3 ways to Extend Wi-Fi Range to detached garage/outdoors
A wireless connection is an essential service to have in your home. However, sometimes, the Wi-Fi range is limited and may need extending.
When working or fixing your car in your garage or relaxing in the outdoors and you realize that you’re out of Wi-Fi range, instead of using cellular data, you’d rather extend your Wi-Fi network. This will make sure you still receive a quality signal when in your garage or outdoors.
To extend your Wi-Fi range to detached garage or outdoors, reposition your router, get a more powerful router, or use a wireless repeater.
First Solution: Move your router
The easiest and fastest way to extend your Wi-Fi range to your outdoors and detached garage is by repositioning your router. Within your house, you can carefully move the router towards the section of your outdoors or the garage while checking the signal. Use a wireless device such as your phone to keep checking the Wi-Fi strength from outside while moving the router.
If you have a smaller house, then you can put the router right next to the wall where you wish to have the strongest signal. For a mid-sized or large house, it’s ideal to place the router halfway between the center of your home and the yard section that you plan on transmitting the signals. Most routers come with antennas that you can change their direction by facing them towards your yard or garage. This guarantees a solid internet connection throughout your house and your intended section of the yard. If you’re still unable to get your wireless signal outside your home’s walls, then move on to the next solution.
Solution Two: Get a more powerful router
If your router is outdated, then its signals are weak and won’t go far. By upgrading your router and modem, you can immensely increase your Wi-Fi range. When shopping for a new router, look for one with many external antennas and powerful amplifiers. This will ensure as much widespread signal as possible. The first thing to do is to get an AC router which is the current fastest specification on the market and guarantees reliability. This is because the router is able to broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands at ago. Also, check the antennas that come with the router. Long external antennas are important factors to consider in a router, the bigger the antenna, the wide the transmission range. Most high-quality routers come with at least 4 antennas with some having as many as eight. This allows you to change your router’s antenna direction and increase its Wi-Fi range.
Most routers list the maximum range covered under the product specifications and it’s important not to take the number seriously. This is because routers don’t reach their indicated range. Get the router and set it up in your house centrally or next to the wall where you want to boost the outside Wi-Fi range.
Solution Three: Use a wireless repeater
Another solution to extend your Wi-Fi range is by using a repeater. A repeater is a wireless device that copies your router’s signals and broadcasts them to a further destination helping cover a wider range. Get a wireless repeater and place it as close to your detached garage or yard as possible. To ensure strong signal coverage, most repeaters have an indicator that lets you know the status of your internet connection. Find a position within your yard or next to your garage with a strong internet connection and place it there. Repeaters are affordable with a decent repeater going for even less than $35 and isn’t difficult to install.
When purchasing a wireless repeater, you can consider one with the same ratings as your router’s maximum transfer speeds. However, the repeater’s speeds are determined by how far your wireless device is from the repeater and the number of walls the signal has to pass through. You can improve your internet speeds by limiting these factors as much as you can.
A Summary table
| Issue | Method | How to Fix |
| 3 ways to Extend Wi-Fi Range to detached garage/outdoors | Repositioning your current router | Move your current router as close to the wall section bordering the outdoor garage or yard where you want to boost the signal. Using a wireless device, keep checking the Wi-Fi range and signal strength until you get the best signal strength. |
| Replace your router | If your router is older, get a new and more powerful router to replace it. Check for an AC router with as many external antennas as possible. Install the router and check the signal strength outside your house. Keep changing the router’s antenna’s direction until you achieve the best results. | |
| Using a wireless repeater | Get a wireless repeater and install it within your yard or detached garage. During installation, check the repeater’s signal strength indicator for the best position. |
FAQs
What causes a poor wireless signal?
A poor wireless signal within your home is caused by several factors including the location, incorrect configuration of the router, and Wi-Fi network. Also, out-of-date network devices and interference with the wireless signal by other electronics causes poor signal.
Does a wall interfere with the wireless signal?
Yes, a wall can reduce a wireless signal’s strength.
