Question

Fern has set up a computer network for the entire building. Unfortunately, the signal strength diminishes as it reaches toward the computers away from the network source. Which devices should Fern employ to strengthen the signal?

Answer 1

Answer:

Interference

Since WiFi is so common today it is very likely that Fern’s neighbors are already crowding the airwaves with their signals, causing Fern’s most distant clients to experience a weak signal

Find a clear, unused channel

Turn off her entire network for a moment

Look at a WiFi display that shows all the current activity, so this when the nearby networks are busiest

Look for a channel that has no one on it

Set your entire network to the unused channel

If everyone has good service now then you are done

Optimal Coverage

Move the WiFi access point to different locations until all the clients receive a reasonable signal.

If everyone has good service now then you are done

Range Extender

Fern should get additional WiFi access points to extend the range of the signal to the weak areas. Most vendors have a mode that allows their product to act as a repeater, or range extender

This can deliver full speed to all clients no matter how many of them they may be.

If Fern does not have the budget to buy additional hardware and if the above tips were not sufficient to help out enough then Fern can try to change the Band that her network is on. The 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz band each have an advantage, one is faster but the other can have longer range, she should try one then other to see how the clients respond. She can even put some of the clients on one band and the rest on another band depending on which works best for each client.