#Laptop wifi antenna booster how to
#Laptop wifi antenna booster update
#Laptop wifi antenna booster driver
#Laptop wifi antenna booster windows

Quality of service becomes especially important when watching streaming video or making a VoIP phone call.īoosting WiFi signal reception range and quality can get you out of hotspot traffic jams enable you to connect in places you never thought possible and improve your Web surfing experience.ĭo you have something to say about boosting your wifi signal range? Post your comment or question below. The only glitch I've found with this gadget is that you need to manually reset it if there's a power outage, or if someone accidentally unplugs it.Ī stronger signal means fewer dropped packets or lost signals and re-connections that can slow downloads. Just plug it into a wall socket, connect it to your wireless router, and you're done. Typically, installation of these things is very easy. I have a TP-Link N300 range expander (about $20), which is performing well in my home. This unit sells for about $40, and can be found at Amazon and many other online retailers.Ī less expensive option for users where Wi-Fi signals have trouble reaching certain areas of the home is a range extender. One of the most powerful indoor models is the Hawking Technologies HAI15SC, which can boost the strength of your wireless signal from the typical 2dBi up to 15dBi! The HAI15SC's hi-gain 'corner antenna' replaces the external antenna of your wireless router, significantly improving signal strength, distance, and wireless performance. Hawking makes several types of wireless antenna boosters. If you have access to the router, you can purchase an addon to help the signal extend out further. The quality of any WiFi connection is also improved by using a signal booster on the router. But even within a building, or in the woods, a high-gain WiFi adapter or antenna can double or triple your range. A completely clear line-of-sight between the access point and your laptop network adapter is necessary to achieve maximum range such as that. Campers report pulling in WiFi signals from access points up to four miles away, using a high-performance adapter like the Alfa from atop a mountain. You might be amazed by far your WiFi reception range can be extended.

#Laptop wifi antenna booster how to

See my related articles Free Wifi Hotspots - A Big Risk?, How to Measure Your Internet Speed, and No Bars, No Signal? Try a Cellular Signal Booster How Far Can You Go With Wireless? Look for specs of 5-15 dB gain, or 25-30 dBi. Generally speaking, more is better: more milliWatts (mW), more decibels (dB), more dBi (signal gain relative to an ideal isotropic antenna), etc. This model gets excellent reviews, and comes with a suction cup holder that can be attached to a window.Īntenna specs can be confusing if you are not a radio geek. At the higher end are 2000 mW WiFi extended-range adapters like the Alfa AWUS036NH Long-Range WiFi Network Adapter. A gadget like that may double your laptop's WiFi reception range. I recently recommended the TP-Link Wireless AC600 High Gain USB Adapter to a friend and she loved it. Some are small, simple USB dongles that will give you 5 dB gain for under $20. High-gain USB WiFi adapters are plentiful, cheap, and effective these days.

#Laptop wifi antenna booster driver

Check the website of company that makes your wireless adapter (or the laptop vendor) and look for driver downloads.Īn external antenna can pull in WiFi from distant hotspots.

#Laptop wifi antenna booster windows

You may be able to double or triple the speed and range of your WiFi adapter by using the latest driver instead of the generic Windows driver or a five year-old OEM version designed for an operating system you've long abandoned.

#Laptop wifi antenna booster update

First, update your network adapter's driver if you haven't done so lately. Here are some tricks to help increase WiFi range and reception on a laptop. But improving your range is key to get a good signal. If you are a customer of the ISP, you can connect your laptop to one of those hotspots with your account credentials. Even in rural areas, you may find wifi hotspots provided by Internet service providers that 'piggyback' on their customers' wireless routers. Similarly, if you're in a hotel that charges for wifi access, by increasing your wifi range you might be able to pull in a free wifi signal from outside the hotel. If you boost WiFi reception range you may get a strong connection all to yourself. But in the same area there may be other networks, just out of range of your standard WiFi network adapter, that are virtually idle. If you're in a crowded downtown café there may be so many people sharing the WiFi network that Internet speeds slow to a crawl.