Tag: wifi installation


how to get better wifi around the house

A weak WiFi signal that doesn’t reach every part of the house is not what we sign up for when we take put a Broadband contract.  Yet many of us put up with sub-par coverage. You know how it is. Either the Wi-Fi signal reaches every room but to the one, you really want it in or the kids and their mates are at home all connected and the signal on your phone disappears in to the abyss. Fear not.  There is no need to suffer as there are ways of boosting your signal using the latest technology which will make a significant difference in your home.

Firstly, it’s always best to make sure you’re getting the most from your existing setup.

  • Where is your router?
    Location is important. Keep it away from water (e.g. fish tanks), microwaves, cordless phones, windows, thick walls etc. as these can interfere with the signal. The best place is usually a central location in your home.  If you have a dead spot try moving it to the area of poor signal.
  • Set a good password!
    Avoid obvious passwords as you don’t want neighbours or passers-by leeching off your network.
  • Turn it off and on again!
    Turning the router off and leaving it for a minute before turning it back on can reset the router, the channel selection and signal which can fix slow connection issues like being stuck on a busy WiFi channel. Don’t do this too frequently as it can cause issues with your provider.
  • Is your Broadband fast enough?
    ‘Standard ‘ Broadband might not be suitable for large households.  Consider fibre, if available, as its cost is just a little extra.  Some providers (Virgin and BT) provide app downloads so you can test signal strength room to room and detect ‘dead’ spots

If you’ve tried all the above and still have issues then have a look at the options shown below.

WiFi Connectivity

Your options for improving WiFi signal around the house.

AB Aerials have recently introduced a range of Access Points (AP) that creates a wireless local area network (WLAN) either to a “dead spot” or around the house and even in to the garden and beyond!! For example, if you want to enable Wi-Fi access in your recently converted cellar but don’t have a router within range, you can install an access point in the cellar and run an Ethernet cable back to the router. A bespoke WLAN can be set up to be run independently from your existing Wi-Fi or in conjunction with it.

what does a Wifi network look like

What’s the difference between a Wi-Fi extender and an AP?

What’s the difference between a Wi-Fi extender and an AP I hear you ask? As its name implies, a range extender lengthens the reach of an existing Wi-Fi network. Since range extenders connect wirelessly to Wi-Fi routers, they must be placed where the Wi-Fi router’s signal is already strong, not in the location of the actual dead spot.

There are significant advantages of installing an AP. When you have swarms of family and friends all visiting at once connecting with tablets and mobile phones.  Twenty devices on a wireless network adds up quickly. At 60 simultaneous connections each, access points give you the freedom to scale the number of devices supported on your network. But that’s only one of the advantages of using these network enhancers—consider these points:

  • Business-grade access points can be installed anywhere you can run an Ethernet cable. Models that AB Aerials employ are also compatible with Power over Ethernet Plus, or PoE+ (a combination Ethernet and power cord), so there is no need to run a separate power line or install an outlet near the access point.
  • Additional standard features include Captive Portal and Access Control List (ACL) support, so you can limit guest access without compromising network security, as well as easily manage users within your Wi-Fi network.
  • Select access points include a Clustering feature—a single point from which the IT administrator can view, deploy, configure, and secure a Wi-Fi network as a single entity rather than a series of separate access point configurations.

Which products are best for solving my WiFi issues?

There are a range of products and functionalities that can be tailored to suit customer requirements.  AP’s can be categorised in to three main products

  • In wall access points – which provide a separate WLAN or combined WLAN and data access point

  • Ceiling access points – which provide Wi-Fi (flooding) throughout the property

  • Bridges  – which can provide Wi-Fi from building to building both point to point and point to multi point

WiFi CAN reach every room in your house!

Technology is reaching a point where decent Wi-fi signals can be had in every room of the house as long as the ethernet cable run from the router to the AP is do-able. Multiple devices can be added to the network without loss of signal/drop out to individual rooms or the whole property or even the man shed at the bottom of the garden.

Further Reading and AB-Aerials Services

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