How to Improve the Wireless Signal in Your Home

Get Reliable Internet Connections with the Right Network Installation

There are few things more frustrating than trying to access your home Wi-Fi only to have the connection drop. Your gut instinct may be to call up your Internet Service Provider to complain about the weak signal, but actually, the odds are likely that the problem lies with your network, not the ISP. Keep reading to learn how a professional network installation can boost the Wi-Fi in your Ponte Vedra Beach, FL home so that you have internet whenever and wherever you want.

SEE ALSO: 5 Home Networking Features Every Smart Home Should Have

Step One: Assess Your Home

A cookie cutter network installation may not be the right fit for your property. The density of walls, location of appliances, and layout of your home can all affect what type of networking equipment you need and where you place each device. There are a lot of factors that go into this assessment so unless you have previous experience with home networking, we recommend that you bring in a networking professional to assess your home and design the right system.

Step Two: Choose the Right Equipment

The standard router that you get off the shelf at your local electronics store or from your ISP probably isn’t cutting it, especially if you have smart home automation devices that rely on Wi-Fi. Your networking professional will be able to choose a router that is optimized for your home’s bandwidth and coverage needs.

Of course, the router is just one piece of networking equipment. Most homes also need other devices, such as wireless access points, in order to get that full, reliable coverage in every room. WAPs allow you to boost coverage in areas that are struggling to pick up the router signal.

Step Three: Place the Equipment Strategically

Many people don’t realize just how important it is to place your router in the right location, especially if you don’t have WAPs to enhance the signal. By tucking your router away in the corner of your home, you’re practically guaranteeing that the rooms farthest away from the router won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi. Often, appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves can also impair the wireless signal, so you may notice subpar performance in areas like the kitchen or laundry room.

The solution is to place the router in a central part of the home, then use other supplemental networking equipment to cover the fringe areas. During a network installation, professionals will test each area’s coverage and adjust equipment placement as needed.

Step Four: Optimize the Router Settings

Never stick with the default router settings. For one, this can lead to compromised security, since most default router passwords and usernames are very easy to guess. But the default settings can impact performance as well. If you’re using the same wireless channel as your neighbors, for example, the signals could interfere with each other. Often, your computers may not be set up to use the wireless bandwidth efficiently, so another strategy used by professionals is to configure the application settings on each device to prioritize where bandwidth is allocated.

Step Five: When Possible, Go Wired

As much as Wi-Fi technology has improved over the years, the best networking performance is always going to come from wired connections. So don’t be too eager to cut the cord just yet. For smart devices that you don’t plan on moving around very often, use physical internet connections. Your desktop computers, smart televisions, etc. should be wired whenever possible. That doesn’t mean that you have to compromise your interior design with a pile of wires, of course! Part of a professional installation is ensuring that the end result is clear internet signals without any distracting clutter.

 
Southern Cinema does more than high-quality home theater installations. We are full-service smart home automation professionals who can optimize your home network. To learn more about our networking and home prewiring services, give us a call at 904.824.8488 or fill out this quick form and a member of our team will reach out to you!