How to Boost WiFi Signal from AT&T Router

The most reliable and cost-effective ways to boost wifi signal from AT&T router are installing a signal booster, optimizing your router location, and updating your router’s firmware.

AT&T is a high-speed internet service provider that offers many services to Americans. Starting from live TV to entertainment apps to on-demand selections, you name it! However, that is not where it ends from the ISP. They are offering a lot more new features as well the latest equipment. One such piece of equipment is the Wi-Fi router for the internet services customer. The main focus is on how to boost wifi signal from AT&T router. You will learn this shortly.

Personal computers, smartphones, game consoles, laptops, tablets, and smart TVs utilize Wi-Fi technology. Having multiple devices sharing your AT&T Wi-Fi network, the Wi-Fi speeds might appear to slow down. Wired connections offer excellent internet speeds, but they aren’t always suitable when everybody needs internet access at the office or home. In that order, the article will discuss some tips to improve your home or office Wi-Fi speeds.

Are you struggling with poor wireless signals and range? Luckily, you are not alone. Notwithstanding the steadily increasing range of AT&T routers, many things can limit the range and strength of your AT&T Wi-Fi network. This article will discuss the obstacles and the simple solutions you can consider. Many of these solutions will cost you nothing like the best ways to boost cell signals at home for free.

What is an AT&T Wi-Fi router, and how does it work

 An AT&T Wi-Fi router is an electronic device that communicates between the AT&T internet and home devices connected to the internet. As its name entails, it “routes” traffic between your devices and the internet.

An AT&T Wi-Fi router is a crucial part of your home’s or office’s internet network. With a suitable type of router, AT&T customers can enjoy faster internet speeds and help protect their households from cyber threats and hackers. The vital significance of the router is to avoid those frustrating Wi-Fi dead spots.

But how does an AT&T Wi-Fi router work? A typical office or home has many internet-connected devices like PCs, laptops, tablets, game consoles, printers, smart TVs, smartphones, and more. Cheers to your AT&T Wi-Fi router, these all devices in your home or office form a network. Your AT&T router directs arriving and leaving internet traffic on the network in the fastest and most competent way.

The information moving on this home network can be a movie, an email, a movie, or a WhatsApp message or video, each of which takes up variable amounts of bandwidth. Ensuring that information is delivered faster and effectively is not a small task. As you include more and more devices in your home network, you are continuously asking the AT&T Wi-Fi router to do more.

How does an AT&T Wi-Fi router differ from a WiFi gateway

boost wifi signal from at&t router

As stated earlier, a Wi-Fi router is a device that broadcasts a WiFi signal out to your devices in your home or office. It usually connects to a modem to connect to your ISP, in this case, AT&T. On the other hand, Wi-Fi gateways offer the functions of modems and Wi-Fi routers in a single gadget.

Why do you have a weak Wi-Fi signal from an AT&T router

Before trying to solve any issues with weak signals from your AT&T router, it is essential to understand what causes the signals to be weak. The causes include;

i) Wireless interference

Household wireless devices and appliances like microwaves, certain bulbs, Walkie-talkies, and more can impact the WiFi signal strength. Since most home appliances work with a 2.4GHz frequency, the same as that of a wireless channel, interference can impact the network connectivity.

ii) Weaker router

The other apparent reason you may have weak signals is a weaker router. Some routers are designed from small floor spaces, and if you use them in ample floor spaces, you may end up with WiFi dead spots.

iii) Too many devices connected to the router

In some cases, issues don’t lie with AT&T WiFi routers but the number of devices within the network connection. In modest words, if there is too much traffic with your wireless network, it can slow down the Wi-Fi signal speeds.

iv) Opening many apps on your devices

If you are using too many apps using the internet bandwidth, it can result in weak WiFi signals.

v) Older Wi-Fi router

The older Wi-Fi routers are designed with old WiFi technology, which cannot reach optimal wireless speeds.

How to boost wifi signal from at&t router

In the long run, it could prove challenging to find out the precise cause of your poor Wi-Fi network strength or range from an AT&T router. The article suggests you try each of the below steps before opting to purchase a new Wi-Fi router.

1) Optimize your Wi-Fi router location and position

Depending on your home or office design and construction, your AT&T Wi-Fi router may not reach some areas in your house or room. The article suggests the following to receive the best possible Wi-Fi signal;

  • Place the router in a central, upright, on a raised surface, such as a table or shelf.
  • Ensure the router’s front is unobstructed and faces the location where most devices will be in use.
  • Keep the router at least ten feet from the electromagnetic waves devices like microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Bluetooth devices.
  • Keep the router away from moisture, metallic objects, heat sources, extreme cold, and moisture.

However, even an optimal Wi-Fi router’s location may not provide a robust enough Wi-Fi signal to some parts of your office and home. The best solution to this problem is to install a Wi-Fi extender. You can find out how do Wi-Fi extenders work in our past article.

Wi-Fi extenders are easy to install. You can purchase them at electronics stores or online accessory stores like Amazon, eBay, AT&T, and Walmart. The most common Wi-Fi extenders are those from Netgear.

Netgear devices almost work with all Wi-Fi routers because of their universality. Find out how Netgear Wi-Fi extenders work to boost the Wi-Fi signal from an AT&T router.

2) Minimize the number of Wi-Fi connected devices

It is not a surprise to find more than ten devices connected to a Wi-Fi router in most homes. Connecting many Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the network can create overcrowding and slow the internet down. The article suggests the following;

  • Turn off devices that you are not using as many background running apps consume the network bandwidth.
  • Connect smart TVs, laptops, and PCs directly to the router. Direct connections receive faster internet signals and free up Wi-Fi network bandwidth.

3) Broadcast in single-mode

It is worth noting that International Wi-Fi standards are well-known as 802.11b/g/n/ac. AT&T routers are designed to broadcast in all modes the router supports. For instance: b/g or b/g/n. The devices in your office or home communicate with your Wi-Fi router in a designed mode.

Therefore, if your home devices accept n mode signals, you will improve your Wi-Fi network performance by setting your router Wi-Fi Radio to n mode only.

4) Update your devices’ firmware and drives

Ensure your devices and network adapter operate on the newest software updates and drivers to enhance your Wi-Fi signals. You can confirm if you have the latest drivers by visiting your network card or Wi-Fi-enabled device manufacturer’s website and looking for a Driver link.

5) Invest in a signal booster

At times, you need a signal booster, which is designed to increase your Wi-Fi signal strength by relaying it through another Wi-Fi-enabled device. Also known as Wi-Fi repeaters, you can use these gadgets to extend the weak Wi-Fi signal range and strength. Find out the best cell phone signal boosters for rural areas for more information.

6) Enhance security on your Wi-Fi router

Upholding security on your Wi-Fi router helps keep your home network and information secure from outside users. You can do this in two ways;

  • Enable Wi-Fi security to help protect the home network from strangers
  • Disable the Wi-Fi SSID display to prevent strangers from accessing your home Wi-Fi network.

7) Directly connect your stationary devices to the router

Connecting your Wi-Fi-enabled device directly to your AT&T Wi-Fi router using Ethernet cables and the ports provides the fastest internet speeds. The direct-wired connection also frees up the Wi-Fi bandwidth, thus improving Wi-Fi performance.

Some of the stationary devices you can directly connect to your router using available Ethernet ports are Smart TVs, Printers, PCs, Game consoles, and DVD players.

How to boost wifi signal through walls

If you are having issues with an indoor network, you can boost the signal from an outdoor source. If you have a garage or shed, you can try tapping into the fence or an outdoor outlet to boost the signal. If that does not help, try increasing the movement from a nearby wall outlet.

Although a wall outlet may not have the same amount of power as an outlet in an architectural landmark or in the middle of nowhere, it will have enough juice to boost the signal.

how to fix weak wifi signal

If your signal is weak or nonexistent outside, you can try cleaning the signal amplifier on your modem. A dirty modem can give off a wrong signal, affecting your Internet speed and reliability.

Cleaning the signal booster can help boost the signal strength and get Internet access from anywhere in your house. It’s similar to cleaning the indoor unit but done on a larger scale.

how to boost wifi signal on phone

If your signal is too low to connect to the Internet through your phone, you can boost it with a data plan. If you have an old phone with limited features or a budget, picking up a cheap data plan might work wonders.

If you have a smartphone or other device that doesn’t have a data plan, try boosting your signal with the data roaming feature on your phone. It’s usually found on international projects.

How to increase wifi range from router settings

If you want to boost your home’s Internet connection from an AT&T router, but you don’t want to upgrade your modem or router itself, you can increase the range setting on your modem. These days, almost all modem brands come with modem extenders that can boost your connection by 200 feet.

While this might sound like a lot of extra range, keep in mind that most devices require a clear line of sight between them and the modem to work correctly. In other words, if you have a TV or computer that’s located far away from the modem, you may have to connect them manually rather than having the extender do the work for you.

How to Connect a Power Supply to the AT&T Router?

Here are the basic instructions to connect the power supply to your AT&T router.

  • Connect the power cord to your router and plug it into an outlet.
  • Place your AT&T router on a level surface.
  • Connect the WIFI signal cable to the AT&T router and to the modem or cable box that is connected to your home network.
  • Connect the Ethernet (Ethernet) cable to the appropriate ports on your computer or other devices that are connected to your home network.
  • Use “ping” to test whether you can connect to the wifi network in your home or office.

How to increase the wifi range in-house

Hopefully, if you follow the below guideline, you can straightforwardly improve your wifi range in your home.

  • You can use a directional antenna to improve your wifi range in your house or office. A directional antenna will help you connect to the network more confidentially and improve your wifi signal.
  • You can try using a wireless repeater to extend the coverage of your current home or office wifi network. A wireless repeater will also allow you to access other networks in your area, which can be helpful if you have multiple homes or offices.
  • You can try using an ethernet device as a wifi booster to increase the range of your wifi signal. Ethernet devices are great for ensuring that you are connected no matter where you are in your house or office.
  • You can try using a home wifi extender to boost your existing home wifi network. A home wifi extender will allow you to amplify the range of your current wifi network to finally enjoy high speeds and a better wifi signal at home.
  • 5. If you have an older router, it’s possible to replace it with a new one designed specifically for use with wifi signals and routers. This is because many routers have been developed over time, so they may not be compatible with older models of wifi routers 

Bottom line

It is logical that once you’ve settled with ISP like AT&T, you’d want to ensure you enjoy a smooth online experience in all corners of your house or office. While the internet connection and the high-end router provided by AT&T may offer the anticipated speed and signal strength for all your Wi-Fi-enabled devices, the Wi-Fi coverage cannot be evenly spread out in your house.

There may be situations where you cannot load even a 0.7MB web page. Employing the tips discussed above can help you boost weak Wi-Fi signals from your router for a seamless online experience.

Paula Beaton

Paula Beaton