How to increase wifi signal?

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chase23

How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

I want to basically receive around 80% of what my router is outputting. My family has current gen iphones and whenever they are at the house I have trouble or cannot load programs and web pages on my laptop. My wifi signal strength stays around 57% to 60% on my end of the house. I have even wired my connection and still had same problems.
Please help me horde my wifi.

9@9 ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System: Host: themagus9 Kernel: 3.13.0-46-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.8.2)
Desktop: Gnome Distro: Linux Mint 17.1 Rebecca
Machine: System: Hewlett-Packard (portable) product: HP ProBook 6550b
Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 146D version: KBC Version 73.16
Bios: Hewlett-Packard version: 68CDE Ver. F.50 date: 07/07/2014
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5 CPU M 450 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9576.58
Clock Speeds: 1: 1199.00 MHz 2: 1199.00 MHz 3: 1199.00 MHz 4: 2399.00 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 10.1.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.13.0-46-generic
Network: Card-1: Intel 82577LC Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e ver: 2.3.2-k port: 4020 bus-ID: 00:19.0
IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Broadcom BCM43224 802.11a/b/g/n driver: bcma-pci-bridge bus-ID: 44:00.0
IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 500.1GB (17.4% used) 1: id: /dev/sda model: Hitachi_HTS54505 size: 500.1GB
Partition: ID: / size: 455G used: 82G (19%) fs: ext4 ID: /boot size: 236M used: 85M (38%) fs: ext2
RAID: No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0C mobo: 0.0C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 199 Uptime: 10 min Memory: 1536.3/3746.6MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.4
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jungle_boy
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Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by jungle_boy »

Try (buy) a Universal WiFi Range Extender.
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chase23

Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

No program or manipulation I can use? opensource..
chase23

Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

I am only actually around 15ft from router
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Pierre
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Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by Pierre »

in the advanced section of some routers, there is a setting to increase the TX pwr of the WiFi output.
- but only with some routers. ..
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Pjotr
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Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by Pjotr »

This would call for QoS distribution of the internet bandwidth..... Third-party router firmware like Tomato and Tomato RAF has excellent QoS which is easy to configure:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... ect/tomato

Note this section of that web page:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... dth-limits
(item 5, right column)

Not all routers are fit for Tomato / Tomato RAF, but this is a fine router for that:
http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WRT54GL-W ... B000BTL0OA

I've used that router, after installing Tomato on it, for evenly distributing internet bandwidth in a hotel and in a student fraternity house. Worked very well: no longer problems caused by one or two persons hogging all available bandwidth....
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chase23

Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

THANK YOU
chase23

Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

You sir are the genius of my month. Tomato looks intriguing.
hal8000
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Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by hal8000 »

I have even wired my connection and still had same problems.
If you have problems using a wired connection then the problem relates to your network and not wireless.

Here are some tips for wifi:
57% wifi signal should be adequate. Ideally wifi B/G/N needs a full 20MHz bandwidth, only possible if there
are two clear channels either side of your nominated channel. See signals and spectrum chart below:

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/2 ... ast.aspx/5

This however is rarely possible so best you can do is find a channel away from large signals. Use wifi
analyzer on Android or LinSSID on linux:

https://launchpad.net/~wseverin/+archive/ubuntu/ppa

Other thing to check is that your wifi chipset does not go into energy saving or low power mode, This facility
is not availavle on all chipsets so open a terminal and run "iwconfig"
You may see something like this:


wlan0 IEEE 802.11abg ESSID:"Genesis"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: 11:22:33:44:93:BB:71
Bit Rate=54 Mb/s Tx-Power=200 dBm
Retry long limit:7 RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=59/70 Signal level=-51 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0

Highlighted in red is power managenent. This is turned off. If enabled adapters can use low
power mode which can break the signal. To disable power management type

Code: Select all

sudo iwconfig  wlan0 power off
Replace wlan0 with your adapater.
acerimusdux
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Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by acerimusdux »

How old is your router? Is it at least 802.11n capable? If it is an older router only doing 802.11b/g, then you could get a substantial upgrade in both speed and range by upgrading the router. An 8012.11n might run you $20 now, and an 802.11ac, a major step up again, might cost $50.
chase23

Re: How to increase wifi signal?

Post by chase23 »

I have it running around 61% to 72% now depending on who is on wifi. Problem is fixed. Wired connection I am not sure what the deal was. I think it was the apple phones draining it from my laptop. If I sit in front of router I get around 74%.
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