Microsoft Offers Ten Tips on Improving your Wireless Network

If you've got a wireless network at home, you may want to check out this page from Microsoft that lists a bunch of things you can do to improve your WiFi network. Tips range from the obvious, such as removing obstructions and placing your wireless router in a central location, to the not so obvious, like advice about swapping out your router's antenna:

The antennas supplied with your router are designed to be omni-directional, meaning they broadcast in all directions around the router. If your router is near an outside wall, half of the wireless signals will be sent outside your home, and much of your router's power will be wasted. Most routers don't allow you to increase the power output, but you can make better use of the power. Upgrade to a hi-gain antenna that focuses the wireless signals only one direction. You can aim the signal in the direction you need it most.

and also changing the router's wireless channel:

Wireless routers can broadcast on several different channels, similar to the way radio stations use different channels. In the United States and Canada, these channels are 1, 6, and 11. Just like you'll sometimes hear interference on one radio station while another is perfectly clear, sometimes one wireless channel is clearer than others. Try changing your wireless router's channel through your router's configuration page to see if your signal strength improves. You don't need to change your computer's configuration, because it'll automatically detect the new channel.

Check out the rest of the tips to ensure your wireless network is running at it's optimum level.

Link: 10 tips for improving your wireless network.

Categories: wifi tips tricks howto network
5 Comments | Permalink | Email

Recent stuff from HouseHacker:

Glowing Power Aware Cord

Alarm Clock in a Pillow

Interesting Video Detailing the Installation of a Doorway Arch Kit

Jay Leno Tries Out a MagWind Turbine

Quick and Easy Upside Down Tomato Planter Project

Comments

1 Posted 2010-08-26 10:45:04 by Smaggy

Just a bit of a nit to pick: the URL for the article link has a quote at the end, rendering it useless.

Thx.

2 Posted 2011-10-25 21:47:07 by Replica Watches

it looks just like somebody is home watching television.

3 Posted 2011-12-03 03:16:20 by burberry

This is all very new to me and this article really opened my eyes.Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.

4 Posted 2011-12-11 20:11:59 by cheap snapbacks

Thank you very much for the information great post, found it on Yahoo.

5 Posted 2012-02-03 21:41:06 by Microsoft Office

The new Office 2010 , Header, and QuickParts galleries are very handy, and the Microsoft outlook 2010 new Quick Style system dramatically improves style handling by making it easier to make new styles.