The Effects of Different Materials on Wi-Fi Strength

Introduction

Nowadays, almost everyone uses the internet. At work, school, or at home. Wi-Fi is used to connect to the internet. Since Wi-Fi is very essential to most people’s lives, knowing how to maximize the strength is very important. Many factors can affect the strength and quality of a Wi-Fi signal, including walls, distance to the device, outdated drivers, and interfering objects. Some of the biggest factors that can affect Wi-Fi strength are the location of the router, and objects that can interfere with the signal. Some examples are, microwaves, unnecessary physical obstructions, and devices that use similar network frequencies

What is Wi-FI?

Wi-Fi is a wireless technology that uses radio-waves to provide a connection to the internet. Wi-Fi was invented and released for public use in 1997 when a set of standards called 802.11 was created. Wi-Fi is a trademarked term that refers to the 802.11 standard. These set of standards were the guidelines for radio-frequency based networking. A few years later, Wi-Fi became what it is now - a thriving net of connections and people.

Radio frequency interference

A new study estimates that 1 in 4 households have Wi-Fi . Wi-Fi is important, but many factors such as similar network frequencies can affect the signal strength. According to Escobar (2015), most microwaves use 2.450Ghz to heat food. Consequently, this affects Wi-Fi because most networks are 2.412Ghz or 5Ghz. Most microwaves have a metal cage that surrounds the heating chamber to keep signals from leaking but sometimes signals get through. Because of their similar network frequencies, microwaves can interfere with the signal’s strength. This issue can be resolved by using a 5Ghz Wi-Fi network.

Multiple devices affect bandwidth

Since Wi-Fi is a radio signal, many objects can interfere with it. It’s common to see devices on the same frequency interfering with each other. According to Mitchell (2019), “Other electronics in a home, like cordless phones, garage door openers, baby monitors, and microwave ovens, may also use this same frequency range.” Mitchell (2019) also states that an overloaded network can be an issue for Wi-Fi. Multiple devices on the same Wi-Fi can affect the bandwidth, or the maximum amount of data that can be transferred between Wi-Fi and a device connected to it.

Outdated Wifi Drivers

When a device has a low Wi-Fi signal, it's not always the Wi-Fi device’s fault. For a device to use Wi-Fi, it need to have a Wi-Fi “Driver”. Just as a car needs a driver, for devices to use Wi-Fi, they need a Wi-Fi driver. Drivers that are not up to date can affect Wi-Fi signal significantly. Devices that have drivers range from computers to smartphones but, smartphone drivers come built in with the phone. Unfortunately, computers need to have their drivers updated or replaced every few years.

Conclusion

In closing, Wi-Fi is very important to humans, and many factors can affect the strength of the signal, such as microwaves, outdated Wi-Fi drivers, and common home electronics. These can all be avoided to maximize Wi-Fi signal potential by regularly checking the router for problems. Wi-Fi, the simple way to connect to the internet, has changed the world and it will continue to do so for many years to come.

References

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2. Escobar, E. (2015, July 15). How Does Wi-Fi Work? Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-Wi-Fi-work/
3. Escobar, E. (2013, September 18). How to Boost Your WiFi Signal (Part 1). Retrieved fro https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-boost-wifi-signal-part1/
4. Fix Wireless Network Drivers Problems: Wireless Network Driver Updates. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.drivers.com/fix_wireless_network_drivers/
5. J. Crane. (2019, June). WiFi and non-WiFi Interference Examples. Retrieved from https://support.metageek.com/hc/en-us/articles/200628894-WiFi-and-non-WiFi-Interference-Examples
6. J. Thomas. (2014, May 25). The History of WiFi. Retrieved from https://purple.ai/blogs/history-wifi/
7. A, Jauregul. (2012, April 12). World Going Wireless: 1 In 4 Homes Connect Wirelessly. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/one-in-four-households-in-the-world-use-Wi-Fi_n_1419014
8. Mitchell, B. (2019, April 22). Why Does My Wi-Fi Connection Keep Dropping? Retrieved from https://www.lifewire.com/reasons-why-wifi-connections-drop-818210
9. WiFi Driver – What It Is & Why We Need It, And Mainly How To Install It? (2017, August 08). Retrieved from https://www.deskdecode.com/wifi-driver/