Nowadays it is very important to have a good wireless network signal. Most modern devices are Wi-Fi compatible and we do not need to use the cable to surf the Internet or use any online service. With the passage of time the technology has improved remarkably. We have more powerful teams, more prepared to offer positive results. However, in many cases the coverage is not the best and we cannot have a good speed if we navigate without cables. In this article we are going to talk about the possibility of changing the router’s antenna to improve Wi-Fi.
Is the router’s antenna important to have a good signal?
The first thing we want to mention is the importance of the antenna in the router to be able to connect to Wi-Fi . It must be assumed that not all devices have a visible antenna. There are many who have only internal antennas and in this case we could not do anything.
There are even routers that have more than one external antenna . We can find some models that have many antennas that have the objective of offering a good signal so that we can connect through other devices without using the cable.
We can say that the external antenna is not essential for a router to offer a good signal . That is, we can find a device that has an external antenna and that offers worse coverage than another that only has an internal one. Everything will depend on the model, its configuration and the hardware you have.
The power of an antenna is measured in dBi. It is the signal capacity and a piece of information that we must observe if we are interested in improving the antenna and the wireless capacity of our router. Normally, when we hire the Internet, the operator itself offers us a device. However, in many cases it is basic, it does not have a large number of options and the quality is not excessively good.
This also means that, if you have an external antenna, it will be basic and may not offer good speed and quality. That is when we can consider the possibility of changing the router antenna and improving Wi-Fi.
Put another antenna to the router
Keep in mind that not all routers will allow you to change the antenna , but many models will. We will have to acquire a more powerful antenna and logically make sure that it will improve the one that already comes with the device. We would have to know the dBi of the one we use and acquire one that offers greater power.
Generally, a basic home router usually has antennas between 3 and 5 dBi . It is what comes standard, the capacity that will offer a greater or lesser distance to be able to connect other devices. Of course, it is not the only thing we must take into account although it is important.
To obtain a significant improvement in the wireless signal of our router, the ideal is to acquire an antenna that has between 10 and 12 dBi. This will allow the coverage to be extended several hundred meters and could be enough to cover a home and be able to connect with less problems from other rooms.
How to connect another antenna to the router
This process is very simple . We can say that the most important thing is to have a router that actually has an external antenna and that can be removed. Once we have that, the following is the simplest of all.
The router’s Wi-Fi antennas have a connector called SMA . It is a type of threaded connector that is used in many devices. Therefore, we simply have to make sure that the antenna that we are going to buy is of this type (it is something generic) and then proceed to install it in the router.
For its placement it is as simple as removing the antenna that we are not interested in, the one we want to replace, and placing the new one that we have bought. As easy as that. From there, the router will begin to broadcast a signal with that new antenna that we have acquired and we can see if it really solves the problems we had with coverage.
Therefore, it is possible to change the antenna of the router and thus achieve a significant improvement in Wi-Fi connectivity. It is one more factor that we must take into account, although it is not the only thing that will make us have a better or worse network.
Tips for better Wi-Fi coverage
We are going to give some essential tips to achieve better Wi-Fi coverage. A series of interesting points that we can apply to have better connectivity and avoid problems with dead zones and the dreaded loss of speed.
Correctly locate the router
A first point to take into account is the location that we are going to give the router. It is useless to change the antenna and have a powerful one, if later we are going to place it in the wrong place and we are not going to really take advantage of the resources we have.
Ideally, the router should be centrally located in the home. We must keep it away from other devices that may interfere and from walls or obstacles. If we see it necessary, we will place it in the area where we are really going to use the signal.
Have the device updated
Of course we must also have the device correctly updated . On many occasions, errors may appear that prevent normal browsing of the network. There could even be vulnerabilities that can be exploited by third parties.
Therefore, we must always update the firmware of the router. It is essential to avoid complications when browsing, reduce risk and, of course, get the best possible Wi-Fi coverage.
Avoid security problems
Another issue to consider is security . We should never have the router unprotected, without a good encryption and key. This could open the door to potential intruders, so always use strong passwords to reduce risk.
But not only the password that we put on the Wi-Fi is enough, but also the type of encryption. Obsolete ones like WEP should be avoided. We should only use those that are up-to-date and reliable today.
In short, these are some questions that we can take into account to improve the speed of Wi-Fi when browsing the Internet. It is important that our router offers optimal performance and that we always connect correctly.