Wi-Fi is pretty much an essential technology these days, with everything from our PCs to our smartphones constantly connected to the wider web. With how ubiquitous it is, it can also be the source of eternal frustration, as any connectivity issues quickly get annoying. Whether it's a slow connection or dead zones around your home, most Wi-Fi issues can be fixed by improving the signal strength. Sometimes, this can be done without any associated cost, but it's also possible that you might consider upgrading your equipment, depending on your home's layout.

5 Moving the location of your router

Centralizing your Wi-Fi source is key

While having the ISP technician install your Wi-Fi router near where the internet connection comes into your home is easier for them, it's not always the best position for you. Wi-Fi signal strength is reduced by every wall, door, appliance, or any other object it has to travel through, meaning it's better to move the router to a more central place in your home. This was true enough back when routers only had 2.4GHz wireless, but it's even more relevant today with the 5GHz and 6GHz bands being faster but with lower range. The more things between your router and you, the lower chance of a good signal.

It's also wise to raise your Wi-Fi router as high as possible, which helps with line of sight and improves connection strength for your devices. The last thing to think about is keeping your router in view. If you hide it behind cabinets, doors, or the TV, it will reduce the strength of the signal sent through your home, and make you wonder why your Wi-Fi is struggling.

4 Upgrading to a mesh network

Sometimes the easiest fix is an upgrade

If you find that your Wi-Fi signal is still struggling after moving your router to a more central location, you still have options. One of the best ways to get consistent Wi-Fi around your home with no dead zones or weak areas is by investing in a mesh router kit. These are essentially mini-routers that are identical in features and use another Wi-Fi band as a dedicated backhaul between them. Having more access points around your home reduces the chances of walls and other objects reducing the strength of your signal, and it's my recommendation for anyone that's having issues with their signal.

Mesh routers are more expensive than normal routers, partly because each unit costs the same and has the same powerful hardware inside. But the ease of use, consistent signal strength, and advanced algorithms that optimize that signal strength are worth the extra outlay. You don't have to go for the newest Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6E units; anything with Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 is fine if you want to pick up a bargain while those units go on sale. However, if you live in a densely populated area with high wireless congestion, you'll want to look for Wi-Fi 6 at a minimum so you can use the frequency bands that are less utilized.

3 Add some Wi-Fi extenders

Cheaper than mesh networks

If you have a Wi-Fi router you particularly like or want to try a slightly cheaper alternative before jumping to a mesh network, adding a few Wi-Fi extenders around your home can improve the signal. These are simpler devices that take the Wi-Fi signal from your main router and rebroadcast it, but they don't give you the smooth experience that a mesh network can.

One big difference is that Wi-Fi extenders often broadcast their own SSID, forcing devices to switch between different access points as they move around your home. That's less of a consideration for devices that don't move, like a desktop PC or a smart TV, but it's worth considering while deciding which way to go with any upgrades. If you've got an Asus or TP-Link router, you might be able to get extenders that act like a mesh network, giving you a more consistent signal strength for a lower investment.

2 Reduce sources of interference

Change your Wi-Fi band

Network congestion is a big problem now that almost everyone has a Wi-Fi router in their home. Since most of those routers operate on the same channel by default, they quickly start to interfere with each other, degrading the experience for everyone. Even if a small percentage of those with internet connections change off the default channels, everyone will have better signal quality.

Once in your router's settings, look for the Wi-Fi settings menu and which channel your router is set to. You might want to change this for both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands (6GHz bands are more recent and less likely to be congested). Higher channel numbers are more likely to be less congested, but you might want to check the lower channels as well because it depends on what your neighbors have set their routers to use. Some routers will scan for less congested channels on their own, or you can download an app for your phone that will tell you which channels are more crowded and which are better to change to.

1 Upgrade your device's Wi-Fi adapter

It could be your device that's the issue

It's easy to focus on the Wi-Fi router, as that's where your internet comes from, but there's another side to every Wi-Fi connection. Depending on how long you've had your PC or laptop, the Wi-Fi adapter inside it could be several Wi-Fi generations behind. It's fairly straightforward to get a new Wi-Fi card, whether it's a PCIe one or an M.2 adapter that's designed to go in laptops or Wi-Fi-equipped motherboards. Pop in the new adapter and update the drivers. You might notice that your Wi-Fi signal issues are no longer issues. Of course, devices like TVs or phones can't upgrade their Wi-Fi like this, but if they're having connectivity issues it might be time to consider upgrading to a newer model anyway.

You don't need to buy anything to improve your home's Wi-Fi signal, but it helps

Wi-Fi routers are pretty good these days, with advanced algorithms to optimize their Wi-Fi signal. For the most part, adjusting where the signal is being broadcast from can do wonders for the overall signal strength in your home. If you find you still have issues, it's worth looking into upgrading to a mesh network or adding some extenders to get Wi-Fi to any areas of your home that are having problems.