Practical tips on how to improve the Wi-Fi connection at home

Why is the Wi-Fi signal at home weak even though I have ordered fast internet? This is a fairly common question among internet users and completely understandable, since today a reliable Wi-Fi connection is essential — we use it for work, studies, entertainment and communication. On the other hand, many people still do not realise that most often the cause of a poor connection is not the internet itself but how it is used in the home environment. That is why I share a few time-tested methods that can change the strength of the Wi-Fi signal dramatically.

First, it is worth remembering — even the fastest internet does not guarantee that there will be equally good Wi-Fi coverage in every place in your home, in every room. A weak signal can depend both on the router being used and on the overall infrastructure. For example, in large houses or apartments where there are thick walls or ceilings between the router and the device, especially of reinforced concrete or brick. Although more rarely, there are still cases where the signal is disrupted by household appliances — for example, microwave ovens and the like.

The first helper can be a signal booster

If you are not satisfied with the Wi-Fi connection at home, you should by no means consider thinner walls or giving up some household appliances. The simplest and arguably easiest solution to such a problem is to use a Wi-Fi signal booster. This is a small device that plugs into an electrical outlet, receives the signal from your router and retransmits it. This way the network range is extended to places where the signal was previously weak or completely unreachable.

How to choose a good signal booster? First of all, it is worth paying attention to the number of antennas and the transmitter's power. The booster must be chosen according to the size of your home — the larger the area, the more powerful a device you will need.

An alternative to a booster is an advanced Mesh network, which allows creating a system of several access points. Unlike a simple booster, which only repeats the signal, a Mesh system ensures a smooth transition between zones, because all the points work as a single whole. This is especially useful in large or multi-storey homes, where the usual signal poorly reaches the more distant rooms.

From the Wi-Fi router itself to unused devices

If the Wi-Fi connection still causes problems, ask yourself a simple question — when did you last actually change your Wi-Fi router at all? Many people still use routers that support an older Wi-Fi 5 generation, even though far more advanced Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7 standards are already widely available on the market. In many cases, the quality of the Wi-Fi connection at home improves significantly simply by changing the router to one that supports a newer connection generation.

For example, one of the best choices at the moment is the Etanetas K572 router, which supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 technology. Among the main advantages of this model are the following:

A newer Wi-Fi connection generation and the routers that support it guarantee a faster and more stable connection across many devices at the same time (especially if there are many phones, TVs or other smart devices at home). Among other things, newer connection generation routers support a more modern and secure protection protocol — WPA3, which helps protect wireless networks from unauthorised connection. This considerably strengthens protection against cyber intrusions, which are very widespread these days and can cause serious problems.

Still, if for one reason or another you are not planning to change the router at the moment, it is worth considering other ways to improve the connection. Sometimes it is enough simply to change the broadcast channel, especially if you live in a multi-unit building — neighbours' routers often operate on the same channel and interfere with one another.

Another practical tip — turn off unused devices connected to the Wi-Fi. They load the network and can cause disruptions. Also — it is advisable to place the router in a central location of the home, as far as possible from obstacles, so that the signal reaches all corners evenly.

If a device, for example a television or a desktop computer, is in one place and not used while moving — it is worth using a LAN cable. This will not only reduce the wireless network load but also ensure maximum connection quality and stability.

How to find out whether your signal is really weak?

If you are unsure whether one place or another in the home really has weak Wi-Fi? Its strength is not difficult to check. If you use a smartphone, connect to your Wi-Fi network, go to settings and select the active network. Many devices show the signal strength or at least an assessment of its quality.

To determine the strength, you can also evaluate it precisely using external apps. Recommended apps:

These apps allow you to see the signal strength in dBm (decibels relative to a milliwatt). The closer the result is to zero, the better the signal. For example, –30 dBm — excellent quality, –50 to –60 dBm — good, –70 dBm — already weak, –80 dBm and below — a frequently dropping connection.

In addition, some of these apps allow you to create a visual signal distribution map, which clearly shows where the signal is strong and where it is weak. This is very useful when adjusting the position of devices or the router.

A weak Wi-Fi signal at home is often not related to the internet plan itself — the causes lie in the equipment, the layout or the network load. By upgrading the router in time, choosing a suitable signal booster or Mesh network, performing a few simple steps and using tools for measuring the signal, connection quality can be significantly improved without large investments.