How To
How to improve your Wi-Fi signal at home

Written by a NortonLifeLock employee
Every day more of the country gets better, faster Wi-Fi coverage. But that doesn't stop your signal at home from dropping off or grinding to a halt every now and then. Here are the latest tips from our top experts on how to get the most from your home service.
Location, location, location
Wi-Fi waves are a lot shorter than the ones used for radio and mobile phone data, so most routers can probably manage about 150 feet, while a radio mast can probably manage several miles.
Many routers transmit downwards or horizontally rather than upwards, so you'll want to make sure your router is not on the floor because that won't work well with the waves.
Other electronic devices can affect your signal too, so keep your router away from televisions, DVD players, and microwaves.
When using free Wi-Fi outside your home, the biggest challenge isn't speed but making sure your data is safe from prying eyes. The best way to encrypt your information and keep private in public is a virtual private network, or VPN. The Norton Secure VPN creates a secure tunnel for any information you send or receive from your Mac, PC or mobile devices while connected to public Wi-Fi. Learn more about Norton Secure VPN.
Editorial note: Our articles provide educational information for you. NortonLifeLock offerings may not cover or protect against every type of crime, fraud, or threat we write about. Our goal is to increase awareness about cyber safety. Please review complete Terms during enrollment or setup. Remember that no one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime, and that LifeLock does not monitor all transactions at all businesses.
Copyright © 2023 NortonLifeLock Inc. All rights reserved. NortonLifeLock, the NortonLifeLock Logo, the Checkmark Logo, Norton, LifeLock, and the LockMan Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NortonLifeLock Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. Firefox is a trademark of Mozilla Foundation. Android, Google Chrome, Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google, LLC. Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Microsoft and the Window logo are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.