Boost your Wi-Fi
YOU’LL NEED THIS
USB WI-FI ANTENNA
(optional)
ROUTER with open source firmware (optional)
WHEN WIRELESS NETWORKS were introduced in the 1990s, they were widely derided as being clunky, slow, and prone to interference. The first widely adopted wireless networking standard (802.11b) offered speeds of just 11 Mbps. In other words, it would have taken at least 12 minutes to copy a 1GB file from one network device to another.
The introduction of subsequent Wi-Fi standards like 802.11n and 802.11ac welcomed new wireless bands, channels, and other features for optimizing wireless performance. That said, Wi-Fi can still be prone to slow speeds, dropped connections, and wireless interference.
This is particularly true if you live in an area with multiple access points and devices that can crowd out existing radio frequencies very quickly. This tutorial focuses on some basic steps you can take to improve the Wi-Fi signal in your home. This includes selecting and positioning the right router, as well as tweaking your Wi-Fi channels for optimum performance.
–NATE DRAKE
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LIMINATE INTERFERENCE
Fundamentally, Wi-Fi is a line-of-sight radio technology. In other words, it doesn’t work by surrounding your device with a wireless signal, but by forming a direct connection.