Wi-Fi is just as essential as running water for many people, especially those who work from abode. So when it'south tedious or keeps dropping out - and ruining your Zoom call or interrupting your Spotify stream - it can be very frustrating indeed.

Your situation may exist even worse than this: no signal at all in some parts of the business firm, or such a weak connection that it'south non good plenty for loading a web folio, let alone checking who's at the front door via your video doorbell.

These Wi-Fi 'blackness spots' are near often acquired by as well much altitude from the wireless router (wireless signals weaken with range), thick brick or stone walls, and interference from other devices.

At that place are several ways yous can gear up this, but it all depends upon how much money you desire to spend and where the problem areas are. Here are the main vi means to extend your Wi-Fi:

  1. Move your existing router to a better position
  2. Buy a new, amend router
  3. Buy a mesh Wi-Fi kit
  4. Buy a Wi-Fi extender / booster
  5. Buy a powerline networking adapter set with Wi-Fi
  6. Switch to 2.4GHz from 5GHz

Now let'south look in more item at each of those options.

1. Reposition your router

If your business firm suffers from weak Wi-Fi upstairs, check the placement of your wireless router. Make sure it's out in the open (even if it is ugly) and in the center of the home if possible, gratis from obstructions.

Don't hibernate it in a cupboard, on the flooring or behind your TV. attempt to elevate it becauseWi-Fi signals have an easier time traveling through open infinite.

How to extend your Wi-Fi

Does your router take movable aerials?The Wi-Fi signal beams out from the sides of the antenna, and up (perpendicular to the router) is commonly best and so the betoken doesn't shoot into the ground or ceiling. However, if y'all have multiple antennae, you lot can try adjusting them to dissimilar angles to provide the widest coverage.

2. Upgrade to a better router

If the weak or boring Wi-Fi continues despite moving the router, consider upgrading it to a better one.

The oldest to newest Wi-Fi standard are: 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11ac and Wi-Fi 6. If you have an older wireless "b" or "g" router yous should consider replacing information technology with a newer device that offers longer ranges and faster connection speeds.

Why not be derisive and enquire your ISP to transport you lot an updated wireless router? If you lot've been a customer for a while it should help you out, but watch out if it asks you to sign up for a new contract.

A common misconception is that the latest Wi-Fi standard gives you the all-time performance and range. While that is partially true, the all-time speeds come at the expense of range, then you'll actually become the best coverage from a router with really good operation using 2.4GHz, not 5GHz. For more, click here.

How to extend your Wi-Fi

Notwithstanding, this is where mesh Wi-Fi comes in, and it'south why we highly recommend you invest in a kit, which can cost less than a single router in some cases.

Call up that your devices as well demand to back up these newer Wi-Fi standards. But rather than purchase a new laptop you can buy a USB wireless adapter – from equally petty as £10 – that plugs into a USB port. You can likewise add together a new wireless adapter inside a desktop PC'southward case or via a PC Card slot, but good luck trying that with a Mac! Check out our round up of the best 802.11ac USB Wi-Fi adapters.

We've besides got a divide guide with tips on how to speed upwardly Wi-Fi.

3. Go a Mesh Wi-Fi kit

In case you skipped the intro and scrolled direct to here, a mesh network is two or more routers that work together to provide much wider Wi-Fi coverage than a single router tin ever deliver. It replaces your existing router'southward Wi-Fi, and is easy to set up.

You adhere i of the units from a mesh Wi-Fi kit to a spare port on your existing router, and it creates a new Wi-Fi network to which all your Wi-Fi gadgets connect.

How to extend your Wi-Fi

Yous and so identify the 2nd (and third if required) mesh device somewhere else in your business firm - commonly on another floor, or on the other side of your domicile. The devices all talk to each other and create a unmarried super Wi-Fi network that's both potent and fast and tin usually extend into your garden, if you have one.

You can read more about the differences between the cheapest and most expensive systems in our roundup of the best Mesh Wi-Fi, only our current top option, which combines Wi-Fi and powerline networking for great coverage and speed at a reasonable price is the TP-Link Deco P9.

  • Buy the TP-Link Deco P9 from Amazon

4. Employ Powerline adapters

Powerline adapters are slowly being phased out and replaced by mesh Wi-Fi, but there is still a place for them - the Deco P9 kit uses the applied science every bit we've just said. But traditional powerline adapters can be the cheapest solution to extending Wi-Fi if you demand to get a signal in ane item room, or even a separate building such as a garage.

Simply plug i adapter into a ability socket near your router and connect information technology to the router using an Ethernet cable (usually supplied in the box).

And then plug the second adapter (which must exist a model with built-in Wi-Fi) into a ability socket in the other room such as a loft room, garage or other outbuilding. Equally long as any dissever edifice gets its ability from the main firm where the router is located, it will work.

How to extend your Wi-Fi

In most cases these create a new Wi-Fi hotspot - they do not boost the wireless network that already exists similar a Wi-Fi extender. Powerline kits with Wi-Fi price more than extenders but are much more than versatile and can provide faster speeds.

Read our roundup of the best Powerline adapters for recommendations.

5. Buy a wireless booster

Wi-Fi extenders - too chosen repeaters or boosters - increase your Wi-Fi signal past 'capturing' the wireless signal from your router and so rebroadcasting it. Some people rightly wonder whether they actually work: they exercise, but they're non the best option if you demand very fast Wi-Fi speeds.

They are cheap, though, and piece of cake to install. Models such as TP-Link'southward TL-WA860RE can cost at little every bit £twenty / $20 or and so. However, this uses the older 802.11n standard. If you want something faster and more up to date, then the TP-Link RE300, which supports 802.11ac, is about £35 / $35.

How to extend your Wi-Fi

You tin apply a Wi-Fi repeater to heave the indicate from a router on a different floor of a business firm or on the opposite side of a building.

WiFi extender home booster repeaters

A repeater uses half its internal antennae to receive a wireless signal and the other half to transmit a new signal – finer halving the potential speed of the original Wi-Fi signal.

This shouldn't be that noticeable for low-cal spider web browsing, email, etc, merely tin can be felt when moving big files around the network such every bit high-definition video. That's why nosotros prefer Powerline for the more than enervating tasks. But you might find it's still perfectly skilful for streaming Netflix or YouTube.

A Wi-Fi extender needs to be placed in a central location, not likewise far away from the main router, as shown in the prototype above. If y'all put the repeater at the far edge of your main network hoping to strengthen the signal y'all will reduce the speed of your connectedness to the rest of the network and to the internet.

Remember that the extender is just boosting the signal. If it's placed in a spot where Wi-Fi is already weak then information technology will simply push effectually that weak bespeak. Place it in an area with improve Wi-Fi and the indicate information technology pushes out will be stronger, too.

The ideal location for a range extender is half way between your main router and the intended wireless devices – in an open corridor or spacious room rather than a crowded infinite. It should be away from interfering devices such every bit cordless phones, Bluetooth gadgets and microwave ovens.

six. Utilize two.4GHz instead of 5GHz Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi tin can use one of 2 frequency bands: 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Many people think the latter is meliorate because information technology offers faster speeds.

However, this comes at a toll: range. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. And 5GHz signals cannot penetrate walls, ceilings, desks, and, aye, people besides every bit 2.4GHz signals. (Incidentally, this is why 5G is promising such fast speeds, considering it uses much college frequencies - chosen millimetre wave - but these signals have a tough time getting through glass, trees and even rain.

  • Here's how to tell which is my Wi-Fi.

two.4GHz, on the other mitt is improve at delivering a signal over a greater distance, at slower speeds. That'southward why you might be able to go ameliorate range from your router by forcing your telephone or laptop to connect to your router's 2.4GHz network. Many routers combine the two frequencies into one network name. That's done for convenience, but information technology means you tin can't choose which network to connect to.

If your router is like this, log in to the settings web page and await for a Wi-Fi card where you tin split the two frequencies into two split network names.

It's worth begetting in mind that 2.4GHz devices face up a battle because lots of other things likewise utilise this frequency including microwaves, baby monitors, Bluetooth and more than.

These can cause interference, which reduced the less speed and range a Wi-Fi betoken has. The greater range yous want, the less speed you lot can have; the greater speed you lot desire, the more you have to mitigate interference and work closer to an access point.

So your mileage may vary, only it is well worth understanding the difference between Wi-Fi bands, every bit you can use these to your advantage.

We accept a split up pace-by-step guide on how to change the aqueduct your router uses to avoid interference.