How to boost your Wi-Fi signal
Free fixes first, then the hardware worth buying if those are not enough.
Last verified: 8 November 2026. Menu names and paths change with firmware, so check your model's manual if a step looks different.
The short answer
Move the router into the open, high up and near the centre of your home, keep it away from metal and appliances, and use 5 GHz where you can. If a room is still weak, add a mesh node or a wired access point rather than a basic extender.
Check before and after each change with the speed test. Run it near the router and in the room where the problem is.
Free fixes
Put the router in the right place
- Central and high: on a shelf, not on the floor or behind the TV.
- In the open: not in a cupboard, cabinet or behind a sofa.
- Away from metal, mirrors, fish tanks, microwaves and cordless phone bases.
Angle the antennas
If the router has adjustable antennas, point some straight up and some sideways. Devices hold their antennas at different angles, and mixed orientation covers more of them, especially across floors.
Use the right band
Use 5 GHz (or 6 GHz) in the same room and the next one; it is far faster. Let distant rooms use 2.4 GHz, which travels further through walls.
Change the channel and update the firmware
A less crowded channel can matter as much as signal strength; see the best Wi-Fi channel guide. Firmware updates often fix stability and range problems.
Hardware, if the free fixes are not enough
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh Wi-Fi system | Large or multi-floor homes with dead zones | Wireless links between nodes lose speed; a cable between nodes is best |
| Wired access point | A specific room you can run a cable to | Needs an Ethernet cable (or MoCA over coax) |
| Powerline adapters | Rooms you cannot cable, in homes with good wiring | Speed varies a lot between homes and circuits |
| Single-band extender | A cheap fix for one light-use spot | Can roughly halve the speed it passes on |
| Newer router | Routers over about five years old | Will not fix many thick walls on its own |
Not sure which? See mesh Wi-Fi vs a single router.
More guides
- Why is my Wi-Fi slow?Find out whether the problem is your Wi-Fi, your router or your provider, in five checks.
- Best Wi-Fi channel for 2.4, 5 and 6 GHzWhich channels don't overlap, when to avoid DFS, and how wide to go.
- Mesh Wi-Fi vs a single routerWhen mesh is worth it, and when one good router or an access point is better.
- How to fix bufferbloat on your routerTurn on smart queue management on OpenWrt, UniFi, ASUS, eero and others.
Related
Questions
Do Wi-Fi extenders work?
They help in a weak spot, but a basic single-band extender has to receive and resend everything on the same radio, which can roughly halve the speed it passes on. Mesh systems and wired access points avoid most of that loss.
Does aluminium foil boost Wi-Fi?
A foil reflector behind the router can push a little more signal in one direction and less in the other. It is a cheap experiment, but moving the router or adding a mesh node makes a much bigger difference.
How do I boost Wi-Fi through walls?
Put the router where the signal passes through as few walls as possible, use 2.4 GHz for distant rooms, and for brick, stone or concrete walls add a mesh node or a wired access point on the far side.
Will a new router make my Wi-Fi faster?
If your router is more than about five years old or your devices support newer Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6, 6E or 7), yes, often noticeably. If the problem is distance through many walls, a mesh system or access point helps more than a single new router.
More from Speedhound
- Speed testDownload, upload, ping, jitter and bufferbloat in 20 seconds.
- Bufferbloat testSee how much lag your connection adds under load.
- Download time calculatorHow long a file takes at your speed.
- Good internet speedHow many Mbps you need for your household.
- Good pingWhat ping, jitter and packet loss numbers mean.
- GuidesStep-by-step fixes for slow Wi-Fi, lag and bufferbloat.
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