Boost Your WiFi Strength: Coverage & Connection Tips

⚡ TL;DR

If your WiFi keeps disconnecting, lags during video calls, or slows down in certain rooms - your connection speed is not the main problem. The real issue is usually weak WiFi signal strength caused by distance, walls, interference or outdated router hardware.

Fix this by:

• Placing your router centrally & visibly

• Using 2.4GHz for range, 5GHz/6GHz for speed

• Updating firmware + rebooting regularly

• Reducing interference from appliances & neighbouring networks

• Using Mesh WiFi or range extenders for whole-home coverage

📡 WiFi Speed vs WiFi Coverage

Most users confuse speed with signal strength.
Before we improve anything, this comparison helps you diagnose the right problem:

❗ Why Does My WiFi Keep Disconnecting?

Well, there are lots of potential reasons, and many tend to involve your signals getting blocked or weakened in some way before they can reach your devices. We’ll be looking at four of the more common culprits today.
 

1. Your Router Is Too Far Away

How This Reduces WiFi Coverage: WiFi signals naturally weaken the farther they have to travel from your router, so if yours is tucked away in a distant corner of the house, it will likely have trouble reaching every room evenly. This issue tends to arise more frequently in larger or multi-storey homes, since there’s a much larger area to cover.

👉 Your router should be positioned at a central, open, and elevated location — ideally at chest-height or higher, and away from major obstructions.

2. Physical Obstructions Are Blocking the Signal

How This Reduces WiFi Coverage: Materials like concrete walls, thick floors, metal appliances, and large furniture can absorb or even deflect wireless signals — especially on faster frequency bands like 5GHz or 6GHz. Couple that with a router that’s positioned far away from your devices, and that’s a surefire recipe for mid-call disconnects.

👉 It’s best to avoid placing your router behind TVs, inside cabinets, or near mirrors and metal surfaces. Open space usually means better coverage.
 

3. Interference from Other Devices or Networks

How This Reduces WiFi Coverage: Apart from the obstructions in your own home, nearby WiFi networks (especially in apartments), smart home gadgets, and even baby monitors can also create signal interference that mess with your WiFi signal. These are like traffic jams on your wireless “highway.”, and can be tricky to deal with, but fortunately, there are ways!

👉 Using a WiFi analyser app can help detect crowded channels or signal overlap.

4. Your Router or Firmware Is Outdated

How This Reduces WiFi Coverage: Older routers may not support newer WiFi standards or have the antenna power to cover larger areas. Outdated firmware can also cause bugs or performance drops.

👉 Check if your router is over 4–5 years old. If so, consider upgrading to a newer model. Also, log into your router settings regularly to install the latest firmware updates.

📏 Understanding WiFi Signal Strength

Before fixing weak WiFi, it’s important to understand signal strength. Think of your router as a lighthouse: the closer your device is to the light, the stronger the signal; the farther away or if there’s “fog” (walls, appliances, interference), the weaker it is.

Signal strength determines how reliably your devices connect and whether you experience drops or lag. Knowing how to measure it helps pinpoint dead zones and optimise your network.

How WiFi Signal is Measured?

Why dBm Numbers Are Negative

WiFi signals are expressed as negative numbers:

• -30 dBm → very strong (close to the router)

• -80 dBm → weak (far from the router or blocked by walls)

Logarithmic behavior:

• 3 dB gain → doubles signal power

• 3 dB loss → halves signal power

• 10 dB gain → 10× stronger

• 10 dB loss → 10× weaker

Even small changes in dBm can noticeably affect video calls or gaming performance.

🎯 Target Signal Strength for Everyday Use

🔍 How to Check Your WiFi Coverage

1️⃣ Walk Around & Observe Signal Bars

• Open your phone, tablet, or laptop.

• Walk through every room in your home.

• Watch the WiFi icon carefully.

What to look for:

• Drops in bars indicate weak coverage.

• Pay attention to rooms behind thick walls or metal appliances—these are common dead zones.

Tip: Note which rooms have frequent drops. This helps decide if you need a Mesh system or range extender.

2️⃣ Use a WiFi Analyser App

Apps like inSSIDer, WiFi Analyzer, or NetSpot provide detailed signal readings in dBm and can map your home’s coverage.

Step-by-step:

1. Install the app on your phone or laptop.

2. Walk through each room slowly.

3. Set your signal threshold:

   • -70 dBm for browsing/email

   • -67 dBm for VoIP, streaming, video calls

4. Areas that fall below your threshold = weak coverage zones

Mini Tip: Some apps let you generate a heatmap, which visually shows strong and weak areas. Great for larger HDB flats or multi-storey apartments.

3️⃣ Check Your Router’s Admin Panel

• Log into your router (usually via 192.168.1.1 or app).

• Check device connections and signal strength per device.

Why it matters:

• If a device in a certain room constantly shows low dBm, that room likely has a coverage problem.

• Helps identify if issues are device-specific or location-specific.

   

4️⃣ Compare 2.4GHz vs 5GHz Coverage

Use your analyser app to check which band each device is connected to. From there, you can choose where to allocate them in order to reduce bandwidth usage.

Why It Works: Frequency bands are like the different highways that your devices can “drive” on – some provide faster speeds in exchange for a shorter range, and others provide the opposite. Most home WiFi networks today (assuming it has a WiFi 6-compatible router) should minimally have access to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, so it’s good to check which ones your devices are hooked up to!

• 2.4GHz = Longer range, lower speed
• 5GHz / 6GHz = Higher speed, shorter range

🛠️ How to Improve WiFi Signal & Coverage

1. Reposition Your Router

👉 Place it in a central, elevated spot (chest-height or higher), away from walls and metal objects. Avoid tucking it into cabinets or behind furniture.

Why It Works:
Where your router sits can dramatically affect signal reach. If it’s shoved behind the TV or stuck in a corner, its signal will struggle to reach the far corners of your home. Here are some other guidelines you might want to consider when repositioning it.

Router Placement Tips:

• Keep your router in a (relatively) open area and off the floor
• Avoid placing your router near mirrors, microwaves, or cordless phones
• If your router has antennas, make sure they’re angled upright for better vertical coverage
• Placing the router near the centre of your home can help ensure even signal distribution

2. Update Your Router Firmware

👉 Log into your router's admin panel to check for updates. Most modern routers offer one-click firmware upgrades. Reboot your router regularly to apply changes and clear temporary glitches.

Why It Works:
Outdated firmware can lead to performance issues, dropped connections, or unpatched security flaws. Rebooting, or “power cycling” your router can also double as a quick system clean-up if done correctly – here’s how to do it.

How to reboot your router:

1. Unplug it from the power outlet
2. Wait ~15 seconds
3. Plug it back in and let it fully restart
4. Watch for lights to stabilise — then reconnect your devices

3. Optimise Your Router Settings

👉 If possible, check your router’s admin panel for these settings and tweak where necessary:

• Transmit Power – Boost signal strength to reach farther rooms
• Band Steering – Automatically assign devices to the best band (2.4GHz or 5GHz)
• Quality of Service (QoS) – Prioritise traffic (e.g. video calls or gaming)
• Channel Width – Adjust to reduce interference from nearby networks
• Security Settings – Ensure WPA3 or the latest security protocol is enabled

Why It Works: Customising your router settings can help prioritise important tasks, balance device load, and reduce congestion. Ensuring that your security protocols (usually WPA2 or WPA3 nowadays) are enabled can also prevent freeloading devices from piggybacking on your WiFi network, thereby improving your connectivity.
 

4. Balance Device Connections Across Bands

👉 Reallocate less commonly-used devices (like smart lights or printers) to the 2.4GHz band and keep heavier users (like laptops or smart TVs) on the 5GHz (or 6GHz band), if available.

Why It Works:
If all your devices fight over one band (usually 5GHz), congestion will inevitably build up and impact performance. Splitting up the wireless load onto multiple bands is a quick and simple method of alleviating that. This way, your more frequently used devices will be able to provide the best experiences, while others that you only use occasionally are still connected.
 

5. Upgrade to a WiFi 6E or WiFi 7 Router

👉 If your current router is 4+ years old, or you’re experiencing ongoing coverage issues despite repositioning and tweaks, a modern upgrade may be the most viable fix.

Why it works:
Newer routers, such as those configured for WiFi 6E and WiFi 7, can support advanced tech like the 6GHz band, improved antenna design, and better traffic management — ideal for large homes or busy networks. If you’d like to learn more about why wireless standards are important (or what they even are!), feel free to check out this article below.

👉 What is WiFi 7? Everything You Need to Know

6. Use Ethernet Cables, Mesh Units, or Range Extenders

👉 Connect stationary devices (like desktops or gaming consoles) directly via Ethernet. For persistent dead zones:

• Range Extenders: To amplify existing WiFi signals
• Mesh Systems: Create overlapping coverage across large or multi-storey homes

Why It Works: Some devices, usually those that you don’t move around often (like a desktop), might benefit more from a wired connection. This frees up bandwidth for other devices and can noticeably improve coverage. Other options, like WiFi range extenders or Mesh units can also be useful, with the latter being particularly effective if your home has thick walls, long hallways, or multiple floors.

🌟 Inconsistent WiFi Coverage? No Problem!

Weak WiFi doesn’t have to be a daily frustration. By understanding signal strength (dBm, RSSI, mW) and knowing how to check, optimize, and extend your coverage, you can enjoy a stable connection throughout your home.

Key Takeaways:

• WiFi problems are usually about signal coverage — not internet speed.

• Use device signal‑bars, WiFi analyzer apps, and your router’s admin panel to locate weak spots.

• Reposition your router, balance devices across bands, and keep firmware updated.

• Use Mesh WiFi, range extenders, or Ethernet connections to patch hard‑to‑cover zones.

• Upgrading to a WiFi 6E or WiFi 7 router can future‑proof your home network.

💡 Pro Tip: Even small tweaks — like moving your router a few metres, or adjusting antenna orientation — can significantly improve coverage. This is especially true for Singapore homes with concrete walls or multiple floors.

For the best experience, pair these steps with a robust broadband plan from StarHub - check out our UltraSpeed Broadband plans and browse recommended WiFi routers & hardware. A few minutes of smart setup today can save hours of dropped calls, lagging streams, and frustrating interruptions tomorrow!

Other Helpful Articles

👉 Why Is My WiFi Slow? 4 Reasons Why & How to Fix It

👉 What is WiFi? Frequency Bands, Wireless Standards & More

❓ Frequently Asked Questions