Improve performance (range and throughput)
A wireless network lets you connect to the Internet from any room in the house, but houses are not all created equal. Construction materials, improper placement of your router, and sources of radio interference, such as cordless phones, can slow your connection or block it completely. We'll show you some basic ways to get the best performance from your wireless network.
Wireless routers have a limited range and may not be able to cover every room from a far corner of a house. Generally, you'll get the best performance out of your wireless network by placing your router or access point near the middle of the area you'd like to cover.
If the cabling in your home makes it difficult to reposition your router, consider using a pair of HomePlug adapters and a HomePlug access point to transport your broadband connection to the center of your house via your home's electrical wiring. Connect one of the adapters to your router and plug it into an electrical outlet. Connect the other adapter to a HomePlug wireless access point in the center of the house. Plug the adapter into an outlet. HomePlug adapters allow you to port your wireless network into those hard-to-reach areas in your home.
Wireless routers and wireless-enabled laptops communicate with each other using radio waves. Cordless phones and wireless networks often transmit information on the same radio frequency, and they can interfere with each other. If the channel of your wireless network is the same as that used by your cordless phone, your phone may interfere with your network. By changing the channel of your wireless network, you can eliminate interference from your cordless phone.
Metal can also block radio waves. Move large metal objects away from your router or access point to reduce interference.
A wireless network lets you connect to the Internet from any room in the house, but houses are not all created equal. Construction materials, improper placement of your router, and sources of radio interference, such as cordless phones, can slow your connection or block it completely. We'll show you some basic ways to get the best performance from your wireless network.
Wireless routers have a limited range and may not be able to cover every room from a far corner of a house. Generally, you'll get the best performance out of your wireless network by placing your router or access point near the middle of the area you'd like to cover.
If the cabling in your home makes it difficult to reposition your router, consider using a pair of HomePlug adapters and a HomePlug access point to transport your broadband connection to the center of your house via your home's electrical wiring. Connect one of the adapters to your router and plug it into an electrical outlet. Connect the other adapter to a HomePlug wireless access point in the center of the house. Plug the adapter into an outlet. HomePlug adapters allow you to port your wireless network into those hard-to-reach areas in your home.
Wireless routers and wireless-enabled laptops communicate with each other using radio waves. Cordless phones and wireless networks often transmit information on the same radio frequency, and they can interfere with each other. If the channel of your wireless network is the same as that used by your cordless phone, your phone may interfere with your network. By changing the channel of your wireless network, you can eliminate interference from your cordless phone.
Metal can also block radio waves. Move large metal objects away from your router or access point to reduce interference.