Ways to Get Rid of Dead Zones

 

Have you ever suffered from weak or even no Wi-Fi connectivity in specific spots where you live? Or have you ever experienced that your wireless signal somehow disappears in certain corners of your house? This is likely due to a wireless signal not being able to reach that spot known as a "dead zone".

 

Wi-Fi dead zones are areas where your wireless router is not able to provide a adequete signal for your devices to connect to. It is common to deal with dead zones. Potential causes include:

• Signal Interference

     Wi-Fi signals broadcasts through radio waves, and many elements can interfere with or even block them. This includes phones or other routers.

• Areas not Covered

     A router may not be able to cover every corner due to the environment, this can be due to walls made of brick or metal.

• Clients with Weak Radio Antennas

     Clients may not be sensitive enough to receive wireless signals. This pertains to wireless devices that have weak antennas.

For the first two causes, you can try solving the problem with your router following the tips below. If the problem still exists, you can introduce new devices to expand signal coverage.

 

4 Tips to Eliminate Dead Zones with Your Router

1. Upgrade the Firmware

Check if there is an available firmware upgrade for your router by vising the routers support page or by searching yoru model in the Download Center. The latest firmware will help improve the stability, functionality, and performance of your router.

 2. Adjust the Antennae of the Router

If your router is already in the latest firmware version, adjust the direction of its antennae, and make sure they are pointing vertically upwards. The wireless coverage can reach the maximum area when the antennae are in the vertical direction.

 3. Identify Obstructions and Replace the Router

Obstructions may get in the way of radio waves broadcast. To avoid interference and eliminate dead zones, rearrange the obstructions or the router itself. Normally, obstructions include big metal objects, large furniture, and the devices that also use radio waves to work.

 4. Use a Wired Connection

If dead zones still exist, you can always use a wired Ethernet cable. Notice that this is only applicable for devices with Ethernet ports.

 

Using Other Devices that Expand Wi-Fi Coverage

If using the suggestions above does not solve the problem, the dead zones in your house are likely caused by limited coverage of one single router. Under this situation, consider introducing new devices to expand the Wi-Fi coverage. Access points, range extenders, and powerline adapters are reliable and effective options.

1. What is an Access Point?

An access point is designed to establish or expand the wireless network or to connect multiple Ethernet enabled devices to a wireless network. AP products gives you  a flexible wireless networking experience with various operation modes.

 2. What is a Range Extender?

A range extender, also known as a repeater, is a small hub that expands the Wi-Fi coverage by receiving signals from the main router and then extending them out to cover more areas. By placing it in the right place, an extender will send signals to even the hard-to-wire spots to get rid of dead zones.

 3. What is a Powerline Adapter?

Powerline adapters can transform the electrical circuit into a Wi-Fi network with electrical wires already in your walls. As a frequently-used device to eliminate dead zones, they provide stable transfer rates on a line up to 300 meters long in theory. The powerline adapters are deployed in sets of at least two. You can also add more devices into the powerline networking when needed.

 4. Which is Right for Me?

The AP, range extender, and powerline adapters all can expand Wi-Fi coverage and help remove dead zones. There is not an absolute best choice, as it depends on particular circumstances. Their strengths and limitation are as follows.

 

	AP (Default Mode)	Range Extender	Powerline Adapters
Strengths	Stable data transfer Ability to send signals through walls with built-in cables Signals not influenced by the quality of electrical wiring	Flexible placement No need for Ethernet ports and cable Signals not influenced by the quality of electrical wiring	Plug, pair and play Ability to send signals stably through electrical circuit No need for Ethernet ports and cables
Limitation	Needs to be connected to the router (you can choose other modes)	Signals influenced by thick walls and large obstructions	Signals influenced by quality and distance of electrical wiring

 

To sum up, when you find dead zones at home, first consider dealing with the problem with the router in hand. If you still have dead zones at home, choose a  product that expands your Wi-Fi coverage based on your actual situation. An AP, a range extender, and powerline adapters are trust-worthy devices to “revive” the dead zones.