What good is a smartphone that can barely stay connected to the internet? There are many factors at play that can weaken the strength of your WiFi on an Android device. But it is not yet necessary to give up and check Techlyfire here. You can boost the WiFi signal to make your Android device's internet connection more stable.
Home users
Having trouble with your home WiFi? Here are a couple of things you can try. The first thing you should do is look at your router's frequency and channel.
Frequency and channels
Older WiFi routers operate on one frequency band: 2.4 GHz. If you and your neighbors share the same frequency, the signals will cross and the WiFi connection will be weaker.
If your router is marketed as dual-band, it supports the 5 GHz, frequency band. Switching to 5 GHz may improve the strength of your WiFi. This particular frequency is less populated and supports more channels. However, it has a shorter range.
Choose a different channel
Each frequency has smaller bands within it. These are called channels. The 2.4 GHz frequency has 11 channels on average, while 5 GHz has 45 channels.
Ideally, you want to be on a channel that no one else is on. You can use the free Wifi scanning software to detect channels other networks are using around you.
This can be difficult for those using 2.4GHz as there are fewer options to choose from. Some routers have a feature that automatically selects the ideal channel for you. But you can select a channel manually and stay there indefinitely.
People on 5 GHz, however, have a lot of channels to choose from. There is very little chance of running into someone else on this frequency.
How to change the frequency and channel
- Using a laptop or desktop computer, connect to the wireless network.
- Open a web browser and type in your router's IP address.
- Enter your login details to enter your router settings.
- Router settings vary by brand. But you should find an option to change both the frequency (unless 5 GHz is supported) and the channel.
- Some premium routers will have apps that you can download to remotely access these settings.
Choose a channel
- With so many channels, how do you choose which one to use? One way is to use a Windows PC and use Command Prompt or PowerShell.
- Open one of the two programs and type NETSH WLAN SHOW NETWORKS MODE = BSSID
- This command will show you all broadcast networks, their SSIDs, and which channel they are using.
- Select a less populated channel. In the example above, you can select a channel between 1 and 6 and it shouldn't interfere with your neighbor's signals.
- You can also download one of the many Android apps available on Google Play such as WiFi Analyzer to analyze the WiFi signal strength in your area.
Buy a WiFi repeater
A WiFi repeater - as the name suggests - repeats the WiFi signal to extend its range. If you live in a large house, using a repeater can boost the WiFi signal enough to reach your Android phone.
Update your WiFi router password
If you haven't updated your router password, you should do it right away. Strangers could steal your WiFi connection, causing your internet speed to drop.
Go to the WiFi settings page and look for the section that allows you to update your SSID and password.
