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Have a BRIGHT Connection

Tis the season for family fellowship, delicious food, and an overload of wireless devices in your home. If Santa is bringing more “smart” toys down your chimney, (like an iPad, Kindle, Xbox, or laptop), you may want to ensure your wireless router has a gleaming, bright connection with these four steps.

1. Centralize your router position.

Wireless signals may not carry as far in your home as you would like. Walls or large objects, especially metal objects, may cause interference. For this reason, a wireless router should be centrally located in your home to insure the best range possible. Place the router on a flat surface, off the floor and away from obstructions. Additionally, there could be interference from a neighboring wireless signal. Make sure that you’re using a unique wireless channel to limit interference.

2. Consider replacing antennas. (If you have them)

The wireless router in your home may have external antennas. Some standard routers have external antennas that broadcast a signal in all directions, which is beneficial for distributing a signal through-out your home. However, the range is quite short, if your router has omni-directional capabilities. (Think of your router broadcasting the signal in waves of circles.) The downside is that half of your signal may be going outside of your home, if your router is near an outside wall. You can upgrade your standard antenna, if the antennas are removable, to a high-gain or directional antenna. This will allow your router to concentrate your wireless signal to one area of your home. Your range will improve by focusing the signal in a specific way; basically allowing you to aim it where it’s needed. (Think of your router broadcasting the signal in one direction.)

If you have recently purchased a router that does not have external antennas, do not be alarmed. Many new models are now built this way and provide a quality and reliable signal strength.

3. Add a repeater.

A wireless repeater is the easiest and best way to boost your wireless signal. A repeater works by distributing your existing network further throughout your home. They are easy to install and don’t require any additional wires or connections. In fact, the wireless repeaters that TrioTel has on hand plug directly into an existing power outlet. In some cases, multiple repeaters may be used, depending on the size of your home and your desired network reach.

4. Ask TrioTel.

As your dedicated Internet provider, we wish to not only have your connection bright this holiday season but always. As we have seen in the past, Internet consumption increases over around this time of year, especially with more family member’s home on Christmas break. Still, TrioTel will continue to ensure that your home has complete connectivity. So as always, feel free to reach out to us and ask how we can improve your wireless capabilities.