We are living in an open world when almost everywhere we go, we can stay connected. There are a lot of available wireless networks in your area, sometimes might be from your acquaintances. However, sometimes you feel the need to get a better WiFi signal from a neighbor to optimize your connection speed.
Here are a few simple tactics you can implement to improve your existing connection. Most of them are straightforward and even if you are not a tech nerd or having a lot of technical background, you can still easily understand them. Let’s get right into it.
Steps to Improve WiFi Signal from Your Neighbor
1. Check the position of your router
You might not notice, but your neighbor’s WiFi reception can be boosted by putting your primary router in the most central place in your house. Distance and barriers can hinder the distribution and affect wireless coverage. You can try to put your router or receiver as close as possible to your neighbor’s house, so the distance to cover will be less and hence, the signal will be stronger.
2. Your network type
Let’s talk about technical terms! Do you know that wireless networks function on different standards? The 802.11g might be the popular one, but it is characterized by the low bandwidth and offers slower speeds than other connections. The more recent standard 802.11n is the better choice as it offers much better speed, coverage range, and much more reliability. It is no surprise that this new standard is quickly replacing the 802.11g standard.
Therefore, if you plan to use your neighbor network connection, it is best to connect to those neighboring networks that operate on this standard. Also, you need to make sure your tech devices support this up-to-date standard as well. Chances are, if you got your devices a long time ago, maybe they are not supported.
3. Same Channel and Other Devices Interference
One factor that affects your WiFi signal’s strength is that your neighbor could be on the same channel with other people; therefore, that weakens the signal strength. Think about this like with radios; routers are made with several channels and mixed with other channels from different routers. You can quickly check the wireless network channel you are using to see how many other devices are on the same channel. If there are, you should change the wireless channel to improve your neighbor’s signal strength.
Another aspect worth considering is electronics and heavy appliances, including cordless phones, microwaves and Bluetooth devices. An open space away from these appliances is crucial when having a wireless router because they share the same frequency range as WiFi.
When these appliances run close to your router, the reception of clear signals will be hindered, leading to signal interference and hence, low internet speeds. The solution for getting the best signal is to orient your router’s antenna vertically to secure coverage and to mount your router on top of a shelf or high up on the wall.
4. WiFi Settings
For the best performance, you can change the wireless settings on your device to get optimal performance. Generally, WiFi uses a 2.4 GHz frequency, but this is common, which means you can expect a lot of noise and interference here. If your area has the available frequency, you can change your settings to 5GHz. The frequency is rarely used, and so performance is better.
5. Check your Firmware and Drivers and update to the latest
Sometimes the simple answer may be just the outdated firmware or drivers. You need to make sure your tech gadgets are using the latest firmware for their wireless connection. The same applied to your network updated driver, and it must be the most recent version for the best optimal performance.
For many Internet users, this process of regular update checks can be a bit annoying. Still, it should be done for performance improvements, security updates and better features. The firmware upgrades might depend on your device’s manufacturer and model.
Modern routers have the update procedure built in the administration interface, making the upgrade process as easy as hitting the firmware upgrade section. For the older router, you can visit their websites, go to the routers support page and then download a firmware file and upload it to the administration interface
6. USB Adapters
Another solution is using a USB adapter that can boost the signal significantly. Your device may have a built-in network adapter, but you can get better performance if you buy an external adapter. And, these adapters don’t cost much either. Remember, though, that the signal’s strength will remain the same, but the noticeable improvement will be in the increase in speed while you are browsing.
7. Get an Extender
Getting an extender is another solution that requires getting into your neighbor’s home and putting the extender near their router. You need to do the set up for the extender following the instructions.
8. Get Wireless Repeaters
Obtaining a wireless repeater does cost you some money, but it is still an excellent choice for you to enjoy browsing or gaming the rest of your time without interruption. When the WiFi signal weakens, the repeater regenerates it and gives you good connecting speed even if you stay far away from the router. This might be the most reliable way to improve your neighbor’s WiFi signal.
Final Recap
Now we have discovered the methods to get better Wi-Fi signals from the neighbors, and you can start implementing them at your convenience. Doing so will give you a significant improvement in performance and speed. Remember, all these methods to get better WiFi signals from the neighbors will work only if you have their WiFi password or if their network is open. Enjoy your internet at the speed you desire from your generous neighbor.
