How To Get A WiFi Signal In Your Garage

 H2: Why is the WiFi in your garage so poor?

It’s quite common for you to have poor WiFi coverage in areas such as outbuildings, garages, or even just certain parts of your house, and there are several things that can cause the “dead spots”, such as:

 

1. The WiFi hardware isn’t in the best location.

2. The router and network settings have not been configured properly.

3. Your WiFi software is old or outdated.

4. Network devices have not had regular firmware updates.

5. You have other electronics that are interfering with your signal.

6. There are thick floors or walls in your house.

7. Other construction materials such as metal, brick walls, or concrete is blocking the signal.

 

H2: How to boost your home WiFi signal

H3: Relocate your router

If your WiFi has a poor signal strength in several areas of your house then the first thing you should do is try moving your main router to a different location.  A location that is centralized is the best as it means that you will have a more equal spread of signal coverage throughout your home.  If you live in a multi-storey home then you should move the router to the main floor, ideally in a central location.

 

However, sometimes it can be quite difficult to move your router if the main connection is located in an awkward position.  If this happens then one option would be to add an ethernet cable from your primary internet connection to the place where you want to move your router to, although it’s not a particularly good option as a long cable can be a major trip hazard in a home.  Another option would be to run the ethernet cable through the walls, but this isn’t a good option either if you don’t know what you are doing and if you choose this method then you should enlist the help of an electrician or your internet service provider.

 

H3: Upgrade your hardware

Sometimes, you can fix your poor WiFi signal by simply upgrading your hardware.  It’s recommended that you update your hardware such as modem or router every 3 to 5 years, and if your hardware is older then it would be a good idea to look into getting newer equipment.

 

When looking for a new router there is often a wide variety of choices available and as their performances and specifications can vary you should always research your choice thoroughly.  It’s often a good idea to stick with well-known brands and be aware that sometimes online reviews cannot be trusted.  So, if you know that your WiFi router is in a good, central location but you are still having issues with your signal then you should consider changing or upgrading your hardware.

 

H3: Check the setup

Occasionally, the problem might not be the hardware, but simply that it has not been set up properly.  The frequencies of most routers are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, so try changing the frequency and try changing the settings until your signal improves and you are satisfied with how it’s working.

 

If you’re not confident enough to play around with the settings on your router then you should probably consider calling your internet service provider for their assistance with finding the correct settings.  If that still doesn’t work then it might be a good idea to get their technician out to solve the problem.

 

H3: Use a WiFi extender

An alternative method to improve your signal strength is to use a WiFi extender, which is also sometimes known as a WiFi booster, relay, or repeater.  A WiFi extender is a device that does as the name suggests and extends the WiFi signal so that it reaches further.

 

It’s important to remember that how well a WiFi extender performs can be affected by the antenna and processor it is using.  Better quality ones that have dual routers or dual radios often work better as they do not cause as much speed loss as other extenders do.

 

WiFi extenders are usually compatible with most routers but it is always a good idea to check that it is compatible with your hardware.  Also, some extenders are capable of intelligent roaming and these usually have a more reliable signal when you are using a mobile device.

 

H3: Powerline network adapter

It’s often a good idea to use a powerline adapter - also sometimes called a powerline ethernet kit - as these will improve the WiFi signal and access to the internet in garages.  A powerline network adapter is a device that uses the main electric circuit in your house to transmit an internet signal.  You can install it by using the following steps:

 

1.  First of all you need to plug a powerline adapter into an electric socket near your main router.

 

2. Next, you need to connect an ethernet cable to that powerline adapter.

 

3. Plug another adapter into a socket in your garage.

 

4. Add an ethernet cable to that adapter and plug it into a computer or other device that has an ethernet connection.

 

5. As it’s not always the best idea to hardwire a device in your garage you should pair the adapter in your garage with another router.  This should now give you a working WiFi signal in your garage.

 

However, it is important to remember that things such as the quality of the electrical wiring in your house and how far the second adapter is from your main router can affect the quality of the signal in your garage.

 

H3: Home mesh network

Another method that you can use to improve your WiFi signal is to add a home mesh network.  A home mesh network works by taking your WiFi signal and sending it to other hardware devices in your home to improve your signal.  The other devices are placed at strategic points around your home and are usually called nodes.

 

Although it works in a similar way to WiFi extenders, a home mesh network doesn’t suffer from the same issues with its performance and is a much more reliable method and gives a much faster network speed.

 

Home mesh networks are now a popular choice, not only because of their reliability, but because they are much smaller and have a much more modern look than extenders or traditional routers.