| With the increasing use of portable Wi-Fi enabled | | | | Your AP will generally come with a small antenna |
| devices like notebooks and mobile phones, it is | | | | which performs adequately for small offices or |
| more important than ever to optimize your Wi-Fi | | | | homes. You can usually unscrew this antenna and |
| setup to get the most benefit. Here are some | | | | replace it with a better one which will provide |
| simple ways to maximize performance and | | | | greater coverage. Alternative antennas are |
| increase security of your Wi-Fi setup. | | | | available to screw on directly to replace the |
| Equipment | | | | supplied unit or with a short length of coax so |
| There has been a huge improvement in speeds | | | | you can position the antenna at a better, usually |
| and performance offered by Wi-Fi equipment | | | | higher location. Generally these antennas will |
| since devices first started appearing in the mid | | | | provide 360 degree coverage but directional units |
| 90's. When shopping for devices it would be a | | | | are also available which would suit installations that |
| good idea to note the specifications of your | | | | may be a far corner and concentrate coverage in |
| current equipment and make sure your Access | | | | one direction. For locations where coverage is |
| Point (AP) choice support them. The most | | | | needed outside a building, for example a school |
| common types of hardware supports 802.11g | | | | ground or outdoor cafe, an external outdoor |
| (54Mbps) which is also backward compatible to | | | | antenna can be mounted in a suitable location and |
| 802.11b (11Mbps). | | | | connected to the AP using a short a length of |
| Placement | | | | coax. |
| When choosing a location for your Wi-Fi AP, make | | | | Power |
| sure you keep it away from obstructions, | | | | Some AP's have a power setting allowing you to |
| especially metal objects such as fridges and filing | | | | increase or decrease output power. This is useful |
| cabinets or other potential signal obstacles. | | | | if you would like to prevent your Wi-Fi coverage |
| Generally your AP should be up as high as possible | | | | spilling out outside your home or office too much |
| which enables a clearer line of sight to your Wi-Fi | | | | or give your coverage a bit of a boost. This |
| clients. | | | | doesn't increase your AP's ability to receive your |
| Interference | | | | Wi-Fi clients, which is what a better antenna can |
| These days with the common use of transmitting | | | | do. |
| devices such as cordless telephones, video | | | | Security |
| senders and wireless game controllers, there is | | | | It is a good idea to lock down your Wi-Fi network |
| the potential for interference which causes your | | | | to prevent unauthorized access and people |
| Wi-Fi setup to perform poorly in both range and | | | | snooping inside your network. WEP was the |
| speed. 802.11b and 802.11g both use the 2.4Ghz | | | | original method of securing Wi-Fi networks but |
| frequency so cordless phones or other devices | | | | has proven to be less secure than was hoped. |
| using this same frequency have the potential to | | | | Since then WPA was introduced and is present on |
| impact your Wi-Fi setup a lot. You can usually set | | | | almost all Wi-Fi AP's and other devices currently |
| your AP to a different channel which may reduce | | | | being sold. WPA is a more secure alternative to |
| disruption. | | | | the original WEP method but may not be |
| Antenna | | | | supported on all your devices. |