How to strengthen wifi reception on TV. How to boost a cellular signal with your own hands

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Hi all!
I doubted whether it was worth writing this review at all, because everything was indecently simple, but I still decided to do it. Perhaps the information will be useful for someone. I just decided to show how simple and cheap it is to improve Wi-Fi signal reception. Below the cut is a short overview of two antennas and the result of installing them on a TV box.

from my previous reviews, as planned, we went to our parents. And in their house there is simply a huge number of networks in the 2.4 GHz range.

The router is located in the corridor, and the box is next to the TV in the far corner of the room. In addition to the polluted air, the signal is also weakened, so the equipment is removed almost to the maximum possible distance in a 3-room apartment, almost diagonally across the entire apartment.

The box's internal film antenna could not boast of outstanding results anyway; at my home the speed was about 35 Mbit/s.
And for parents, in such difficult conditions, their income dropped by 2 times.

However, even in this case, everything continued to work normally, IPTV and movies online can be watched quite comfortably, without any brakes. And all these experiments with antennas are actually not that necessary. Rather, it’s more my desire to just try what will happen.

Let's look at a cheaper antenna first. It's worth it and the kit already includes an SMA connector.
The stated gain is 3DBI.

Now it's time to pick up a soldering iron. We cut off the unnecessary connector and prepare the cable.

Next, in a suitable place in the housing you need to make a hole for the connector. Then unsolder the original antenna, and solder the prepared cable tail instead. After this, insert the connector into place, tighten the nut and assemble the housing.

It looks like this.

And the result.

There is already a noticeable increase in speed.

It is collapsible and appears to be of better quality than the first one.

But I didn’t use it, because... I already soldered the connector from the first antenna, and this one fits perfectly.

And, as expected, this antenna showed the best result.

I did not test in the 5 GHz range, because... My parents’ router doesn’t know how to work in it, it only supports 2.4 GHz ((

By the way, the set-top box is really good; after the review, the firmware was updated automatically, and no glitches or problems emerged during use. There is currently a promotion on it in the store,

What progress has come - now, in order to watch videos on YouTube or search for the necessary information on the Internet, you don’t need to run for a laptop or grab a smartphone. Everything you want can be done through the TV. The only necessary condition is the presence of the Smart TV function. Electronics stores offer a fairly wide selection of TVs from different manufacturers with the Smart TV function, which, by the way, are not cheap.

But the end justifies the means. Convenience, comfort and pleasure from watching such TVs with excellent image quality, and even the ability to connect to the Internet, is hardly worth discussing. One of the leaders in this product segment is undoubtedly Samsung Smart TVs.

What should you know before setting up your Smart TV?

Your dream has come true and you have taken out the very same Samsung Smart TV from the box. We determined its place, placed it there and now it’s time to start setting it up. What do you need to know and be able to do in order to easily use the Smart TV function?

Let's start in order and look at the procedure for setting up the TV via Wi-Fi. Of course, there is the option of connecting the TV directly via wire, but this is not a very convenient option.

An additional cable, assemblies of wires - all this is a hassle and inconvenience that you are unlikely to like. There will also be opponents of connecting via Wi-Fi, because many believe that such a connection is not capable of providing uninterrupted communication with the Internet. But this is not true. Interruption of communication and lack of stability is solely a problem with the router. If the router's processor is strong enough and the Internet provider provides fast Internet, then there will be no problems. Otherwise, either change the router or Internet service provider.

Before you start setting up Smart TV, you need to clarify a few points, namely:

Does your Samsung Smart TV come with a built-in Wi-Fi adapter? If yes, that’s great, if not, then you need to purchase it. If you buy an adapter, be sure to pay attention to the fact that it is individual for each Smart TV model.
Is the router configured and working properly? But, if the router is not new and your smartphone or tablet already has an Internet connection, then you can skip this point, because all the necessary settings have already been completed. Otherwise, setting up the router for Internet access will require specialist intervention.

What do you need to do to set up Smart TV via Wi-Fi?

It's likely that your Samsung Smart TV will automatically prompt you to go to settings the first time you turn it on. But this point can be omitted - when you bought a TV, you already turned it on in the store. If the purchase was made via the Internet, then you should expect a similar offer from the device. The Samsung Smart TV will also automatically start searching for wireless connections if you are not using a direct connection to the network via cable, for example. Step-by-step setup of Smart TV is as follows:

Turn on the TV, press the "" button on the TV remote control Settings«.

In the TV menu, go to the tab Net and select Network connection.

Next, the option of wired or wireless connection is displayed. Press the button "Set up connection".

Select from the list the desired wireless network. Attention! If you need to set your parameters when connecting, you must select "Manual setup". For example, this will be needed to connect to a network with a hidden SSID, when using a static IP address, or to connect using WPS technology and other possible options.

Next you need to specify password to connect the TV to a Wi-Fi access point.

Click Ok.

On the next window you will see the connection status. The network is connected, the signal is stable. Click the button.

If you are asked to enter IP and DNS, select “receive automatically”. You can use the functions of technology! If Smart TV mode is activated, then at the top you will see an Internet connection icon.

After you have successfully connected to the network via Wi-Fi, you will need to go to the “Menu” again and select the “Smart Hub” function in the “Support” tab. It is capable of providing access to many information resources on the Internet. With its help you can watch videos on YouTube or visit other Internet pages.

What to do if the Smart TV connection failed?

A situation that often occurs is that everything seems to have been done correctly and the sequence has been followed, but the Samsung Smart TV stubbornly refuses to connect to the network via Wi-Fi.

In this case, you need to understand the reason for this behavior and eliminate it. Among the most common are incorrect router settings. Check the connection on other devices in your home - phones, laptops, tablets. If they also do not see the network, then of course move in the direction of fixing the problem in the router. If your Samsung Smart TV refuses to connect, your next action will be to correct the error in the Smart TV setup.

If you look at the TVs that are on the market now, most of them support the Smart TV function. LG has webOS, Samsung has its own Smart system, Philips and Sony run Android TV. There are, of course, other manufacturers, but they are less popular. What I mean is that Smart TVs themselves are primarily an additional source of income for manufacturers (through the sale of additional accessories) and a good marketing move.

There are also cool features for the user. You can go online, watch videos on YouTube, read the news, watch the weather, etc. But here you still need to calculate what is more profitable: buy a TV without Smart TV and an attachment to it, or pay more for Smart functions. Since a regular Android box can make your TV more SMART than a built-in system. But today is not about that.

Of all the TVs that have Smart TV features, many models come without a built-in Wi-Fi receiver. True, in 2017 almost all models already have a built-in receiver. And if you don’t connect the Internet to the TV, then all these Smart functions on it are simply useless. Yes, all models definitely have a LAN port that allows you to connect to the Internet via cable. But you must admit, this is very inconvenient. You need to lay a network cable from the router to the TV.

And all these Smart TVs that do not have a Wi-Fi module are another insidious plan of the manufacturers. After all, you could insert this wireless module and make the TV a couple of dollars more expensive. What for? If we can then sell branded Wi-Fi adapters for $100 each :) And even now these branded Wi-Fi adapters for Samsung, LG, Philips TVs are very difficult to find. They are simply not on sale. But there are TVs, and their users want to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

If you have a Smart TV without built-in Wi-Fi, and you want to connect it to the Internet via a wireless network, then there are the following options:

First, I advise you to look at the characteristics of your TV on the official website. Perhaps your TV still has Wi-Fi and can be connected to a wireless network. It might be useful: , and a separate one. If there is no built-in receiver, then you can search and buy a branded external USB adapter.
The second method is to buy a regular Wi-Fi adapter from D-Link, TP-Link, etc., and flash its firmware to work with the TV. Honestly, I can’t even imagine how all this is stitched and works, but I saw such information on the Internet. This is a method for those who are not looking for easy ways.
Well, the third option, which I will discuss in more detail below in the article, is to buy a regular, inexpensive Wi-Fi router or repeater and configure it as an adapter for a TV without Wi-Fi.

Let's look at the third option in more detail.

Wi-Fi adapter from a router for a Smart TV without a built-in Wi-Fi module

Everything is very simple. Almost all modern routers can operate in different modes: amplifier (repeater), access point, adapter, wireless bridge. I wrote about this in more detail in the article:. This scheme works something like this:

We buy a router. Perhaps you have some old one. You can even have an inexpensive model. Totolink and Netis have good and budget options. Other manufacturers will also be suitable.
We set it up in adapter mode. If there is such a mode, then the router will receive the Internet from your main Wi-Fi network and transmit it to the TV via a network cable. Bridge or network amplifier mode is also suitable. True, in this case the router will further strengthen your wireless network.
We connect our Smart TV to the router via a network cable.
The Internet on the TV works via Wi-Fi.

It looks something like this:

You can also use a regular adapter that has at least one LAN port. And it is available on almost all models.

What's the result: A router or repeater can be bought in almost every store. Compared to branded Wi-Fi receivers for LG, Samsung TVs, etc. And it will be cheaper this way (though it depends on which router you choose), since the price of original adapters is very high.

I wrote about setting up different operating modes on different routers in the article:. If you have a model from some other manufacturer, then you can look for setup instructions through the search on our website. Or ask in the comments.

Here is a solution for Smart TVs without built-in Wi-Fi. Without a doubt, the best solution is the original receiver. But since they are practically not on sale and their prices are very high, you can use such a scheme. What do you think about it? Write in the comments!

Wi-Fi network performance is problematic in two ways. First: weak and unstable signal. Second: low data transfer speed. Both can be easily solved even by a person with a humanitarian mindset, if he reads our article or offers a box of beer to a neighbor who is an IT specialist.

The option with beer is, of course, better and revitalizes the Russian economy, and also provides a significant increase in GDP. But this option often has an incorrigible drawback: the neighbor IT specialist may not exist. And then, willy-nilly, you will have to read what we wrote for you here.

1

The most important. Make sure that at the center of your Wi-Fi network is a modern, full-fledged wireless router (aka router). The key word is modern. The fact is that communication equipment is developing as actively as the entire IT industry. Those standards, protocols and wireless transmission speeds that were the norm 5-7 years ago are now hopelessly behind. For example, not so long ago a channel of 50-60 Mbit/s was considered a decent option for the home, for the family, for show-offs. And now inexpensive devices for a couple of thousand rubles claim a theoretical 300 Mbit/s.

2

In his personal diaries, Captain Obvious has repeatedly noted that the main obstacle to a Wi-Fi signal is walls and partitions. In addition to walls, any shielding barrier containing metal can become a serious obstacle to the Wi-Fi signal - most often a mirror, an aquarium or a steel statue of Darth Vader. Demolition of all the walls in the apartment is the optimal solution to all your problems, but it is troublesome, yes. It’s easier to think about finding the optimal placement point for the signal source. Your wireless router should be as close to the center of the room as possible and should not lie on the floor, but should be placed at least a meter from the floor.

3

When you started searching for a network, you probably noticed more than once that there were a couple or even a dozen other people’s Wi-Fi signals walking around your apartment. For some reason, few people think about the fact that other people’s networks operate in the same frequency range as yours, and there is nothing good about that. According to standards, 13 frequency channels are allocated for Wi-Fi networks in Russia. We stole a screenshot of the configuration menu from the instructions for the popular ZyXEL Keenetic Lite router - you can see how in the “Network Client” mode the router shows channels occupied by neighbors. There are also separate programs that do the same thing, for example inSSIDer. All you have to do is study the resulting list, select the freest of 13 channels and set it as the default in the router.

4

Many craftsmen manually pump up router antennas by hanging tins, foil, and so on on them. In fact, the game is clearly not worth the candle - it is better to buy a suitable high-power antenna. There is a considerable assortment of them on Wi-Fi equipment websites, and some look very exotic. Antenna gain is specified in isotropic decibels (dBi). A standard antenna from a home router has a power of around 2 dBi, but finding and buying an antenna with a gain of 10-20 dBi is not a problem, and this radically solves the situation with signal availability! But it also makes sense to tame foil - recently a particularly virtuosic life hack with reflectors from , arousing increased interest, has been invented.

5

Many modern router models are equipped with a pair of antennas, and top models may have even more. Usually this provides a good signal, but if not, then changing two antennas at once will be expensive. In such a situation, it is better to install an additional signal distribution point in the apartment - such devices are called “repeaters” (Wi-Fi repeaters). They cost about the same as an inexpensive router and are easy to set up.

6

Often the problematic element in a home network is not the router, not the apartment layout, but the receiving device itself. You need to get two things off your chest once and for all. First: if you have a powerful computer for games and multimedia, it is still better to connect it to the network via a wired connection (there are a million reasons for this, and all of them are important). Second: if you are going to receive Wi-Fi via an adapter, choose not a tiny device the size of a fingernail (it is only suitable for gatherings in a coffee shop), but a receiver with a large antenna. Buying a Wi-Fi adapter with a heavy antenna also helps when your laptop receives a lousy signal, but in some corner of the room it is much better. You can plug a Wi-Fi adapter into your laptop and place its antenna in that lucky corner.

If something can be done, it can be done easily! Telegram channel MAXIM: Lifehacks

Every year there are more and more different gadgets that have access to the Internet. Almost every apartment has a laptop, smartphone, tablet or TV, and maybe even a refrigerator with a Wi-Fi module. At the same time, users often face the problem that it is not possible to “catch” a connection to the Internet everywhere. The reason for this may be that the distance from the router to the device is too large. The coverage radius of the router is about 30 meters, and sometimes more. However, there are a number of other factors that can affect the signal level.

Interference can be caused by:

There are software and hardware methods that can help solve this problem. The following recommendations will help strengthen Wi-Fi and make Internet use more comfortable.

Software Gain

The most common mistake when using wireless access points is that owners pay too little attention to setting up the network. Often, users set a security key and change the SSID. This is where all the shenanigans end. At the same time, there are still a lot of parameters that remain by default. Setting them up will help increase the coverage area. Let's consider the main methods of programmatic signal amplification.

Video: Boost WiFi signal

Correct location

First of all, you need to pay attention to the location of the router in the apartment. It is recommended to place the router closest to the device from which you access the Internet. If it is difficult to figure out such a place, and the connection is made from different rooms in the house, then it would be best to install the router in the central part of the apartment.

Photo: location of the router in the apartment

This way, as much space as possible will fall within the range of action.

If the apartment or house has two levels, then the router must be placed on the ground floor at the highest point, this can be a mezzanine or a closet. You should not litter the area where the router is located with various objects (including metal ones). This will allow the signal to travel unhindered.

Device frequency matching

In apartment buildings, there may be up to 20, or even more, wireless networks in the accessibility zone. This is not very good for the performance of one particular device. All available networks tend to overlap and use the same frequency channel. As a result, the network supply level deteriorates even at a relatively close distance.

In this case, strengthening the Wi-Fi signal is very simple and easy; even the most inexperienced user can figure it out. First, you should install a special program on your laptop, which can be used to determine a free channel. The most commonly used is inSSIDer. After launching the program, the screen will display a list of all available wireless networks and the frequency channels they occupy. You must select a free channel. To do this, perform the following steps:

If all channels are already used by other people’s routers, you should choose the least loaded one. For the settings to take effect, click “Save/Change”.

Modern Wi-Fi protocol – 802.11n

Today, the 802.11n standard is the newest. In addition, it is also the fastest due to its increased coverage radius. If all devices in the apartment from which the Internet is accessed support this standard, then a transition to 802.11n is possible.

In order to switch to the 802.11n operating mode, you must:

Low transmitter power

Many router models are equipped with a function for adjusting the Wi-Fi signal strength. You need to make the appropriate changes in the router settings:

Transition to 5 GHz

Most routers operate in the 2.4 GHz band. However, more expensive router models can output signals in the 5 GHz band. Therefore, it is recommended to switch to this particular range, since it is practically free and not occupied by other devices. In this case, the coverage will spread over a larger area.

The transition to the 5 GHz band is possible if the connected devices can operate in this range.

Hardware Wi-Fi signal booster

If all the above steps have been carried out, but access to the network is interrupted, do not despair. Perhaps all is not lost yet. There are several tricks that can help solve this problem. To do this, you need to upgrade your wireless device. You can increase the coverage radius using a second router. To do this, you need to set up a wireless bridge between the two devices using Wireless Distribution System technology. It will allow you to increase your coverage area by combining several routers into one network.

You can also do some tricks with antennas. Most routers are equipped with external removable antennas. They are often underpowered by about 2 dBi, sometimes 5 dBi. They can be easily replaced with stronger ones. To do this, it is worth unscrewing the old ones and placing new ones with a higher coefficient in their place. In addition, you can purchase an antenna with a cable and a special stand. It connects to the router. At the same time, it can be moved around the apartment, thus providing coverage without changing the position of the router.

If the device has more than two antennas, then replacing them will be too expensive. It will be cheaper to purchase a repeater. It is also called a repeater. In other words - a repeater.

Using a Repeater

Users often encounter the problem that in large apartments the range of the router signal is not enough to provide coverage in all rooms. To solve this problem, aids will be useful. A repeater can be used as a signal amplification device. This device connects to an existing network as a client. With its help, the coverage area expands. It must be installed between the router and the work computer.

The repeater is compact in size and relatively inexpensive. The repeater looks like a small power supply and operates from the network. There are many options for such devices on the market.

Improving the adapter on your computer

The reception of the distributed signal can also be enhanced on the client device. This advice will be useful to those users whose computers have adapters connected via a USB port. However, this option will be useless for owners of tablets, smartphones and laptops, since the antennas in such devices are built-in. When using a USB adapter to access the Internet, do not connect it directly to the computer. To begin with, you can use an extension cord,

and connect the device through it. A long cord will allow you to move the modem around the house, searching for a network.

You can also purchase a USB adapter booster. It is capable of providing network access in areas with weak signals. A modem is connected to this device and placed in a place with Wi-Fi coverage.

Rebooting the Router

A weak signal and interference may occur due to outdated router firmware or if the installed drivers require updating.

There is no financial cost required to update drivers. They can be downloaded for free on the official website of the router manufacturer. Install them on your computer, the level and quality of the signal will increase.

Antenna Upgrade

This method will help you upgrade your device using a reflector. To make it you will need foil and thick paper or cardboard.

A parabola with two holes for the antenna is cut out of paper and attached to a rectangle made of foil. The resulting device must be secured to the antenna. Thus, the signal will become directional. You can also use a drink can as a reflector by cutting it lengthwise, cutting off the bottom, and placing it behind the router. The reflector is directed in the direction where it is necessary to provide coverage.

By following these simple tips, you can significantly strengthen the Wi-Fi signal on your laptop. To do this, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on buying new devices. You just need to take a little time to study the router settings or use available tools and upgrade the device yourself.