We have discussed various methods for How to Extend WIFI Range Without Extender. By following these simple steps, you will be able to extend the range without using an extender.
Nobody can deny that it is extremely frustrating when a Wi-Fi signal fails to connect, or even simply drops. Consider trying to stream your favorite movie online and having the screen buffer indefinitely because you are sitting on a different floor than your Wi-Fi. Irritating, isn’t it? We have a guide on how to extend the wifi range without using an extender.
There are numerous factors that could be affecting your WIFI signal, some of which are so minor that you may not even require another mesh setup, extender, or booster.
If you’re wondering if there’s a way to get out of this in the most cost-effective way possible, or if you can get a strong connection despite standing rooms away from the router, this article is for you.
Why Would You Need to Extend the WiFi Range?
There are several reasons why you might want or need to increase the WiFi range you currently have.
Poor planning
Creating a WiFi network without proper planning can lead to poor coverage and have a negative impact on your users. In order for your network to function properly, all users must have access to a strong WiFi signal. We’ll look at how a WiFi tool like NetSpot can help with this type of problem later in the article.
New requirements
This problem can arise in a business setting where extra space is used to accommodate new employees. Despite your best efforts in correctly sizing your WiFi network, you may now be faced with the problem of determining how to extend the WiFi range to accommodate the influx of new users.
Inadequate signal
This problem can arise whether the WiFi network is used for business or for personal reasons. You may have trouble connecting to WiFi from certain rooms in your house. Customers who use your coffee shop’s free WiFi may need to avoid certain areas of your establishment.
Guide on How to Extend Wifi Range Without Extender
There are several solutions available, but it all depends on how much money you want to spend and where the problem areas are. Here are some methods for extending your Wi-Fi:
- Choose the right location for your router or access point
- Stay away from repeaters
- Upgrade to a better router: look for WiFi6
- Get a Mesh Wi-Fi kit
- Use Powerline adapters
- Update your router’s firmware
- Buy a wireless booster
- Use 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz Wi-Fi
- Foils Can Do Wonders
Choose the right location for your router or access point
Many people seem to overlook this factor, but the positioning of the router has a significant impact on how Wi-Fi signals spread throughout the house.
Even the best Wi-Fi router will not provide satisfactory results if it is not properly positioned.
The Wi-Fi signal is frequently interfered with by walls, furniture, other wireless devices, and even hard materials such as glass, metal, and so on. It is natural to prefer hiding the router, but it is strongly advised to place it in the open air, preferably on a bookshelf or a countertop, so that the machine does not overheat and can provide the best signal.
Stay away from repeaters
Stay away from repeaters, we say again. People have attempted to solve the problem of extending the WiFi range by installing additional wireless routers or using signal repeaters. This will undoubtedly increase the range of the wireless signal. A repeater will get the job done, but it will not be a good job.
Consider the following scenario: You own a two-story home with your Internet connection and wireless router in one corner of the ground floor. Your children’s rooms are on the top floor, on the opposite side of the house. Your children are the most frequent WiFi users in your home, and they are always complaining about weak WiFi signals and dropped connections.
You set up a wireless repeater near your children’s bedrooms in the hopes of extending your WiFi range. The children can now use WiFi in their rooms without difficulty. The issue arises when your children leave their rooms and bring their devices downstairs. The devices will remain connected to the upstairs router or repeater, and the kids will have to either change their network with each floor or complain to you that the WiFi is no longer working properly.
Unless all of your equipment is managed by a controller or unified management system, you’ll be creating new wireless networks wherever you put it. The radio signals from the equipment can interfere with one another, making roaming around the house and maintaining a strong WiFi signal impossible.
Upgrade to a better router: look for WiFi6
If the weak or slow Wi-Fi persists despite moving the router, consider upgrading to a more powerful model.
802.11b, 802.11g (WiFi 3), 802.11n (WiFi 4), 802.11ac (WiFi 5), and 802.11ax are the oldest to the most recent Wi-Fi standards (WiFi 6). If you have an older wireless “b” or “g” router, you should think about upgrading to a newer model with longer ranges and faster connection speeds.
Because a WiFi 4 or WiFi 5 router can only communicate with a limited number of devices at once, the more bandwidth-hungry devices you have, the slower your network will function.
WiFi 6 routers can communicate with more devices simultaneously and more efficiently, resulting in faster connections. While WiFi 5 routers can only communicate with four devices at once, WiFi 6 routers can communicate with up to eight, which is important in busy wireless environments.
Another benefit in congested areas is a technology known as ODFMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access). WiFi 6 makes it possible for a single transmission to deliver data to multiple devices at the same time.
But wait… there’s another WiFi 6 variant called Wi-Fi 6E. While WiFi 6 uses two bands—2.4GHz and 5GHz—WiFi 6E adds the third band—6GHz—to improve efficiency, throughput, and security.
WiFi 6E support is being added to the most recent devices, such as Apple’s M2 iPad Pros, and WiFi 6E routers are available but very expensive right now. WiFi 6 should provide sufficient advancements for the majority of us at this time.
Why not be cheeky and request an updated wireless router from your ISP? If you’ve been a customer for a while, it should be able to assist you, but be wary if it asks you to sign a new contract.
This is where mesh Wi-Fi comes in, and it’s why we recommend investing in a kit, which can be less expensive than a single router in some cases.
Keep in mind that your devices must also support these newer Wi-Fi standards. Instead of purchasing a new laptop, you can purchase a USB wireless adapter that plugs into a USB port. The Ugreen AX1800 is a low-cost WiFi 6 dual-band wireless adapter that can be purchased from Amazon or AliExpress. Sorry, Mac users; it is only available for Windows.
Get a Mesh Wi-Fi kit
In case you skipped the introduction and went straight to the point, a mesh network is made up of two or more routers that work together to provide much greater Wi-Fi coverage than a single router can ever provide. It easily replaces your existing router’s Wi-Fi and is simple to install.
When you connect one of the mesh Wi-Fi kit’s units to a spare port on your existing router, it creates a new Wi-Fi network to which all of your Wi-Fi devices connect.
The second (and third, if necessary) mesh device is then placed somewhere else in your house—usually on another floor or on the opposite side of your house. The devices communicate with one another to form a single super Wi-Fi network that is both strong and fast and can typically extend into your garden if you have one.
Our current top pick, which combines Wi-Fi and Powerline networking for great coverage and speed at a reasonable price, is the TP-Link Deco P9.
Use Powerline adapters
Powerline adapters are gradually being phased out and replaced by mesh Wi-Fi, but there is still a place for them—as previously stated, the Deco P9 kit uses the technology. Traditional Powerline adapters, on the other hand, can be the cheapest way to extend Wi-Fi if you only need a signal in one room or even a separate building, such as a garage.
Simply plug one adapter into a power outlet close to your router and connect it to it with an Ethernet cable (usually supplied in the box).
Then, connect the second adapter (which must have built-in Wi-Fi) to a power outlet in the other room, such as a loft, garage, or another outbuilding. It will work as long as any separate building receives power from the main house where the router is located.
In most cases, these create a new Wi-Fi hotspot rather than enhancing an existing wireless network, as a Wi-Fi extender does. Powerline Wi-Fi kits are more expensive than extenders, but they are more versatile and can provide faster speeds.
Update your router’s firmware
Keeping your device’s firmware up to date can help you get the best WiFi signal from your router. Routers, like computers and smartphones, receive manufacturer updates, and it’s critical that you install them as soon as possible to keep your router secure and in good working order.
Depending on the manufacturer, different methods must be used to update your firmware. The good news is that most routers make updating simple, and you should be able to do so directly from the admin interface. Some routers even include a companion app for Android and iOS devices that allows you to perform firmware updates with a single tap.
Furthermore, some routers can be set to automatically update the firmware. If your router falls into this category, it is strongly advised that you use automatic updates. Even if the update does not resolve your issue with insufficient WiFi range, you can rest assured that your router is now more secure.
Buy a wireless booster
Wi-Fi extenders, also known as repeaters or boosters, boost your Wi-Fi signal by capturing and rebroadcasting the wireless signal from your router. Some people, understandably, wonder whether they actually work: they do, but they are not the best option if you require extremely fast Wi-Fi speeds.
They are, however, inexpensive and simple to install. Models like TP-TL-WA860RE Links can be had for as little as £20 / $20. This, however, employs the older 802.11n standard. If you want something faster and more up-to-date, the TP-Link RE300 (802.11ac) is the right choice.
If you have a Devolo WiFi6 Mesh/Powerline system, two compatible WiFi 6 repeaters are available: the Devolo WiFi 6 Repeater 3000 and the dual-Ethernet and faster Devolo WiFi 6 Repeater 5400, both of which are not available in the United States.
A Wi-Fi repeater can be used to boost the signal from a router located on a different floor of a house or on the opposite side of a building.
A repeater receives a wireless signal with half of its internal antennae and transmits a new signal with the other half, effectively halving the potential speed of the original Wi-Fi signal.
As shown in the image above, a Wi-Fi extender should be placed in a central location, not too far away from the main router. If you place the repeater at the far end of your main network in the hopes of boosting the signal, you will slow down your connection to the rest of the network and the internet.
Keep in mind that the extender is only boosting the signal. If it is placed in an area where Wi-Fi is already weak, it will simply push that weak signal around. If you place it in an area with better Wi-Fi, the signal it emits will be stronger as well.
A range extender should be placed halfway between your main router and the intended wireless devices, preferably in an open corridor or spacious room rather than a crowded area. It should be placed away from potentially interfering devices such as cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, and microwave ovens.
Use 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi can operate on one of two frequency bands: 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Many people believe that the latter is superior because it provides faster speeds.
However, this comes at a cost: range. The wavelength becomes shorter as the frequency increases. 5GHz signals, like 2.4GHz signals, cannot penetrate walls, ceilings, desks, or, yes, people. (Incidentally, this is why 5G is promising such fast speeds because it uses much higher frequencies—called millimeter waves—but these signals have a tough time getting through glass, trees, and even rain.
In contrast, 2.4GHz is better at delivering a signal over a greater distance at slower speeds. As a result, forcing your phone or laptop to connect to your router’s 2.4GHz network may allow you to get a better range from it. Many routers amalgamate the two frequencies into a single network name. This is done for your convenience, but it means you can’t select which network you want to connect to.
If this is the case with your router, go to the settings page and look for a Wi-Fi menu where you can split the two frequencies into two separate network names.
It’s important to remember that 2.4GHz devices are competing with other devices that use this frequency, such as microwaves, baby monitors, Bluetooth, and others.
These can cause interference, reducing the speed and range of a Wi-Fi signal. The greater the range, the slower the speed; the greater the speed, the more you have to mitigate interference and work closer to an access point.
So your mileage may vary, but understanding the differences between Wi-Fi bands is important because you can use them to your advantage.
Foils Can Do Wonders
Although it may appear strange, foils have proven to be effective. Foils tend to reflect signals in the direction that the users desire. Setting the foil vertically between the objects that the user does not want to absorb Wi-Fi signals from should help. The foil prevents the signals from spreading.
How to Extend WiFi Range With Another Router?
If you have exhausted all of your free options for extending your WiFi range, it may be time to consider purchasing some additional equipment to improve your WiFi coverage. You can accomplish this in a variety of ways.
Before you buy another router and set it up, we strongly advise you to check your WiFi coverage with NetSpot so that you have reliable data to determine whether the change you made produced the desired result.
How to Extend WiFi Range with Another Router with Cable?
If your current router has an available Ethernet port, simply connect another router to it using an Ethernet cable and place the new router wherever you want. Because the maximum recommended length for Cat5e cable is around 100 meters, you can place the new router almost anywhere.
Because your existing router almost certainly supports and uses DHCP, a network management protocol that dynamically assigns an IP address and other network configuration parameters to each device on a network, you can connect the new router to it and use it as an access point with no additional configuration.
Essentially, you are using the second router to capture the WiFi signal and distribute it to previously inaccessible areas of your home or office.
How to Extend WiFi Range with Another Router without Cable?
Connecting two routers with an Ethernet cable can be time-consuming, to say nothing of the fact that high-quality Ethernet cables are not cheap. You can extend the WiFi range with another router without using a cable by configuring the new router as a wireless repeater.
A wireless repeater’s job is straightforward: it rebroadcasts the signal from your main router. Unfortunately, not all WiFi routers can function as repeaters, so do your homework and choose one that can. Alternatively, you can install DD-WRT, an alternative router firmware with a slew of useful features, in place of the stock firmware.
FAQ
How do I extend my WiFi range for free?
There are several free ways to extend the range of your WiFi, including:
- Move your router to a more suitable place
- Install the latest version of your router’s firmware
- Optimize WiFi channel settings
- Take advantage of the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands
How can I increase the range of my WiFi router?
To extend the range of your WiFi router, download a wireless network analyzer such as NetSpot and use it to find the best location and settings.
Can I extend the WiFi range with another router?
Yes, you can extend the range of your WiFi by connecting the two routers using an Ethernet cable or by configuring the new router to function as a wireless extender.
What is the best way to extend the range of my WiFi?
That is dependent on the router, where it is installed, and how it is configured. Moving your router is sometimes the best way to extend your WiFi, but you may also need to replace it with a better model, or anything in between.
Final Thoughts:
If all of the solutions listed above fail to provide the user with a better signal from his/her wifi, it is time to purchase a new router. If you have solved the problem using the above steps and now know how to extend wifi range without the extender, we hope you enjoyed our presentation.
