I know because I do, and it was, but now it isn’t.
The important thing is to build up a complete picture based on data, not guesswork.
Is it worth the effort?
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
Without this knowledge, any changes I made would have been shots in the dark.
The initial location of your Wi-Fi router is rarely, if ever, the optimal position for whole-house coverage.
This is particularly true if it is still where the broadband carrier engineer first installed it.
Their job is to connect your home to the internet, not optimize your Wi-Fi coverage.
That meant more than half of the potential coverage area was being completely wasted.
Moving it almost anywhere else would have improved coverage.
The30ft of coaxial cablepre-fitted with male and female connectors I used when moving my router cost around $15.
Is It Worth the Effort?
Yes, and it might be the only thing you should probably do to improve Wi-Fi coverage.
It also makes sense even if you plan to buy a new router at a later date.
The best place for your existing router will also be the best place for the next one you buy.
That included updating the firmware and buying some better antennae to replace the feeble ones it came with.
This alternative wireless router firmware was originally developed for Linksys routers but now works with many different models.
Optimizing your router hardware and software can be a relatively quick way to improve general performance.
However, coverage improvements are likely to be minimal if the core problem is due to external factors.
Can You Add Nodes to Create a Mesh?
Typically, you’re able to’t add nodes to a standard Wi-Fi router to create a mesh internet.
A good example is theLinksys Hydra Pro 6 router.
A quick Google search should tell you if your existing router is mesh-compatible.
Potential coverage gains can easily be squandered by not optimizing node placement.
Checking if adding a node or two is an option is undoubtedly worth the effort.
My router wasn’t mesh-ready, but it only took a few minutes to find that out.
If yours is, it could be a relatively cheap and easy way to vastly improve data pipe coverage.
Just don’t expect the router’s overall range to be magically doubled by plugging in a budget extender.
Maybe, if you live in a single-story home and only need to extend coverage to one area.
A new Wi-Fi router can be expensive, particularly when looking for one that promises to improve coverage.
