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Wireless signal booster

Our Broadband Expert says...

Wireless broadband is great, allowing you to connect to your home internet connection without the fuss of wires all over the place.

However, as you’ve found, connecting wirelessly can sometimes mean that your signal is weaker - especially if you're spreading it between a large space in your home.

Wireless repeaters

Although they cost from around £30 upwards to more than £100, investing in a wireless repeater, or range extender as they're also known sometimes, will stop your broadband signal being degraded as it travels to your TV.

Wireless repeaters, sometimes called “range expanders,” are standalone units that increase the coverage of your wireless network without having to fit any extra wiring or get a second line fitted.

They work by “bouncing” signals to remote wireless devices, preserving the strength of your connection, which may not otherwise have had the power to reach the destination device, so extending the distance over which data can safely travel.

For example, if your router is downstairs and your study is upstairs, you could place a repeater on your landing. Simply stationing a wireless repeater halfway between your wireless router and your computer will send your signal further.

Router positioning

Before investing in a wireless repeater you should make sure that your router is positioned properly. There are a number of different factors that can affect your speed, and anything from walls and doors or even bookshelves and mirrors can reduce your speed.

Choosing the right place to position your router will increase your chances of getting a good signal. As you know, the closer your router is to your PC - or other wireless device - the better your connection will be, but this isn’t always possible.

Make sure that you don’t place your router anywhere enclosed, as this will only degrade your signal. Higher locations can also improve your chances of getting a good signal, as there as usually less obstructions nearer the ceiling.

The shorter the straight line distance from your computer or laptop to the wireless router, the stronger the signal will be. Where you have multiple devices sharing your wireless network, try to place the router somewhere central between them, in order to minimise the distance to each computer.

Frequencies from other appliances such as cordless phones, baby monitors and some microwaves can disrupt your signal, as can electrical interference from devices such as electrical fans, fridges and even florescent lighting, so make sure that your router is at least a meter away from anything that might degrade the signal.

Antennas

If your router has a built-in antenna, you might benefit from replacing it with a stronger external aerial.

Even if you have an external aerial, you might be able to boost your signal by increasing it to a longer 9dBi antenna - but make sure that it’s an omnidirectional model if you need to direct your wireless in more than one direction - to your TV and your computer in different rooms for example.

Boost your broadband speeds

Increasing the speed you get from your router will allow your broadband signal to travel further. There are a number of different things that you can do to improve your download speed, from installing an iPlate, which removes the “bell wire” from your telephone socket and reducing electrical interference, to making sure that you have proper wireless security set up on your router to stop people piggybacking your connection and slowing you down.

Get more tips on boosting your broadband speed.

Wired connections

If you still find that you can’t get an adequate wireless connection for both your Blu-ray player and PC, it might be time to invest in a long ethernet cable. This will ensure that you get an adequate connection for your TV, without having to move your router.

Fast broadband providers

You could also consider switching broadband provider to a faster package. Virgin Media (www.VirginMedia.com) offers the UK’s fastest package, with 50Mb broadband speeds, but also offers the fastest actual speeds, at an average of 7.5Mb according to January broadband speed test results, with 10Mb and 20Mb broadband packages available as well.

If you don’t live in the cable area, you could also take advantage of the fast download speeds offered by O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk), BE Broadband (www.BeThere.co.uk) or TalkTalk Broadband (www.TalkTalk.co.uk), which offer speeds of 20Mb or 24Mb broadband respectively.

NB Best buy tables (orange background) are always current.

Examples in the text of the article (white background) are correct at time of publication.

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If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at OurExpert@broadbandchoices.co.uk

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