How to Increase Your WiFi Signal on a Laptop

A weak Wi-Fi signal from your wireless router to your laptop can cause slow speeds or make your connection drop intermittently. Several factors can affect the wireless signal, including interference and out-of-date software. If you have access to the router and its settings – for example, when working in your own office – you can make additional changes to improve signal quality beyond the changes you can make to your laptop. Any one step may improve your signal, so you do not necessarily need to complete every step if your problem is resolved.

Laptop Changes

Step 1Move your laptop closer to the wireless router. Distance from the router causes unavoidable loss in signal strength. If you go too far, the laptop will start losing its connection.

Step 2Update the drivers for your wireless network adapter. Drivers control the way your computer connects to the network, and old drivers may have bugs that cause your connection to drop. To update drivers, visit the manufacturer's website for your network adapter, or check Windows Update for driver updates.

Step 3Replace your Wi-Fi adapter if your laptop has trouble connecting to any wireless network. Most laptops have built-in adapters that you can't physically replace, but you can add on a new USB adapter to effectively replace a malfunctioning internal adapter.

Router Changes

Step 1Move your router closer to where you use your laptop. If you can't move the router very far, try to place it higher up in the room and farther away from walls and metal objects, which can block the signal.

Step 2Set your router to use a different wireless channel. Using a different channel can reduce interference from other devices. To have the least interference from neighboring channels, use channel 1, 6 or 11. You can set the channel in your router's setup options, usually accessed through a special Web page. Check your router's manual to find out how to log in to its setup page.

Step 3 Update your router's firmware. Like a driver for your computer, the firmware on your router tells it how to function, and updates may improve performance. Many routers have updating tools built in to their setup pages. Otherwise, visit the router manufacturer's website for the latest firmware download and instructions on how to install the update.

Step 4Add a new antenna to your router or a wireless repeater to your network. Some routers have replaceable antennas, and a different model of antenna may function better than the built-in model. You can also attach a repeater to your network. This device will receive the signal from your router and broadcast it again from a different location in the building, providing more signal coverage.