MikroTik Tutorial 106 - How to Increase your WiFi Signal Strength

Summary

In this tutorial, the host demonstrates how to boost Wi-Fi signal strength on various wireless devices, including those operating on 2.4 or 5 GHz frequencies. By accessing the terminal and adjusting the antenna gain setting, users can increase their router's transmit power, resulting in a stronger signal and reduced buffering. The video guides viewers through changing the antenna gain to zero for maximum signal output and explains the impact of this setting on signal strength. It also touches on why some manufacturers may have removed this option due to regulatory standards.

Takeaways

• 📡 The tutorial focuses on increasing Wi-Fi signal strength for various wireless devices.
• 🔧 It works for devices operating on 2.4 or 5 gigahertz frequencies.
• 💻 The process involves accessing the terminal and modifying wireless interface settings.
• 🔎 The script instructs to look for 'antenna gain' in the wireless interface configuration.
• ⬇️ Reducing the antenna gain value increases the transmit power of the Wi-Fi signal.
• ⬆️ The lowest value for antenna gain (zero) results in maximum signal strength.
• 🚫 Increasing the antenna gain value decreases the signal range, potentially for privacy reasons.
• 🛠️ The tutorial provides commands to set the antenna gain to zero for enhanced signal strength.
• 📡 The same process can be applied to both 2.4 GHz (wlan 1) and 5 GHz (wlan 2) interfaces.
• ⚠️ Microtech has removed these settings from most devices possibly due to regulatory compliance.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the tutorial?

The tutorial focuses on how to increase Wi-Fi signal strength using specific commands on wireless devices.

Which devices does the tutorial claim the tip will work on?

The tip is said to work on any wireless devices from brands like TP-Link, ASUS, Netgear, and MikroTik, specifically those operating on 2.4 or 5 GHz frequencies.

What is the purpose of increasing the Wi-Fi signal strength?

Increasing the Wi-Fi signal strength can result in wider coverage, less buffering for videos, and potentially better connectivity for devices.

What is the command to open the terminal and check the wireless interface configuration?

The user is instructed to open a new terminal and navigate to the interface wireless configuration to print the advanced details of the wireless interface.

What is 'antenna gain' and how does it relate to signal strength?

Antenna gain is a setting that affects the transmit power of the wireless radio. A lower value of antenna gain increases the transmit power, leading to a stronger signal.

What is the default antenna gain setting on the device according to the script?

The default antenna gain setting is set at two, which may vary depending on the device.

How can one reduce the Wi-Fi signal strength intentionally?

To reduce the Wi-Fi signal strength, one can increase the antenna gain value, which in turn lowers the transmit power of the wireless radio.

What command is used to change the antenna gain setting?

The command to change the antenna gain setting is 'set' followed by the interface name, such as 'wlan1', and then 'antenna gain' with the desired value, for example, '0' for maximum power.

Why might MikroTik have removed the antenna gain setting from their devices?

MikroTik may have removed the antenna gain setting due to regulatory commitments and different standards in terms of transmit power and frequencies across various countries.

What is the expected outcome after applying the tutorial's tip on a wireless device?

After applying the tutorial's tip, the wireless device should transmit at its maximum potential, resulting in an increased signal strength and potentially improved Wi-Fi performance.

Does the tutorial provide any cautionary advice regarding the changes made?

Yes, the tutorial advises that increasing the antenna gain to zero can make the Wi-Fi signal more powerful, which could be noticed by neighbors or allow unwanted connections.

Outlines

00:00

📶 Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal Strength

This tutorial guides viewers on how to enhance their Wi-Fi signal strength using terminal commands. It explains that the process is applicable to various wireless devices operating on 2.4 or 5 GHz frequencies, including those from brands like App AC Uplight, App Mini, KPC Cap Lite, and Net Metals. The presenter demonstrates how to access the wireless interface configuration through the terminal, focusing on the 'antenna gain' setting. By default, this is set to two, but lowering it to zero can increase the transmit power and result in a stronger Wi-Fi signal. The tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to change this setting for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz interfaces, noting that Microtech has removed these settings from newer devices possibly due to regulatory standards.

05:01

🔧 Maximizing Wi-Fi Transmit Power

The second paragraph elaborates on the reasons behind Microtech's removal of antenna gain settings from their devices, attributing it to varying international standards for transmit power and frequencies. It emphasizes that despite this, users can still achieve maximum transmit power by manually setting the antenna gain to zero using a simple command in the terminal. The tutorial concludes with a call to action for viewers to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and highlights the simplicity of the method to get the most out of Wi-Fi devices.

Keywords

💡Wi-Fi Signal Strength

Wi-Fi signal strength refers to the power and quality of a wireless network signal. In the video, the presenter aims to increase this strength to improve wireless coverage and reduce buffering for videos. The script mentions that by adjusting certain settings, one can enhance the signal strength, which is central to the tutorial's purpose.

💡Terminal

The terminal is a command-line interface where users can execute various commands to configure and manage their devices. In the context of the video, the terminal is used to access the configuration settings of the wireless interface, demonstrating its utility in customizing network settings.

💡Wireless Interface

A wireless interface is a component of a device that allows it to connect to a wireless network. The video script discusses how to modify the settings of this interface to increase Wi-Fi signal strength, highlighting its importance in network performance.

💡Configuration

Configuration in this context refers to the settings and parameters that define how a device or system operates. The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to configure the wireless interface to optimize Wi-Fi signal strength.

💡Antenna Gain

Antenna gain is a measure of the efficiency of an antenna in directionally transmitting or receiving radio waves. The script explains that adjusting the antenna gain can affect the Wi-Fi signal strength, with lower values corresponding to higher transmission power.

💡Transmit Power

Transmit power is the energy radiated by a transmitter, in this case, the Wi-Fi router. The video emphasizes that by lowering the antenna gain setting, the transmit power of the router can be increased, resulting in a stronger Wi-Fi signal.

💡Buffering

Buffering refers to the temporary storage of data before it is processed or transmitted. In the video, reducing buffering is mentioned as a benefit of increasing Wi-Fi signal strength, which would lead to smoother video streaming.

💡2.4 GHz and 5 GHz

These terms refer to the frequency bands used by Wi-Fi devices for wireless communication. The video mentions that the tips provided apply to devices operating on either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bands, indicating the broad applicability of the tutorial.

💡Microtech Wireless Devices

Microtech is mentioned as a manufacturer of wireless devices. The video script discusses how to adjust settings on these devices to increase Wi-Fi signal strength, suggesting that the tutorial is specifically relevant to Microtech products.

💡Regulatory Commitments

Regulatory commitments refer to the standards and rules set by governing bodies that regulate the operation of wireless devices. The script suggests that some manufacturers may have removed certain settings due to these commitments, which could affect the transmit power of Wi-Fi devices.

Highlights

Tutorial on increasing Wi-Fi signal strength

Applicable to various wireless devices and frequencies

Step-by-step guide for enhancing wireless coverage

Reduces buffering for video streaming

Accessing the terminal for configuration

Viewing advanced wireless interface details

Understanding antenna gain and its impact on signal strength

Default antenna gain settings vary by device

Instructions to change antenna gain for increased signal

Lower antenna gain values increase transmit power

How to set antenna gain to zero for maximum signal

Verifying the change in antenna gain settings

Improvement in signal strength and coverage

Applicability to 5 gigahertz interfaces

Changing antenna gain for a second interface

Operating both interfaces at full potential

Microtech's removal of antenna gain settings

Regulatory commitments affecting transmit power settings

Final command for maximum Wi-Fi transmit power

Encouragement to like and subscribe for more tutorials

Transcripts

hi everyone welcome back to another

tutorial and today i'm going to show you

how to increase

your wi-fi signal strength

um this is a quick and easy

um step

and this will work on any app ac uplight

app mini

kpc cap lite

uh net metals

uh any any wireless any of the micro

tech wireless devices

that are 2.4 or 5 gigahertz

and

this

this this tip will

allow your device to put out more

power

and give you a better

signal on wireless coverage wider range

um less

less buffering for your videos

so let's get right into it

so you're going to go to

terminal so open a new terminal and

you're going to go to interface

wireless

and then we're going to look at the

configuration of your wireless interface

so print

details

advanced

so we're going to print the advanced

details of this of the wireless

interface so

this

is well um

double land one

and these are all a configuration that

is currently

set on on that interface

what we are looking for is antenna gain

so the antenna gain is currently set at

two

so it depends on the type of device

um but this is straight from default

this is a straight default setting

um some devices antenna game may vary

however

in order to

increase your signal strength we are

going to change this value

so the lower this value is

the higher the transmit power of your

your you know the radio that is in your

router

or the wireless radio as they call it

so as this number goes low

and the lowest it can go is zero

so if you want say for instance you want

where you want to turn on your wireless

signal that your neighbors don't

see your signal that much or you don't

want anyone to be able to connect to

your wi-fi outside of your home

you could increase this number

which is again

and if you increase this number then

your wireless signal will get less

so the higher this number is

it's the

the lower signal

and the lower the number

the higher

your signal so we're going to change

this number and that will increase

your your wi-fi signal

so you can press q to quit

and here's the command so we're going to

set

and we're gonna the interface that we

are going to set this

set

the gain on is wlan

1

and

antenna

again

and we're going to set it to zero

enter

and if we look back now at the

details

we will see that

the gain is now set to zero so right now

your your wireless device is actually

transmitting at its maximum

so you should see

some increase in in the signal that is

going to the different devices

you should see an increase and this can

work on

say a 5 gigahertz interface

the same command will work so we're

going to change it on double ln 2 also

so just bring up the same command

and

just change interface

to double line 2

enter

and then we can print advanced

and we can see the detail for wlan 2 so

now both

interfaces can now operate at its full

potential so it's a simple

trick

microtech

had removed these settings for most

devices

uh usually you would you'll be able to

access that

setting

from somewhere along here you will see

antenna again but they have removed it

from the devices i think it has to do

with um

regulatory um commitments

so different countries of different

standards in terms of transmit power and

so forth and frequencies so i think

that's the reason why microtech may have

removed it not sure

but

that's the way in which you can get a

maximum transmit power

out of your

wi-fi

device

with a simple

simple command

set your wireless interface antenna

again to zero

so

that's it for this tutorial

if you like this video please give me a

thumbs up and if you haven't subscribed

please remember to do so so thanks for

watching