When was the last time you took a good look at your Wi-Fi router? Don’t feel embarrassed, I’m just as guilty as you are. And yet these devices have the power to transmit those useful Wi-Fi signals, connecting us to the wonderful world wide web.
Those Wi-Fi signals may be powerful, but they are also prone to interference, which can be caused by objects standing in their way, various radio signals in the area, other routers, and so on.
No matter the cause, there are several proven methods that will help you boost weak Wi-Fi signals. Some of them won’t cost you a dime, while others may require a small or moderate investment. Read on to discover them all.
Many people aren’t aware of this, but your router will work better if it is placed in an open position, where its signal isn’t obstructed by walls, furniture, etc.
Ideally, you should place your router close to the center of your house. Still, this isn’t always the best solution, especially when there are lots of electrical/electronic devices near it. You want your router to be away from microwave ovens, cordless phones, and so on.
Of course, if certain Internet connected devices have a higher priority, you should move the router closer to them. As an example, if you run a small business in your home, it is wise to keep the router near your desk.
Most routers broadcast their signal using 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies. And to make the matters worse, most of them are set to broadcast on Channel #6 by default. This means that your router may interfere with your neighbor’s router, for example, and this diminishes the Wi-Fi speed.
The good news is that you can easily change the router channel by accessing its admin panel. More than that, there are several apps that will show you which channels are used and abused in your area.
As we all know, companies release updates for their hardware products to fix security holes, increase speed, improve functionality, and so on. Be sure to keep your router and network cards up to date by checking their manufacturers’ websites regularly.
Most routers come with omnidirectional antennas, which broadcast signal equally in all directions. Fortunately, many of them have removable antennas, and this means that you can replace them with high gain, directional antennas, which can then be pointed towards the devices that need higher Internet access speeds.
It is true that some routers come with built-in antennas, making the antenna replacement process a bit more complex. Still, if you are familiar with electronics, you can disconnect the internal antennas and plug in a compatible cable, which can then be connected to an external Wi-Fi antenna.
We have put the blame on the router so far, isn’t it? And yet, often times the router is working fine, and the problem lies elsewhere – it may be your Wi-Fi adapter, for example.
Purchase or borrow a Wi-Fi USB adapter, and then install it. For best results, pick one that’s got an external antenna. Then, check the strength of your Internet connection by making use of a dedicated web service.
Many people are curious about programming. And these days, knowing how to code can be an interesting job – and one that pays quite well! Still, with so many programming languages around, it can be difficult to choose the one that’s perfect for a specific task.
Begin by asking yourself this question: what is it that I want to accomplish by learning programming? Are you interested in programming multimedia applications, exciting 3-D games, mobile apps, server-side applications? Or are you only interested in getting a salary that’s as big as possible?
When you know your main goal, you can then start thinking about the best programming language for your needs. This doesn’t mean that by making use of this criterion you will single out a programming language, but at least you will know that the list has been reduced to a few options.
Let’s pretend that you are interested in learning how to code web-based apps. What should you do next? As always, Google can be your friend. Try your luck by googling “best web programming language“. This should give you several good ideas.
Of course, these ideas may conflict with each other. You are getting answers from humans, and just like computers, humans are prone to errors. If this is the case, it’s time to contact your programmer buddy. I know, you may not have a programmer among your friends. But maybe you know somebody who has one! Get in touch with him or her, and then ask their advice.
So, what are some of the most popular programming languages?
Most people will tell you to start by learning HTML and CSS. These programming languages are used to build lots of website pages. HTML builds the foundation of the page – its content, if you will – while CSS puts the finishing touches by making it look nice.
If you plan to build websites at some point in your life, you are going to need to learn HTML and CSS programming. As a bonus, these languages aren’t difficult at all, so you should be able to build your own sites within weeks.
If you are interested in programming web applications and sites, JavaScript is the next logical step after learning HTML and CSS. JavaScript makes websites intelligent, allowing them to process data and output results.
You may have seen sites that can convert values, solve equations, and so on. Those websites were built using HTML and CSS, but the actual converters and equations solvers are almost always built using JavaScript.
This programming language is quite old, but surprisingly it can be found almost everywhere. It’s also one that can help you understand, and then learn the more complex programming languages.
It may sound like JavaScript, but Java is a totally different language. Java is a general-purpose programming language which has found its way in complex applications for banks and hospitals, for example, as well as in mobile apps.
PHP is a very popular web programming language, which is heavily used even by the world’s largest web platforms – Facebook, for example. It’s also the language powering WordPress, so it will help you learn how to build interactive websites as well.
These are just a few examples, of course. There are literally hundreds of programming languages, and their number may grow in the future. So choose a language that’s easy to learn (one of the examples above may help) and see how it goes.
Don’t forget that besides learning a language’s syntax, you will only learn to code by practicing – that is, by coding and running various little programs.
Programming isn’t easy, but it can be very rewarding. You need perseverance, but fortunately help is available. Find forums where people like you try to learn that programming language, and ask for help whenever you get stuck. You will surely discover friendly people who are eager to help. Good luck!