802.11 attached to a router, followed by one or more letters. These designations refer to wireless standards established from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
If you see 802.11ac, it that refers to Wi-Fi 5; 802.11ax is for Wi-Fi 6 and 6E; and 802.11be for Wi-Fi 7. Remember these for the quiz.
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