8 Tips for Improving Your WiFi Signal

If you've ever taken a look at the signal strength of the WiFi signal on a wireless device in your home or office, you probably noticed that the signal strength will vary even if the device is stationary. This is usually the result of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), which will also cause slowdowns in transmission speeds.

There are lots of different sources of RFI, including:

• Other wireless networks
• Other radio devices, like cordless phones or cell phones
• electrical equipment, including television sets, microwaves, radios, fan motors, or air conditioners

To get the best performance from your WiFi router, use these tips:

1. Make sure you install the latest firmware on your router.
2. Using the router's configuration tools, try different channels for your WiFi network, especially if there are other wi-fi networks in the neighborhood that are using the same channel as yours.
3. Try putting your router in different rooms in your home or office.Place your router as high off the ground as possible.
4. If you want your WiFi network to cover more than one floor, put the router on the uppermost floor.
5. Leave a distance of at least 2 feet between the tips of the router antenna and the ceiling or walls. Also, some types of construction, such as metal studs or wire backed plaster lathe, may behave like giant antennas and also cause RFI issues.
6. Place your router away from large metal objects, bodies of water (like fish tanks or bathrooms) or electrical equipment.

If none of these tips improve the performance of your network, you may also:

• Attach a larger antenna to your router
• Replace your router with a new model (be sure to keep the receipt, in case the new router doesn't improve things)

If you have any other tips or ideas about how to improve your router's performance, please post them here.

How safe is that Wi-Fi hotspot?

If you are looking for a non-technical overview of the perils of using open WiFi hotspots, you can't do better than this local ABC affiliate's news clip.

Experts say there are dangers to web surfing in Wi-Fi hotspots because wireless technology has become fertile ground for hackers and thieves...hackers can use open networks to lift usernames and passwords even on sites that appear to block out password information.

The anchorman concludes with some good security tips at the end of the video, as well. Since it's not too technical, and the TV news can't seem to resist hyping up the fear factor, this isn't really a very comprehensive segment, but how much can you do in 4:36?

I think it's a good sign to see the MSM shining the light on some of the more common issues regarding WiFi security, especially considering how little the average user knows about the perils of open Wifi.

D-Link Wireless Router Vulnerabilities

On Jan 15th, D-Link reported that vulnerabilities had been found in its wireless routers, and it has updated its firmware. The vulnerabilities were in the implementation of the Home Network Administration Protocol (HNAP), which could allow an unauthorized person to change the router settings. If you have a DLink router that supports HNAP, you should check right away to see if there is updated firmware for it. The updated firmware can be found here. More details on the vulnerability can be found here.