Nowadays, modems and routers have become expensive, and their signal strength serves up to 10 meters. For this reason, a reliable wifi connection has emerged as a household necessity among mobile devices and smartphone users. Cheap methods have been invented, including how to boost wifi signal with aluminum foil.
A steady wifi connection makes things easier for you, primarily if you work or study from home. Additionally, you need to know how to boost cell signals at home for free if you decide to boost your signal without incurring too much cost for a single router or modem. There are some ways to improve wireless connectivity to achieve the most out of your wifi connection, be available constantly and everywhere.
Boosting wifi signals using aluminum foil can be done in several ways, but this guideline looks at the easiest method. If you encounter a dead wifi zone in a vital area of your home, there are various remedies to this problem. To improve the signals, you can purchase a more robust router or a wifi extender.
Unfortunately, you need to spend some money with these options since a quality router and extender can go up to hundreds of dollars. Thus, there are some traditional ways to boost the wifi signal, as explained in this article.
What Causes Poor wifi Signal
The environment in which your router works determines your wifi signal strength. A router is responsible for transmitting your wifi signal, and the signals are only as good as their environment. However, the signal isn’t vital if the router runs on any interference.
Interference may come from physical elements in your home like walls and doors or other electronic signals emitted from devices such as microwaves and wireless phones. Therefore, one of the best moves you can make for your cellular signal performance is learning how Cell Phone Signal Boosters Work. You must place your router out in the open away from any obstacles.
On the other hand, running many devices on the internet at once while streaming, playing games online, along downloading a series/movies puts a strain on your overall internet speeds. Such activities and devices consume a large amount of your wifi bandwidth, which causes poor signal strength.
So, if you’re finding how to boost wifi speeds and performance for a particular online activity, you don’t require other internet-intensive tasks running simultaneously. In this case, you can make an effort to disable those other tasks. You can also talk with other users and request them to pause their online activities a bit to perceive an increased wifi signal strength.
How To boost wifi signal with Aluminum Foil
You make the following materials to make this ingenious method of boosting wifi signal a success:
- Glue/tape
- Aluminum foil
- A small box
However, after assembling the material, you can follow the below procedure:
1st Step
Stick the aluminum foil into the top of your box. Notably, the size of the box should equal the size of the router. You can use the box the router got shipped with perfect or make your own box with cardboard or carton. Then, ensure that the foil spreads on all the surfaces. You can utilize tape or glue to stick it in place.
2nd Step
Place the box on the surface of the antenna such that the antenna end lines with the box corner. You can get this by piercing a small hole the antenna passes. It will help if you cover the antenna using the box on all sides, bar one, which is the open side of the box.
However, most routers contain two antennas broadcasting the signals; thus, your box should be wide enough to cover both antennas. If your router is different and lacks antennas, the block should cover the router.
3rd Step
If you are utilizing an aluminum can, you’ll need first to wash the can, then slice the top and bottom off with a strong pair of scissors, knife, or hacksaw, if available. Cut near the top and bottom to have enough aluminum material to work with.
Construct a vertical cut with the hollow cylindrical can to get a flat sheet. Then, put this sheet behind the router or antennas to improve your wifi signal. You can utilize tape to hold the aluminum sheet or foil in place at the back of the router’s antennas.
4th Step
Finally, the aluminum material will amplify the range and strength of the wifi signal in the open direction. And the results are increased internet connection speeds. However, the area at the back of the box will not receive the same signal. Luckily, the box is easily removable so that you can place it at any place.
Other Ways to Boost Wifi Signals
- Buying the best cell phone booster for rural areas can increase your wireless network’s range and strength. Besides, there is no need for any wiring; hence you can improve the wifi signal this way.
- Change the broadcasting channel on your router. Based on the model, your router can broadcast through different channels. You can switch the channel and see if you will boost the wifi signal.
- Upgrade the firmware or drivers of the network adapter on your laptop and your router to the latest version to see if the latest firmware fixes some issue which may, consequently, boost your wifi signal.
How Does Aluminum Foil Work in Boosting Wifi Signal
Wifi signals usually transmit via radio waves, and many other home items use radio waves, same case with the router. However, according to researchers at Dartmouth College, aluminum foils and cans contain a shiny side that acts as a reflector. This phenomenon can reflect radio waves and help them travel a greater distance.
The study aimed at making wifi signals more potent in-home devices, including routers and extenders, to boost their strength. Knowing What Is a Signal Booster helps home users remedy any blind spots they may encounter. Improved signals result in better gaming, timely replies to your email, and comfortable streaming your favorite social media channels anywhere.
Most importantly, aluminum foil works by blocking the signal from traveling in one direction and concentrating it in the other direction. The signals get improved and extended in the process, and you experience faster internet speed. This method is economical as it doesn’t cost you anything, and you can potentially make your wireless router perform better with the use of aluminum foil or can.
How To Improve Your wifi Signal Connection
i) Identify the Perfect Spot
One of the instant changes to increase wireless network speed is by adjusting the location or position of your router. You need to set it up in a location to optimize its effectiveness. Consider mounting it up near the center of your house, off the floor. Ideally, you can fix it on a wall mount or high shelf. Besides, radio waves transmit best downwards, in lateral position.
Also, ensure that it’s positioned as far as possible from your neighbors’ wifi router to avoid interference. Locate not the router anywhere close to the cordless phones and microwave ovens since they operate using the same frequency.
Remember, walls and large objects can also interfere with wireless signals, so consider this element when ensuring that your router is located where it could offer the best coverage possible.
ii) Adjust your wifi Router’s Settings
You’ll probably find many networks listed on your computer or smartphone wifi network settings, including yours. These networks are fighting for airwave space with your network, making your wifi signal slow down. You can improve the signal by switching to another channel, downloading the wifi Analyzer tool from the Windows Store, and installing it onto your laptop.
Additionally, this tool helps you improve your router’s signal settings by finding the interferences caused by overlapping signals operating on the same channel. The App also lets you know how and when to change the channel. Learn how does an internet booster works if you are struggling with a weak wireless signal and range.
iii) Get a wifi Repeater
A wireless repeater increases your coverage without the need for more wires. To receive an instant boost, position your repeater between your router and your computer. Perhaps, a repeater functions the same way as a router, but instead of building a signal, it improves the existing signal. This device doesn’t require additional wires or connections and is easy to install.
iv) Limit MAC addresses
Media Access Control (MAC) is a unique identifier for networked devices such as phones, laptops, repeaters. You can access it to limit the number of devices that connect to your wireless network. For instance, you can configure it so that all the computers in your home only get allowed to access and connect to your wifi.
Bottom line
WIFI is becoming a significant investment in homes, offices, or rentals as everything is almost dependent on the internet. However, if you encounter a dead spot, there is an economical way you can get solid and stable wifi connectivity. Using aluminum foil improves your wifi signal reception, gives a good wifi signal, and doesn’t give you a headache in accessing the internet.
