What is a WiFi Booster and How Does it Improve Signal?
How to Boost WiFi Signal?
Do you struggle with slow internet and internet dead spots inside your home
or place of work? Poor WiFi can be caused by WiFi
blocking materials, such as thick walls, metal, concrete, glass, and signal
interference from other devices.
Under such circumstances, the first thing you should try is relocating your
router. Moving the router to an open central location can fix your wireless
coverage problem. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not that simple. Sometimes
extra measures need to be taken, such as replacing the router's antennas,
purchasing long-range
antennas, or even purchasing new WiFi equipment, which might or might not
improve the coverage area.
If you have tried everything you can to improve
your WiFi signal to no avail, consider trying out a WiFi signal booster.
They are specifically designed to improve your WiFi network’s coverage. How
exactly do they function — and do WiFi boosters increase internet speed?
While it may seem complicated to understand how WiFi boosters and similar devices work, it's not nearly as confusing as it may seem. Let's review how WiFi boosters work, how to use them, and other important information. Say goodbye to weak WiFi signals for good.
What is a WiFi Booster?
WiFi boosters (also known as internet boosters) expand your WiFi system's
coverage area by boosting or amplifying the wireless signal and broadcasting it
into the desired areas. As a result, you will no longer have to deal with poor
WiFi in your home or business.
Different types of WiFi booster models are available; they vary in design,
range, amplification power, and frequency band usage.
- Wall Plug or Desktop Design:
There are two different types of booster styles available. Some simply
plug into a power source and are great for improving the signal in one
room, while others sit on a desk, table, or shelf and use stronger
external antennas that are capable of improving the signal in multiple rooms.
- Range: Most routers have a
range of 150-300 feet. Any device outside that range will experience
connectivity issues. Depending on the WiFi booster model, they can
increase the range by 300-2,000+ sq ft on average.
- Frequency Bands: There are
two types of WiFi signal boosters – single-band and dual-band. Single-band
boosters only utilize one frequency band (2.4GHz or 5GHz) to transmit
data. On the other hand, dual-band WiFi boosters use both GHz frequencies
to transmit data; one band solely communicates with the router, and the
other band talks to the wireless devices.
How Does a WiFi Booster Work?
WiFi boosters connect to a wireless access point, such as a router or
hotspot. The WiFi booster grabs the signal being transmitted by the access
point and amplifies it for better use. Usually, boosters are coupled with
stronger antennas that help broadcast the signal further and cover larger
areas.
Placement of the WiFi booster is extremely important. It must be close
enough to the access point to receive a signal but far enough away to cover
problem areas. Find an area without a strong
WiFi connection and plug the booster into a wall outlet halfway between the
target area and the router.
Most WiFi boosters have pretty simple setup processes. Many utilize the WPS
(WiFi Protected Setup) button, which makes the installation process super-fast.
Simply press the button on both devices, and the WiFi booster will connect to
the router. Of course, different WiFi signal booster manufacturers (Netgear,
Tp-Link, Linksys, D-Link, Asus, Orbi, and Eero) might require additional steps.
After completing the setup process, the booster can start working its magic;
it will grab the existing WiFi signal and extend its coverage area.
The last step is to connect your phone, laptop, tablet, and smart home
devices to the WiFi booster. To do so, go into the WiFi settings on your
wireless device, click on the WiFi booster's network name (SSID) and enter the
password. The password might be the same as your current network, or you
might've created a different one during the setup process. Once connected to
the booster, you will be able to enjoy a reliable internet connection in places
that originally received poor signal strength.
Do WiFi Boosters Only Work with Wireless Devices?
No.
WiFi boosters work with wireless and wired devices. The majority of boosters
have at least one ethernet port that can be used for printers, computers, smart
TVs, and gaming consoles. This provides even faster speeds than can be achieved
wirelessly, and lets you control where you placed your wired access points.
The setup process is slightly different than the one discussed earlier.
Rather than wirelessly connecting the devices to the booster, you would use
ethernet or gigabit ethernet cables to wire the device to the booster.
Do WiFi Boosters Really Work?
Yes.
As long as you have a wireless signal in your home or business, WiFi
boosters will improve the signal's range.
For optimal results, don’t hide the booster behind furniture, in a gap
between your living room couch and the wall, or place it near appliances that
can interfere with the signal. Doing so will degrade the WiFi booster's range
and power, which might cause unsatisfactory results.
How would I Know if the WiFi Booster is Working?
The first sign showing that the booster is working is experiencing better
signals in the weak zone and dead zone areas.
If you are a person of numbers and prefer actual proof, speed tests are great tools that can be used to analyze WiFi signal improvements. To visually see the difference, you will need to conduct multiple speed tests — one with just your WiFi connection and the other with the WiFi booster. Ideally, you would want to record the results to have a side-by-side comparison.
Do WiFi Boosters Increase Internet Speed?
So, do WiFI boosters increase internet speed? Not exactly. The internet
speed you receive from your internet service provider (ISP) is the bottleneck —
a WiFi booster will not increase your internet speed.
However, that doesn't mean that they will not have an influence on your
home's internet connection. WiFi boosters use powerful amplifiers and antennas
to boost and broadcast the signal in a more efficient manner. As a result, it
appears as if they have improved your internet speed.
For example, let's say you purchased a WiFi booster on Amazon that supports
up to 750 Mbps, but your internet plan only provides you with a max of 300 Mbps
under perfect conditions. The WiFi booster will not magically increase the
internet speed from 300 Mbps to 750 Mbps — it only works with what's available.
Instead, the booster will take the existing signal and facilitate a stronger
signal, which will allow the connected devices to experience faster WiFi
speeds.
Are WiFi Boosters Secure?
WiFi boosters use the same level of security as WiFi routers - WEP, WPA, and
WPA2, with WPA/WPA2 being more secure. In 2019 a new security protocol was
introduced known as WPA3. The new protocol improved the security features
within public and private WiFi networks, making it more difficult for hackers
to access your wireless network.
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