RFC
All help topics

How do you improve a weak Wi-Fi signal?

Wi-Fi coverage at home depends on where the router stands and the obstacles in the way. A faster plan will not improve coverage. Start by moving the router, and only then add equipment.

RFC editorial team · updated

Start here

Do the same activity near the Wi-Fi point and in the room where the problem occurs.

Show the full check
Not sure / unable to check

Call or write to us — help does not depend on completing the checks.

Start by comparing

Quick check

Three simple steps in order. Their result helps you pick your situation below.

  1. Choose one activity, e.g. a video or a website, and try it on the same device near the router and in the problem room.

  2. Look at where the router stands. A cabinet, metal furniture, thick walls and floors weaken Wi-Fi.

  3. If you can, place the router higher and more centrally in the home. Do not move the equipment where the incoming connection ends — call us about that.

Placement first. Extra equipment later.

An illustration, not a coverage simulation. After each change, repeat the same activity in the same room.

Before

Point behind an obstacle

A cabinet and a wall stand between the router and the room.

After the change

Point in open space

The router higher up, in open space, closer to the rooms where you use the internet.

If that is not enough

Extra point halfway

If moving it is not enough, add a mesh point or extender — or run a cable.

  • Wi-Fi router
  • Extra point (mesh, extender)
  • Cabinet
  • Where you use the internet

Dashed line with a cross: obstructed path. Solid line: unobstructed path.

Two links. Check both.

An extender or mesh point passes the internet on, but it has to receive it well first. A cable from a device to the extra point does not improve the link to the router.

  1. Main router
  2. Extender or mesh point
  3. Phone or computer

  • Link 1Router ↔ extra point

    Decides how much internet reaches the extra point at all. Your phone cannot see this link.

  • Link 2Extra point ↔ your device

    This is the link your phone’s signal bars show. Full bars say nothing about link 1.

Place the extra point roughly halfway — where it still connects well to the router, not at the very edge of coverage.

Your situation

What does the result mean?

Choose the description that matches your situation.

  1. It only works near the Wi-Fi point

    Check
    Near the router everything works; in a further room it slows down or drops.
    What it means
    It works near the router, so the result points to Wi-Fi coverage in that room.
    What to do
    Move the router to an open spot, closer to the rooms where you use the internet. If that is not enough, add a mesh point or run a cable.

  2. No Wi-Fi on the terrace or in the garden

    Check
    Check Wi-Fi with the terrace door open and closed.
    What it means
    External walls and windows weaken Wi-Fi a lot. Coverage outside cannot be guaranteed by distance alone.
    What to do
    For a garden, a separate Wi-Fi point designed for outdoor use works best. Do not put an indoor router out in rain or frost.

  3. Full bars near the extender, but slow internet

    Check
    Check how the extender connects to the router — many show it in an app or with a light.
    What it means
    The bars on your phone only show the link to the extender. If the extender receives the router poorly, the internet will still be slow.
    What to do
    Move the extender closer to the router, roughly halfway. Check again in the problem room.

  4. Mesh did not help

    Check
    Check the link quality between points in the mesh system’s app.
    What it means
    Mesh points must connect well to each other. Another point does not always help.
    What to do
    Place the points so each connects well to the previous one. If you can, link them by cable — that is the best option.

Check again after a change

After each change, check the same activity in the same room. A cable is a good workaround, but only a result over Wi-Fi shows Wi-Fi has improved.

Unable to check? We can help.

If you cannot move the router, do not know your equipment, or the changes do not help — call us. We will help you choose a solution for your home.

You do not need an account or complete results. Tell us what is happening and what you could not check.

Technical support

+48 52 55 11 444

Mon–Fri 9:00–19:00, Sat 9:00–17:00

All channels and offices
A reporting outline to copy

Select and copy the text into your message. Add what you know; “not checked” is a valid answer.

Since when / time: What fails / error: One or several devices: LAN / Wi-Fi / not checked: Where the cable goes: Equipment model (if known): Checks completed and results:

Never send Wi-Fi, router or account passwords.

More background

  • Access point, mesh or extender?
    An access point broadcasts Wi-Fi from a network brought by cable — the best option if you have wiring. Mesh is several cooperating points forming one network. An extender receives Wi-Fi and passes it on, losing some speed in the process.
  • The 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands
    2.4 GHz reaches further but is slower. 5 and 6 GHz are faster but pass through walls less well and need compatible devices. 5 GHz Wi-Fi is not the same as mobile 5G. Do not turn bands or security off as a test.