Web Worker Daily

If you’re like me, your home Wi-Fi network is part of the heartbeat of your working life. It’s surprising, though, how many people don’t do the simple things that can boost the performance and ensure the security of a good network. In this post, I’ll round up six tips that can help you get the most from your setup.

Don’t Randomly Place Your Router and Access Points. Wi-Fi is radio technology, so it matters where you place your router and access point. You’ll get poor performance if you assume that they have more range than they do or place them behind big obstructions. In many homes, because of the strange way radio tends to behave, you can find yourself surprised by where the optimal placement of an access point is. The key is to experiment.

Measure Your Performance and Optimize It. QCheck, from IXIA, is one of the best free ways to optimize your Wi-Fi network. You can download it in seconds, and it quantifies your network response time, throughput and streaming performance. Use it in conjunction with the tip above to evaluate exactly where the ideal placement points for your router and access point are.

Traveling Without Wi-Fi. When you’re traveling and you’re not planning to use Wi-Fi, turn your Wi-Fi adapter off. Malicious wireless attacks can happen anywhere, and you’re safer this way. You can disable your Wi-Fi in Windows by clicking on your wireless network icon and selecting Disable.

Don’t Necessarily Wait for 802.11n Ratification. Many people are still using 802.11g technology for the simple reason that the next-generation 802.11n standards is not officially ratified yet, and won’t be until 2008. The Draft-n products are more than worth upgrading to now, though, as described in a previous post. Also, even if the ratified standard does mean that your draft products aren’t compatible, the Draft-n routers and access points you need can be had for under $200 unless you happen to live in a mansion.

Secure Your Wi-Fi Network Properly. Even though the CDs that come with Wi-Fi routers now make it super easy to set the right security protocols for a Wi-Fi network, many people ignore this important step. If you don’t secure your network, people outside your home can hop right on your network and get at your data. In addition to the CDs, there are many good visual tutorials online showing how to secure your network.

Especially if you use Wi-Fi all day long, there are always more good tools and tips to stay on top of. For many more of these, check our Ultimate Guide to Wi-Fi.

Do you have any good tips on optimizing or securing Wi-Fi?