Move closer. That's not always an option though. Here are some tips to improve the range of wireless routers:
1) Locate the router higher in the building rather than lower (1st or second floor is better than a basement location).
2) Place the router in a location that will offer the least resistance to the signals - it is easier to pass wifi signals through gypsum board than it is for concrete / brick or walls with aluminum siding on them.
3) Change the antenna(s) on the router to a type that offers more gain. Typical router omni directional antennas offer 3dB to 5dB or gain - there are others that offer 7 dB or more of omnidirectional gain for reasonable prices. The antenna gain works for both transmit from and receive to the router.
4) if the device you wirsh to connect to the router is in one place, consider a directional Yagi antenna. These antennas concentrate the entire wifi signal in a direction that is 30 degrees wide and can allow the signal to be seen 5, 6 or even more times further in one direction - instead of being spread out over 360 degrees. These antennas cost a little more, but can solve the problem quickly.
5) Replace the manufacturer's stock firmware of selected routers with a 3rd party type such as DD-WRT or Tomato. Either of these will work with your Linksys WRT54G router. One of the benefits is the ability to boost output power of the wifi radio in the new settings the firmware offers. Read about both and decide if either is something you're comfortable doing.
6) Add additional wifi routers configured as a bridge or an access point to extend the wifi signal into an underserved area. DD-WRT supports bridging as shown here.
I hope this helps & good luck!
Move your wireless router to a central location in your network, keeping in mind that the router should be at waist level at the very least, not on the ground.
73 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×