How to Boost Wi-Fi Signal
Everyone agrees that wireless networks can make our life a lot easier. And yet, they are slow and often times they have a poor range. And when the Wi-Fi signal is poor, they can really drive us crazy.
The good news is that knowing exactly what to do in such negative circumstances will save you a lot of time and significantly diminish your frustration. So read on to discover some of the most common solutions that will boost your Wi-Fi signal.
Interference is one of the most common Wi-Fi trouble makers. You may not be aware of this, but many devices use similar or identical frequencies with your Wi-Fi network. Think microwave ovens, Bluetooth devices, wireless video cameras, intelligent, phone-controlled lightbulbs, and many more.
So what can you do to minimize interference? Often times, Wi-Fi networks can operate on several frequencies, so simply choose a different channel for your Wi-Fi router.
Your house walls can be another serious Wi-Fi signal obstacle, no matter if they are made of wood, plaster, brick, concrete or glass. According to the researchers at Data Alliance, all these materials will diminish the power of the 2,4 GHz radio waves, which are used by conventional Wi-Fi networks.
If this is the case, you can see significant signal improvements by simply changing the position of the router, trying to move it away from metal shelves, brick walls, mirrors, and so on. And if things don’t improve, you should consider getting a newer router, which uses a bigger frequency – 5GHz.
Poor Wi-Fi range can also be the cause of many Wi-Fi network troubles. This problem can be easily detected; simply try connecting your device while moving further or closer to the router. The best solution in this case would be to get a more powerful router, or install a wireless access point – even a second router – in the area where the signal strength is weak.
This solution is preferred by many people. Sure, they may have a decent router, but often times it is not powerful enough to cover an entire house. To use the secondary router, simply plug it into the main one.
Sometimes your Wi-Fi network will work fine, but its speed will be lower. Problems like these may be a bit more difficult to diagnose. However, there are some tests that you can run to evaluate the speed of your Internet connection.
Use services like these to measure the wired connection speed, and then your Wi-Fi connection speed. If the differences are significant, you will know for sure that your Internet connection is fast, but your Wi-Fi network doesn’t make full use of its speed. Of course, if the wired and wireless speeds are similar, the problem lies elsewhere (your Internet provider, damaged cables, etc).
Often times, routers will improve their efficiency when their drivers and firmware are updated. So if you have problems with your Wi-Fi network, visit the manufacturer’s site and install the latest versions of your router’s software before trying something else. This will also keep hackers at bay.
Routers work best when they are placed in the middle of the house, on the top floor or on a high shelf. All the devices that may interfere with your router should be kept away from it.
Your Wi-Fi network may work faster when you hide its name, and then change its password. There may be neighbors that have discovered your Wi-Fi password and are making heavy use of your Internet connection.
Read MoreBeginner’s Guide to Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a digital currency, and people all over the world use it to buy all sorts of things, including insurance, cars, homes, software applications, and so on. But the most important thing to know about the bitcoin is the fact that it is decentralized: there is no institution, bank or person capable of controlling it, or using it to his or her own interest.
Bitcoin was created by a software developer who wanted to build an independent currency that can be used without paying the enormous transaction fees that most banks are asking these days. But instead of being printed, the bitcoin is “mined” using computer power through a network that can process the transactions.
Solo mining and pool mining represent the two different ways of collecting bitcoins. With pool mining, miners can work together as a team, and then distribute the rewards among them. The pool is sometimes asking the miners a small tax. As always, lists with the most popular, successful mining pools can be found on the Internet.
While traditional currency is often times linked to gold or silver deposits, the bitcoin is not. It is directly linked to mathematics instead. People can produce bitcoins by simply using software applications that follow a math formula.
Since the formula is not secret, everyone can produce bitcoins (at least in theory). When someone wants to start producing bitcoins, he needs to install a specialized piece of software on his computer – a bitcoin mining application.
Once you start producing bitcoins, you can find out the amount of virtual cash that you have made by simply using an online calculator. When the hash rate is typed, the calculator will approximate it. Bitcoins may also be sent or received via the Internet.
Besides the software program itself, a wallet app is needed as well. There is a large variety of wallets, and some of them work best on desktop computers, while others are perfect for mobile devices. People that know your address, which is similar (in functionality) with a bank account number, will be able to send you bitcoins.
Bitcoins can be also bought using your local currency, changing it into digital currency. You can also use the help of a broker or a local bitcoin trader, of course
Once you have bitcoins, keeping them in a safe place may become a real challenge, as hackers will always be looking for them. When someone knows the key to your virtual wallet, it is easy for him or her to open your wallet and take your bitcoins.
As mentioned in the introduction, bitcoins can be used to buy real things. There are many products which have bitcoin prices these days. The good news is that their number is continually growing, as every day there are new companies that start accepting bitcoin in exchange for their products or services.
Bitcoin can also be used to donate to charity. A lot of charities have already started to accept bitcoin payments. People may also use bitcoin to hire professionals from all over the world. This way, the payments can be made easier, are secure, fast and the commissions are either zero or much smaller in comparison with what a bank (or a similar financial institution) would ask.
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