Solutions For Weak Wi-Fi Signal When Right Next to Router
There are also other solutions, like moving to a wired ethernet connection, either directly or through a powerline adapter to avoid Wi-Fi altogether. Failing that, then you may need to take your laptop to a local store to get it’s hardware looked at and possibly replaced or upgraded.
Let’s look at some different solutions in more detail below.
Initial Troubleshooting For Weak Wi-Fi Near Router
Before taking your device apart (not recommended unless you are qualified) or spending any money on home networking solutions or to get your device repaired or upgraded, it is important to do some basic diagnostics with your device and router to identify what exactly the problem is.
Here are some basics things to test:
- Try using the Wi-Fi right next to the router with a couple of devices. Are you just getting this problem with one specific device, or all devices? If the former, then the device is the problem; if the latter then your router is the problem – contact your ISP for a repair or replacement.
- Try simply resetting your router and device to see if it is a one off isolated problem.
- Try also a full power cycle, where both router and device are powered off, fully unplugged from the wall for a few minutes, then powered back on. Try also a full factory reset on your router if possible – there is usually a button somewhere on the router you can press in with a safety pin or something else to do a full reset.
- Try your device on a wired connection if available. Does it work OK? If so then the Wi-Fi within the device is the problem.
- Make sure you have a direct line of sight between your router and device when testing Wi-Fi, with no obstacles at all in the way. In fairness with modern Wi-Fi this shouldn’t make a difference if you are in the same room, but worth trying.
- Once you have narrowed down that it is one specific device only which is having problems, and only when on Wi-Fi, then you know that it is the Wi-Fi hardware (the wireless antennas/cards within the device) that is the problem, and you can go about fixing it.
Adjusting the Wi-Fi Antenna On Your Laptop
Warning: any work you do on your laptop is at your own risk and you may void your warranty by opening up your laptop and attempting any repair work.
If the device you are having problems with is your laptop, then adjusting the Wi-Fi antenna can sometimes help to restore a full signal. The video above perfectly depicts the problem of having a weak Wi-Fi signal even right next to the router, and how to solve it by swapping out the Wi-Fi antenna.
What usually happens in laptops is that there are several antennas located along the sides or hinges of the laptop, which are meant to balance out the signal, pulling the Wi-Fi from whichever side is getting the best reception at that moment. However, it doesn’t always work properly if the antenna or dislodged or somehow out of place, perhaps through the laptop being knocked or dropped too much.
Counter-intuitively, the technician in the video finds that actually swapping out the AUX Wi-Fi card connection and putting it all on the MAIN connection stops the laptop doing balancing, but actually makes the signal better!
Apologies for the lengthiness of the video – he does take a while to get to the point – but the advice is sound and at the time of writing the video has a lot of positive comments saying this solution worked for a good number of people (not all though).
We do get though the not all of us are comfortable opening up laptops and fiddling around with parts. For one thing it can void the warranty of the laptop to start messing around with stuff.
You can take it to a local computer store but as the guy in the video points out, it can be expensive getting them to fix the Wi-Fi and you can find yourself with a hefty bill for something that can be done yourself in 10 minutes if you have the skill and confidence to try it.
So adjusting the Wi-Fi antenna in your laptop can be a solution which works, but it is not guaranteed to do so for everyone. It is just an option to try if you find yourself with a poor signal even right next to the router, which is a clear sign that something within the device itself is not working properly if you are not having this problem with other devices.
What should I do if the Wi-Fi signal is weak? Learn 3 ways to enhance Wi-Fi to improve the network experience
Modern life is almost inseparable from the network, all 3C products also must be connected to wireless networks to function properly。 So once there is the network instability or a Wi-Fi signal weak problem, it will cause a lot of inconvenience in life,.How to have a stable network connection quality? This article gives you four reasons for your slow Wi-Fi speed as well as three ways to enhance Wi-Fi to give you the best network experience.
4 Reasons Wi-Fi is slow| Why does the Network always run badly?
Before you learn how to improve your Wi-Fi signal, show you the possible reasons for slowing down Wi-Fi and help you check your network for the following problems:
Reason for weak Wi-Fi signal1: The router is not in the correct location
If you’re using the network, there’s always a weak Wi-Fi signal in some places, probably because it’s too far away from the router, resulting in poor traffic, so you can try to adjust the router’s location so that you can receive Wi-Fi signals in every corner of your home.
Reason for weak Wi-Fi signal2: The device has poor reception capability
Every mobile phone, pen, tablet and other devices, the ability to receive signals is not the same. If the device is too old or network functions are damaged, even if the wi-Fi signal cannot improve the network speed.
Reason for weak Wi-Fi signal3: Too many people are using it
Each router can carry a limited number of devices, and if Wi-Fi usage exceeds the router’s load, network speed will naturally become slower.
Reason for weak Wi-Fi signal4: Signal interference
Wi-Fi can currently use a band of 2.4GHz and 5GHz, and if too many routers are around using the same band, it is easy to form signal interference, resulting in slower Wi-Fi speeds.
How can I improve the problem of poor Wi-Fi receipt? 3 ways to enhance Wi-Fi
After looking at the possible causes of weak Wi-Fi signals, here are three ways to enhance your Wi-Fi to help you improve your network experience.
1. Upgrade the network scenario
Network broadband scheme is an important factor affecting the strength of Wi-Fi signal. If the network speed of the optional scheme is very slow, even if the function of the router is no longer useful, so when encountering the problem of weak Wi-Fi signal, it is recommended to check whether the network broadband scheme needs to be upgraded.
2. Replace the router placement
The router has limited signal coverage. And if you want to maximize coverage, it is recommended that you place the router in the center of the house and minimize obstacles around the router, preferably in an open space around it. In addition, if you must use Wi-Fi in different rooms or on different floors, it is recommended to choose a router with OneMesh ™ to expand signal coverage so that you can cover all your space with a single network.
3. Upgrade routers and network equipment
If you have upgraded the network broadband scheme, but the network speed is still not improved. It may be because the router equipment is too old, making the router difficult to load a large number of connected devices. It is recommended that you upgrade the router according to the network usage and the number of connected devices to improve the speed and the stability of the network. In addition to upgrading routers, purchasing signal extenders is also a good way to enhance network coverage. For example, TP-Link signal extenders can be compatible with any router, wireless signals to expand the entire space. It greatly improves the network experience.
Network device upgrades are recommended | TP-Link signal extender
Finally, we recommend 2 TP-Link signal extenders to help you solve your Wi-Fi signal instability and inadequate network coverage.
The AX1500 Wi-Fi signal extender | RE505X
The RE505X signal extender features the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 6, which dramatically increases Wi-Fi speeds and expands network coverage. It also creats a dead-end network roaming environment with OneMesh routers that let you enjoy the same network speeds in every corner. In addition, the RE505X can use base station mode, as long as the network cable plugged into the network interface. You can easily convert the wired network to high-speed wireless dual-frequency signal, giving you the flexibility to switch wired and wireless networks.
The AC1750 Wi-Fi signal extender | RE450
Using next-generation 802.11AC Wi-Fi technology, the RE450 is three times faster than the standard 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and it offers high-speed wireless networks up to 1750 Mbps with dual-band Wi-Fi. Whether watching HD/4K streaming movies, large archive transfers, or playing large online games, it gives you smooth network quality. In addition to increasing network speed, the RE450 is equipped with three adjustable dual-frequency antennas that dramatically improve network coverage and connectivity, making it easy for everyone to have a high-quality network experience.
TP Link is a global supplier of professional network equipment and accessories, providing sales and technical services for more than 170 countries around the world. In addition to signal extenders, there are a variety of home routers equipped with the latest technology, commercial routers, base stations and other products. They can help you solve any network-related problems, so that you no longer worry about Wi-Fi signal weak problem!