Wireless access points can be seen in offices. The flat boxes are designed for optimal wireless signal transmission. Network functions - Internet connection (network gateway), security (firewall), and LAN management (IP assignment and routing) - are performed by other devices.
Unlike a professional environment, a router in a private home network performs all network functions, including the creation of a wireless network. This means that there are trade-offs to be made, and the weaknesses show up most in the performance of the network. Already only the location of the router in most cases is determined not by the optimal coverage, but by the installation location of the network outlet. At the same time, the connected cables do not allow the device to be placed high, which would provide optimal conditions for a wireless network.
Besides, wireless technology develop faster than others. So, in a five-year-old router, only the wireless network standard is outdated, and all other components still work quite well. In addition, fine-tuning for most functions is only available in fairly expensive routers, further tipping the scales against the new (that is, expensive) model. However, available devices that operate only in the 2.4 GHz band (for example, from a provider) can be retrofitted modern technology 5 GHz using an access point.
Using Powerline technology, the access point can provide a wireless network to another floor or another part of the house
Access points for professional wireless networks
Access points with support for the 802.11ac standard cost about 6,000 rubles, that is, no more than good repeater wireless network. With a powerful transmitter and more convenient location options, an access point can expand the coverage of a router's network or replace it entirely. Whereas previously these dedicated functional stations were only available to advanced users (because they were designed to be used as part of a complex infrastructure), today's models additionally offer a user-friendly web interface for basic configuration.
The new Netgear WAC510, which can be configured via a smartphone app, demonstrates that hotspots can be very easy to use. On the next two pages, we'll be testing this device, as well as the more affordable 802.11ac capable TP-Link EAP245 at 1300 Mbps.
The professional access point comes with a mount that allows you to install it on the ceiling, wall or cabinet Connection and operating modes
Access points can fundamentally connect to the router in different ways and work in different modes, of which we have identified four main ones.
> Replacing the wireless network of the router. The access point is connected to the router's network port (LAN) and to the power supply (for network equipment with Power over Ethernet support, a standard twisted pair cable is sufficient). The access point forms a new wireless network. Computers and other devices that connect to it receive IP addresses and access to the Internet from the router, that is, they are on its network as if they were connected to its Wi-Fi. In this case, you only need to perform a simple initial setup on the access point's web interface. If the router and access point work in the same room, it is better to turn off the wireless network completely in the first room so as not to interfere with the signal of the access point.
The Netgear WAC510 access point is designed to work in router mode, in which it itself assigns IP addresses > Expansion of the wireless network of routers. If neither the access point nor the router individually is able to spread the network throughout the apartment, it is worth trying to combine their efforts. Using a long twisted pair or Powerline adapter, place the access point where you want to optimize wireless network coverage. In this case, in the web interface of the access point, you need to specify the same wireless network name (SSID) and WPA2 password as in the router network settings, but different channels - the farther they are from each other, the better (for example, for the band 2.4 GHz channels 1 and 13).
Client devices will automatically find the strongest signal within their reach, even if you move around the rooms with them. Similar functionality is offered by devices called Powerline Wi-Fi Extenders, designed to expand coverage: they combine a Powerline adapter and a wireless transmitter. The benefits of a "true" access point, however, are larger antennas and more flexible placement options (such as ceiling or cabinet mounting), which promise better signal transmission.
In WDS mode, the WAC510 works as a wireless repeater, but first you need to configure WDS in the base router > Instead of a repeater. If it is not possible to connect the access point to the router via cable or Powerline, you can optimize the router network using the Wireless Distribution System (WDS) technology. An access point differs from a regular repeater in having larger antennas, which means that the coverage area can be expanded and the data transfer rate increased.
> Access point in router mode. Netgear WAC510 can be used as a router with which you can not only form a network, but also manage it. However, to connect to the Internet, you need an Ethernet Uplink connection - for example, using a cable modem or an LTE modem. The device is unable to establish a DSL connection on its own.
Access point with configuration appRouter, WDS repeater, or just an access point - Netgear WAC510 features multiple use cases
Feature Rich: Netgear WAC510
This hotspot is easily configured with the Netgear Insight smartphone app. Given the relatively low cost, the device becomes attractive, including for private use.
Using the Netgear Insight app for Android and iOS, initial setup of the WAC510 is easy and simple In the simplest case, the first run process is as follows. The WAC510 is connected via twisted pair to an existing router. On a tablet or smartphone connected to the wireless network of the router, the Netgear Insight application is installed, which launches the assistant window. Next, you need to open the menu "Access Point | … WiFi Discovery | Connect to WIFI … | Discover Device", click on the access point, select the country in which the device operates (this is necessary in order to determine which channels the access point can use), set the network name (SSID) and WPA2-PSK password - that's all.
Powerful web interface
After the basic settings, connect the client devices to the WAC510 wireless network. Cable devices can be connected through its optional network port. More detailed settings can be found in the WAC510 web interface. To open them, find the IP address of the access point in the router's web interface. First of all, you need to change the standard login-password "admin / password" - they are in the menu "Management | configuration | system | advanced | User Accounts.
From the additional options of the WAC510, an example is the WDS setting, which is located in the “Configuration” section. This technology allows you to combine multiple access points into a single wireless network with centralized management - detailed instructions are in the user manual. You can configure the WAC510 for use as a router through the "Configuration | system | Basic" - all configurations are completely reset there, including the name of the wireless network.
For those who wish, the Netgear web interface provides the ability to configure all the subtleties of the wireless network Hands-on testing the configuration and use of the WAC510's web interface left a good impression, although the device sometimes took a little longer to apply changes (primarily to restart) than we would like. Performance measurements using the JPerf benchmark on an HP Pro X2 tablet with an Intel AC 8265 Wi-Fi chip were a little disappointing at first, especially in the 2.4 GHz band, which is used by older smartphones, TVs and other simpler client devices. The Netgear access point achieved the highest speed, and evenly in all directions, when the client device was near and at the same level with it.
That is, the signal emission is obviously optimized for uniform coverage of the surrounding area rather than for directional action in one direction, so a network with several client devices will show good performance if these devices are well distributed in space. At the same time, Netgear's maximum performance far exceeds the capabilities of older, weaker routers and repeaters. Power consumption in standby mode is about half that of a full-fledged wireless router, and during data transfer, it almost does not increase (from 4.3 to about 4.5 watts).
Netgear WAC510 vs. TP-Link EAP245TP-Link hotspot delivers better performance, while Netgear presents more use cases with multiple features
At high speeds: TP-Link EAP245
By appearance TP-Link EAP245 resembles Netgear (and many other access points). But here, only an Uplink connection with a router (WAN) can be established through a twisted pair cable, and it is impossible to connect a client device. In addition, there is no provision for using the device as a repeater and there is no configuration application for a smartphone.
Wireless Network SpecialistTP-Link EAP245 offers fewer features than Netgear, but the wireless network of this device is more powerful and it costs less
But TP-Link costs a little less than Netgear, and in the 802.11ac standard it reaches a data transfer rate of not 866, but as much as 1300 Mbps. The configuration is easiest to do in the web interface. The IP address can be found, as with Netgear, in the router's web interface. On the first run, first set the username and strong password for the web interface. The input system works in an orderly manner, responds instantly, and the device quickly applies changes.
Attention: for TP-Link EAP245, you must first additionally enable WPA encryption for both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands The real security flaw of the device is that by default it creates two open networks (on the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands) that require separate measures to secure. To do this, on the "Wireless" tab and then "SSIDs", click on the notepad icon next to "Modify". Specify the name of the wireless network (SSID), for "Security Mode" select "WPA-PSK", for "Version" - "WPA2-PSK", enter a strong password for "Wireless Password" and confirm the changes by clicking the "OK" button at the bottom. Then, at the top of the page, switch to a network in the 5 GHz band and repeat the same.
Access points: assortment
Due to the high popularity of access points in the business segment, the range of these devices is very wide, especially from specialized network equipment suppliers such as D-Link, Lancom or Ubiquity. Such devices cost more than 10,000 rubles and offer wide functionality that is not used at home. Therefore, for testing, we chose two affordable simple models from Netgear and TP-Link.
High speed wireless network
All other default settings of the EAP245 are intuitive. Some options may be of interest for the commercial use of the device, such as a splash page with terms of use. Practical for home use is the Scheduler function, which turns the wireless network on and off according to a schedule.
EAP Controller provides centralized management of dozens of access points In terms of performance, the EAP245 impressed both with 802.11ac 5GHz and 802.11n 2.4GHz networks. Compared to Netgear, the signal strength of TP-Link is greater - the maximum speed was achieved when the logo panel was facing the client device. But with more speed resources in the use case we measured, TP-Link was faster than Netgear in every direction.
All in all, TP-Link's EAP245 is a good choice for those who need a clean access point with the highest possible performance over low price. Buying a Netgear WAC510 will justify itself in cases where, first of all, the device must be simple (with application control) or used not only as an access point, but also as a router or WDS device. One way or another, professional devices will solve almost all coverage and transmission speed problems once and for all.
Photo: manufacturing companies; CHIP Studios/Simon Kirsch
All of us from time to time face the problem of insufficient signal level of the router. The signal is unstable at some points, often disappears or does not exist at all. This is noticeable in rooms with a large area: in the country, in a private house, at a recreation center, in an apartment with more than one room. In this article, we will describe options for solving this problem.
Figure 1. WiFi coverage area of a router in a typical apartment (router next to the front door).
We produce passive and active antennas, including those for data transmission networks, WiFi. In this article, we are not so much interested in the problems of wireless access, but in ways to increase the coverage of WiFi. Note that we do not consider specific options for creating special "powerful" access points. Everything is only within the framework of the standards and norms adopted in the Russian Federation.
In our experience, the router is usually placed: next to the front door, in the corridor behind the closet, or in the switchboard. In such cases, the area of the apartment is covered by the WiFi network unevenly. Depending on the layout of the apartment, distant rooms, a kitchen, a loggia are outside the zone of sustainable coverage. (Example in Figure 1)
The same situation is true for a private house. The area of the house is usually larger, and the Internet is needed not only indoors, but also outside - at the barbecue area, pool, on the playground. Here the problem is more serious.
Figure 2. WiFi coverage area of a router in a country house
Figures 1 and 2 show examples of WiFi coverage, green indicates areas with a good network level, red - with a low level, which often does not allow you to work normally on the Internet. Please note that the WiFi signal, being a radio wave, spreads better in free space, so the walls and other partitions in the room will weaken it and, as a result, reduce the level of the signal that has passed through them.
The problem has been identified - insufficient coverage of the WiFi network in the room. Let's see why this happens. The standard antenna of the router has pie chart directivity - radiates WiFi in all directions. Including in the direction of your neighbors, which is usually meaningless and unnecessary. At the same time, the self-gain of the antenna is relatively small, as a result of which, such an antenna has insufficient efficiency. As a result, the coverage area of the WiFi signal is small.
Figure 3. Radiation pattern of the standard router antenna (f = 2.45 GHz)
Figure 3 shows the radiation pattern of the external antenna of a standard router, calculated in a physical simulator. A dipole is used as an antenna.
How to improve WiFi coverage
The first thing that comes to mind is to replace the router with another one. Buy a device with a more powerful external antenna or with multiple antennas. If you have an outdated router model, then it's worth a try. Be prepared that this will require additional costs, and a positive result is not at all guaranteed. Most likely, the picture will improve, but the problem will not be eliminated (Fig. 4-5).
Figure 4. Router with two external antennas.
Figure 5. Router with three external antennas.
The next way is to use an active WiFi repeater, it is also called a WiFi repeater. This device is just designed to increase the range of the WiFi network. great way, often allowing to solve the problem at the root. But it also has disadvantages:
- prices from one and a half thousand rubles and more;
- the need for customization;
— limited area of use.
And that's not all: the repeater will again receive a signal from all sides and radiate around. That is, if we have an “uncovered” corner of the apartment far away, then two or even three repeaters will be required. It would be great to concentrate the signal in a given direction, but it will not work - the built-in repeater antennas have a circular diagram. We have not seen repeaters with a socket for an external antenna.
It is worth mentioning another feature of the WiFi repeater - the presence of 220V mains power. Not all people are ready to leave some devices connected to the network when leaving the house. And turning it on and off every time is an amateur activity. In addition, for a house or a summer house, the decision is complicated by the fact that between the house and, say, a barbecue area, there is most often no power supply, and repeaters are often not designed for outdoor use.
Figure 6. How the WiFi repeater works
The next solution is to use an external directional antenna. The simplest thing is to unscrew the standard antenna from the router and connect a directional one that will focus the entire signal in the right direction. There are a lot of antennas of this kind, but we will focus on the developments of our enterprise.
The first solution is the WiFi Extender antenna (Figure 7):
Figure 7. WiFi Extender Antenna
This is indoor antenna type "wave channel" in a radio-transparent plastic case. Antenna gain 10 dBi.
The second option is more complex and effective - a panel antenna. In our case, BAS-2301 WiFi (Figures 8-9). Inside the radio-transparent sealed case is a patch antenna. Gain not less than 12.5 dBi.
Figure 8. BAS 2301 WiFi Antenna
Figure 9. Antenna pattern BAS 2301 WiFi (f=2.45 GHz)
The third option is a wave channel antenna for the WiFi range (2400-2500 MHz). In the REMO version, this is the BERKUT WiFi antenna (Figure 10). There are already 19 elements (6 of them are placed in a box, on printed circuit board), the maximum directional gain is 15 dBi.
Figure 10. Antenna Berkut WiFi
All the methods mentioned above, most often, will solve the problem. In the right place, WiFi will appear, and with an excellent signal level. But there are some nuances here:
- The price of the issue. These antennas are cheaper than a repeater, but their price is over 1000 rubles.
- Mounting. All such antennas require installation. You need to mount the bracket. If you live in a rented apartment, then get permission from the owner to secure this structure. Also, this may cause some inconvenience if you do not have the opportunity to mount the bracket on the wall yourself. I think the reader understands that it is not always possible to fix the bracket due to various reasons, even despite the simplicity of this procedure.
- Accommodation. If in the variant of a house or a dacha it is possible to install an antenna outdoors by stretching only a cable inward, then this is an inapplicable option for an apartment.
Another limitation on the use of such antennas is that not all routers have an antenna connector for connecting external antennas. Medium and budget segment- these are often non-detachable antennas and, as a result, the above solutions are not suitable for such routers by definition.
Therefore, remote antennas are good decision, but not applicable in all cases. What else can you increase the coverage of a WiFi network?
We have been asking this question for a long time. What would you think of that would be applicable in almost all cases, effective, inexpensive and simple?
The reader may be familiar with our popular Connect 2.0 modem product or older versions.
The principle of operation is simple - using the device's own internal antenna (modem) as an active element of the antenna system. So, in a simplified way, you can imagine the whole series of “Internet signal amplifiers”.
We thought - is it possible to apply the same principle in a WiFi router with an external antenna?
Figure 11 Connect 2.0 Antenna
Development of an antenna attachment for a router (WiFi Ladder)
So, we have a router with an external antenna (important: we do not consider routers with a built-in antenna). The question arises: how to use this own antenna as an active element (vibrator) of the antenna system? Our goal is to give directional properties to the external antenna of the router, which will entail an increase in the range of transmission and reception of the WiFi signal in a given direction. The first thing that comes to mind is the "wave channel" type antenna, also known as "UDA-YAGI" (after the names of its inventors from Japan). This is a simple and at the same time effective design of the antenna, which has proven itself all over the world.So the idea was born and it had to be translated into a design. The developers were faced with the task of calculating a multi-element wave channel for the 2.4-2.5 GHz range, into which it would be possible to “introduce” a standard router antenna. During the simulation, it was decided that the best option would be a 7-element "wave channel". With quite compact dimensions of the structure, we have obtained an antenna system, the amplification of which allows us to solve the tasks. The dimensions of the directors and the distances between them were optimized in the physical model, we consider them to be the best for solving the problem (Fig. 12).
Figure 12. "Stuffing" antenna BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder
The next step was the development of the antenna mount design. After monitoring the router market, we decided to place the "wave channel" on the external antenna of the router, using it as a carrier element (Fig. 13). We are faced with the fact that routers have antennas of different diameters, and sometimes their shape is far from cylindrical or conical. For example, a "flattened" external antenna is very popular. For this reason, the designers have developed a universal clamp that allows you to mount the product on almost any external router antenna. In some cases, this will not be the most rigid mount, but we want to note that the antenna is usually installed indoors and only once, so third-party physical impacts on it will be minimal.
Figure 13. BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder Antenna Attached to the Router's External Antenna
A number of tests were carried out, during which the "shaded" areas of the room became covered by WiFi, and with a decent level (Fig. 14). The green color in the figure highlights the area with a good WiFi signal level.
Figure 14. WiFi coverage area of a router with an antenna attachment
BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder in a typical apartment
Below is the radiation pattern of the developed antenna, which is fixed on the external antenna of a typical router (Fig. 15).
Figure 15. Directional pattern of the external antenna of the router with the BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder attachment
The router antenna acquired directional properties and, as a result, gain in direction, resulting in an increase in the range of WiFi signal transmission in a given direction. Red in Fig. 15 shows the maximum radiation of the antenna - the direction in which the coverage area of \u200b\u200bthe WiFi network will increase.
In the course of development, the working name “ladder” was firmly attached to the antenna, therefore, without thinking twice, we decided to call this product that way, translating only into English, taking into account our export practice: “BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder”.
One more question cannot be ignored: in what place on the external antenna should the product be fixed?
Having studied the designs of external antennas of different routers, we came to the conclusion that inside the plastic case, the antennas are not always located as we expect (Figure 16).
Figure 16. "Inside" one of the external antennas of the router.
As can be seen from Figure 16, the antenna is located not along the entire length of the plastic housing, but only in its lower part.
Most often, the antenna structure is located in the lower or middle part of the plastic housing. That is why the user needs to find the optimal place in height for mounting on an external antenna (Fig. 17). It happens that the user forgets or ignores this important setting item and does not get the expected result, so we remind you once again that height adjustment is important and mandatory!
Figure 17. BAS-2002 WiFi Ladder antenna height adjustment
The antenna operates in IEEE802.11 b/g/n networks using 2.4..2.5 GHz frequencies.
As we said earlier, there are routers with multiple external antennas. In this case, you can use the attachment antenna for all antennas or only one or two. Depends on tasks. You can create maximum gain in one direction, then all antennas will be "pointed in the same direction" and their gain will add up (Fig. 18).
Figure 18
It is possible to strengthen WiFi in different directions, i.e. expand the scope:
Figure 19
It is worth mentioning the programs that will help to adjust the direction of such antennas (not only WFi LADDER).
To start briefly about this device:
Two operating modes:
Gain wireless signal;
Access point.
Connection speed up to 300 Mbps;
Supports the most popular 802.11b/g/n wireless standards;
2 detachable 4dBi omnidirectional antennas (RP-SMA).
Given network hardware will be optimally combined with a router with a connection speed of up to 300 Mbps, for example Asus RT-N12 , Asus RT-N14U , Netgear JNR3210 , Zyxel Keenetic Omni , Zyxel Keenetic Lite 2 , TP Link TL-MR3420 , TP Link WR841ND and others.
TP-Link TL-WA830RE, as I wrote earlier, supports two modes, wireless signal amplification and access point, I propose to figure out how they differ.
Wireless signal boost implies a connection to the main router via Wi-Fi, i.e. The router and access point are connected only by air, their wired connection is not required. Plus this method obvious, you do not need to connect two devices using a network cable, the minus is that TP-Link TL-WA830RE will work in this mode only in the zone of a confident Wi-Fi reception main router.
Access point mode provides for connecting the main router and TP-Link TL-WA830RE with a network cable. The advantage of this method is that the access point is not tied to the range of the main router, minus - you need to pull the cable to connect (or you can use the technology HomePlug AV).
Update TP-Link TL-WA830RE Firmware.
Before you start using TP-Link TL-WA830RE, I suggest updating the firmware on it, in the future this can save you from unnecessary problems and failures. To do this, on a computer / laptop, configure automatic retrieval of network settings. After that, connect the network cable (it is included) TP-Link WA830RE and your computer / laptop. Open any browser (Chrome, Opera, Mazzilla, IE) and enter tplinkextender.net or IP address 192.168.0.254 in the address bar. If required, enter the login - admin, password - admin. When prompted to perform a quick setup, refuse and click "Exit".
In the Status menu, look at the version software, then go to tp-link website and check if there is a newer firmware there.
Attention!!! When downloading the firmware, consider the version of the equipment used; it must match the firmware version, i.e. if you have v2 then you need to download the firmware for v2.
Unzip the downloaded file. After that, on the TP-Link TL-WA830RE web interface, go to the "System Tools" - "Firmware Upgrade" menu, click the "Select File" button on the right and specify the path to the unzipped folder with the firmware file (*.bin). After that, click the "Upgrade" button.
Confirm the firmware change and reboot TP-Link.
After loading the router in the Status menu in the Firmware Version line, you should see the latest firmware version.
Wi-Fi expansion with TP-Link TL-WA830RE.
There are two ways to expand the Wi-Fi coverage area using TP-Link TL-WA830RE:
1) Use WPS technology;
2) Via the TP-Link TL-WA830RE web interface.
The first way is the easiest, I suggest starting with it. Place the main router and TP-Link TL-WA830RE next to each other or in line of sight. Next, you need to do two simple steps:
1) Press the WPS button on the main router;
2) Within a minute, press the Range Extender button on the TP-Link WA830RE.
After a few seconds, the devices will "see" each other and connect. On this setting can be considered finished. Now you can move TP-Link TL-WA830RE to the right place and connect it to power.
If for some reason the first method does not suit you (there is no WPS button on the router or religion does not allow), connect TP-Link TL-WA830RE to a computer / laptop using a network cable, go to the access point web interface, for this in any of the browsers in the address bar enter tplinkextender.net or IP address 192.168.0.254. Next, select the Quck Setup menu if it does not automatically start. Click the "Next" button.
After that, in the Operation Mode field, select Range Extender, and the Region field - Russia and click the "Next" button.
After that, you will be prompted to enter the password for the connected Wi-Fi network. Then click "Next".
After that, check all the settings and click the "Finish" button.
Confirm device restart.
After rebooting TP-Link WA830RE, its IP address will change and you will not be able to access the web interface using the old IP address. In principle, this does not need to be done, but if you have any problems and need to get to the web interface, first connect to the web interface of the router. Find out what IP address the TP-Link WA830RE has, for example, where it can be found on the TP-Link 3420 router.
After that, enter this IP address into the browser line and you will be taken to the TP-Link WA830RE web interface (default login is admin, password is admin).
Setting up an access point on TP-Link WA830RE.
The second mode supported by TP-Link WA830RE is an access point. To configure this method, you need on a computer / laptop configure getting network settings automatically, then connect TP-Link WA830RE to a computer/laptop using a network cable. Open any browser (Chrome, Opera, Mazzilla, IE) and enter 192.168.0.254 in the address bar. Enter login - admin, password - admin, if required. Once in the web interface of the router, run Quick Setup if it does not start automatically. Click the "Next" button.
In the next window, in the Operation Mode field, select Access Point, in the Region line, select Russia and click "Next".
After that, check the entered data and confirm it by pressing the "Finish" button.
Now you can connect TP-Link WA830RE to network cable coming from the router.
Overview, firmware update and configuration of TP-Link WA830RE.
Many users are interested in the question - how far the wireless network signal is transmitted and what is the WiFi coverage area of \u200b\u200bthe home router.
For example, consider the most common standard wireless communication, used on most modern routers - 802.11n or the so-called Wireless N150 or N300. Here 150 and 300 are theoretically the maximum achievable data transfer rate that your adapter will never develop =). For this standard, such a coverage area was announced - up to 100 meters indoors and up to 300 meters in open space. In this case, the range will be 50 and 150 meters, respectively. Unfortunately, these are also not real numbers and, as practice has shown, in real life they are much less. Then the question arises - how to determine the coverage area?
The only sure way is just to pick up a laptop, tablet or smartphone and go around the apartment, house or plot and empirically find the boundaries of the signal coverage area.
What affects the Wi-Fi coverage area?!
1 - location of the router or access point
Yes, it is the location of the transmitter in the apartment that is largely responsible for the coverage area of the wireless network. Do not forget that its radiation is omnidirectional, which means that the signal propagates equally in all directions and resembles a circle in shape. That is why it is necessary to have an access point approximately in the center of your home.
Putting the router in the farthest room - do not be surprised that the signal will cut off at best somewhere in the middle of the apartment.
2 - the materials from which the walls and ceilings are made
Radio waves really do not like reinforced concrete structures, claydite and drywall. More than once I have come across the fact that in an apartment finished with drywall, the coverage radius of Wi-Fi is much less.
Here is a table with WiFi signal attenuation in various finishing materials and decorative elements:
| Material | Change in signal level, dB | |
| 2.4GHz | 5GHz | |
| Plexiglas 7.1 mm | -0,36 | -0,93 |
| Plexiglas 2.5 mm | -0,01 | -0,2 |
| Blinds closed | -0,002 | 0,002 |
| Blinds open | 0,01 | 0,03 |
| Red brick dry | -4,44 | -14,62 |
| Red brick wet | -4,51 | -14,6 |
| Carpet | -0,03 | -0,01 |
| Carpet inside out | -0,04 | -0,03 |
| Ceiling tiles | -0,09 | -0,18 |
| Textile | 0,02 | 0,01 |
| fiberglass | -0,02 | -0,03 |
| Glass | -0,5 | -1,69 |
| Drywall 12.8 mm | -0,49 | -0,52 |
| Drywall 9 mm | -0,51 | -0,85 |
| Linoleum | -0,02 | -0,13 |
| Linoleum inside out | -0,02 | -0,12 |
| Spruce boards | -2,79 | -6,13 |
| Chipboard | -1,65 | -1,95 |
| Plywood | -1,91 | -1,83 |
| Plaster | -14,86 | -13,24 |
| Plaster on the reverse side | -14,58 | -13,91 |
| Tile | -2,22 | -1,42 |
| Ruberoid | -0,1 | -0,13 |
| Dry cinder block | -6,71 | -10,33 |
| Wet cinder block | -7,35 | -12,38 |
| metal grate | -20,99 | -13,17 |
| wire mesh | -1,21 | -0,34 |
3 - presence of interfering devices
Once my friend suffered for a long time and could not understand why reception in one of the rooms was very poor, even if the router was installed in it, while in other rooms everything worked perfectly. As it turned out, the source of the problems was a neighbor radio amateur, who stretched a radio antenna along the entire wall, which gave strong interference.
Microwave ovens, electric motors, large-screen TVs hanging on half the wall, etc. can also have a strong influence.
4 - the neighbors have wireless networks
If you are connected to your home Wi-Fi in the list available networks like this picture:
Then do not be surprised by the low speed or poor reception. The fact is that only 11 to 13 radio channels are used for Wi-Fi, depending on the country. If at least half of them are already occupied by "neighbors", then they will already interfere with each other and create interference. But in apartment buildings this is a common picture. There is only one way out in this case - switching to equipment operating in the 5GHz band.
5 - characteristics of the equipment used
Yes, the Wi-Fi coverage area also largely depends on your router. Specifically, it depends on the power of the transmitter and the antennas used. And if in terms of power all home devices are approximately equal, then with antennas everything is much more interesting. The simplest and cheapest models like D-Link DIR-300 or DIR-615 use the weakest antennas with a gain of 2dBi. At the same time, there is no difference - they are external or internal - the signal transmission quality will still not be very good. As practice shows, more or less normally, such a router can cover a one-room apartment. For larger areas, it is better to buy routers with antennas of at least 5dBi.
It should also be taken into account that if the router is labeled Wireless N150, then it uses one antenna and its signal coverage will be worse than that of the Wireless N300 - there are already 2 antennas operating in MIMO mode.
How to increase the range of a WiFi network
There are several ways to improve the quality of work and expand the coverage of your wireless network. The use of one or the other of them strictly depends on the situation. In some cases, you will have to combine several methods.
— Using more powerful or directional antennas
If the antennas on your home router are removable, then replacing weak 2-3dBi antennas with more powerful 5-8dBi ones can significantly improve the quality and expand signal coverage in some cases up to 1.5-2 times. And with the help of directional antennas, you can transmit a signal over longer distances in a certain direction.
— Installing the Wireless Repeater. If special devices are WiFi repeaters or repeaters that connect to an existing network and expand it by using their antennas. If there is poor reception in one of the rooms in the apartment, put a repeater there and forget about the problem!
By the way, many modern routers support WDS technology, which means they can be used as repeaters if necessary.
— Transition to the 5GHz band.
As I noted above, this output will be optimal for those who suffer from many neighboring Wi-Fis. Replacing the equipment with a new one, operating at a frequency of 5GHz, as a rule, completely solves such problems. Firstly, few people still use it, and secondly, there are much more radio channels available for work.
There is another way to expand the radius of WiFi coverage when it is necessary that this network is available after 100-150 meters, and it is not possible to install a directional antenna .. In this case, you can simply throw a twisted pair cable to the desired point and connect another router with the same name network SSID and password.
Repeatedly I met questions, the essence of which was whether it was possible to somehow increase the signal strength of the wireless network by changing the settings of the router. Usually those who are just installing and configuring the router are interested in this. Especially when they discover that Wi-Fi only catches in certain parts of the apartment / house.
Sometimes it happens. For example, my router (model TP-Link TL-WR841N) holds the network, in principle, but it is unstable in one of the three rooms of the apartment. The computer and laptop still somehow find it, but the phone (and I have it in a metal case) does not succeed.
You should think about the coverage area at the stage of buying a router. Take into account the number of rooms in your home and the thickness of the walls.
Increasing Wi-Fi Power
Unfortunately, there are no specific, special settings with which the signal strength would be regulated. At least, I am not aware of such a possibility. The optimal settings on routers are set by default.If it so happens that you have already purchased a router and installed a router, and the signal strength is unsatisfactory or in some areas it is completely absent, you can, of course, experiment with the settings, if nothing works, then you will probably have to buy an additional antenna or repeater.
As for experimenting with the settings, you can change the channel and its width. Sometimes the coverage area from such manipulation increases slightly. Even the speed of the Internet can change from a channel change (we talked about this in one of our previous publications).
Don't forget to save all settings and reboot your router for the changes to take effect.
Antennas and repeaters
If you did not get any positive result from changing the settings, your router will have to purchase a new, more powerful antenna. In this case, I can advise you TL-ANT2408CL, TL-ANT2405CL. If you have a router Asus, then it is better to take accessories from Asus.
In very advanced situations, another option is to buy a special device called repeater. These are such wireless signal amplifiers. For example TL-WA854RE.
You turn on this device in a room where your Wi-Fi signal is still there, but not very strong. And the repeater amplifies the signal, thereby increasing the range of the network. Another router can be configured as a repeater if it supports this function (WDS).
Alternatively, try installing the router as close to the center of the house as possible. If possible. This will allow a more rational division of the coverage radius.