IF you have a slow Wi-Fi connection, then a few easy tricks could help boost its speed.
You might not know this, but several things can hinder your Wi-Fi connection.
“Wi-Fi isn’t perfect,” communications company Verizon notes on its website.
“The signal gets weaker the longer the distance between you and the Wi-Fi router or the more physical obstacles — such as a corner or a brick wall — between your device and the router.”
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to boost your network’s speed.
And one of the biggest ways is to employ a Wi-Fi booster.
Two different types of simple home devices can help improve your network’s Wi-Fi strength: a Wi-Fi extender and a Wi-Fi repeater.
These are both often referred to as Wi-Fi boosters, Verizon revealed.
“These Wi-Fi boosters may be simple desktop accessories or plug directly into outlets,” the company said.
Once set up, boosters essentially create a secondary network that your devices can access.
Specifically, your device will automatically access whichever signal is stronger.
The first Wi-Fi booster is a Wi-Fi range extender, which works by picking up the signal sent out by your router and lengthening it.
It’s able to do this without negatively impacting overall internet speed.
“For example, if you get very poor service on a second floor and want to watch YouTube TV at night, you can place a Wi-Fi extender in a bedroom or bathroom,” Verizon said.
“And, you can use multiple Wi-Fi range extenders to increase signal strength in different areas of your home.”
One thing to check when getting a Wi-Fi range extender is the signal on your router.
You need to find a Wi-Fi extender that matches it for it to properly work.
A Wi-Fi repeater is the second type of Wi-Fi booster.
“This piece of hardware actually has 2 wireless routers — one to grab your existing network and a second which takes that signal to create an enhanced network with a bigger coverage area,” Verizon explained.
To work properly, a Wi-Fi repeater should be placed in a spot that already receives a strong signal.
In turn, the repeater can increase the network strength to a deck so that you can work at home if the weather is nice.
Verizon noted that one tradeoff is that the signal is generally strong with a Wi-Fi repeater but the bandwidth may decrease.
This can result in a Wi-Fi speed lag from time to time.
