How to Boost WiFi Signal with Aluminum Foil

How to boost WiFi signal with aluminum foil: 3 easy methods on how to boost the WiFi signal at home

Can you boost your WiFi signal with aluminum foil?

Having poor wifi signals has been in discussion for a very long time by many people. Many people tend to complain about the same thing and have come up with many solutions. Some of the solutions have a traditional background, while some have a technological background.

Some boosting the wifi signal methods are costly, while some are free so long as you have the tools needed. Using a WiFi extender is the best solution, but it is not a solution for everyone because of affordability.

One of the simplest and most effective methods is using aluminum foil. But can aluminum foil boost WiFi signal? The answer is yes!

Before getting into the details of using the aluminum foil for boosting your connection, you need to ensure that you have the best routers. Getting the models that have the latest WiFi standards is the loveliest thing as they will deliver the best service.

Below is a guide on how boosting the WiFi signal with aluminum foil works.

Why does the WiFi signal get slow?

Before looking at the available solution, it is good to look at the cause of the poor wifi signal. Below are some of the reasons that you are experiencing poor connections.

Obstacles

You may be having various obstacles such as walls and objects that lower the connection. For instance, if you have a cabinet that hides the router, the connection, and the signal will lower.

Other objects such as books and human bodies will drastically lower the signal. In this case, you may require a router that can penetrate walls or get a mesh router system for your home.

Furthermore, you can explore the different ways on how to boost Wi-Fi signals through walls. These methods add to getting a better router or a Wi-Fi extender.

Distance of your objects

Another thing that happens is having the distance between the router and the slightly larger devices. You will end up having the signal strength getting depleted as you get far from the connection.

When you have a long distance between the router and your devices, you can explore the following; getting a long-range router, using a powerline adapter, or getting a Wi-Fi extender.

The choice will be made according to the distance to be covered and the available infrastructure. Otherwise, you can get the best-wired router for your home or office.

Outdated firmware

The firmware also gets outdated, making the connection and the functioning poor. Under such a case, the solution lies in updating the router hence having a dependable signal. 

After some time, the router manufacturers release a different and updated version that you will need to download to enjoy the service and features. Since a router is a computer of the sort, getting updates will go a long way in ensuring better performance.

You can always check with your manufacturer and model if there is a firmware update or check on your router’s user interface. For routers with an app, you can also check if there is an update available for your router.

Metallic objects

These are the notorious obstacles that will make your connection very unreliable. Once they are in contact with your router or are operating close to the router, you will have them transfer the wifi signals from one point to another.

Why choose an aluminum foil for boosting connection?

Aluminum is also metal, but it is thin compared to other metals. What happens when the signal hits the aluminum is that foil bends towards the fold’s direction.

In simple terms, when you wrap a router with aluminum foil, it will not receive signals making its functionality impossible. Therefore, it can play a massive role in the projection of signals and blocking them from reaching the destination. 

An encouraging thing with aluminum foil is that when you point it downwards or upwards; it delivers a very stable and reliable connection.

The signal gets directed in a specific direction and maintains much strength hence a stable service. The simplicity of wrapping the aluminum foil is one thing that anyone can do.

The simple process of wrapping is as follows;

  1. Get an aluminum foil and cut some large piece
  2. Get the router or the device that you want to wrap
  3. Wrap the aluminum foil on the antenna of the router but ensure you use one side
  4. Place the router at the desired point and observe its performance

What you will observe

After wrapping the antennas and then focusing them on a specific point, either upwards or downwards, the signal improves. The antenna’s side will experience a drastic drop in the signal and experience lower stability.

Interestingly, the aluminum foil will pick all the connections and channel them to one side. The other sides will have a poor connection hence having a signal that cannot support their functions.

On the side that the antenna faces, there will be an increase, and then a fluctuation of it faces the opposite side.

How to boost the wifi signal with the aluminum foil

We have seen what aluminum foil can do to the signal. The same method or technology, if used properly, will have a significant boost to the wifi signal.

Let us see how the whole process works under the step to step guide provided. Each method has its style that makes the signal behave in a certain way.

Method one

You can boost the WiFi signal with aluminum foil using this first method. It is easy to implement and with impressive results.

Requirements

  • An aluminum foil
  • Paper box
  • Tape
  • Router
  • Pair of scissors

Method 1: Step to step process for boosting the WiFi signal with aluminum foil

  • Cut the aluminum foil

You will take some aluminum foil and cut it using a pair of scissors to the size that you may desire to use. The best is having a square that may be the router base’s size in terms of length and width.

Do not cut too large or too small foil so that you fold it just once and have it covering the specific area you want.

  • Get the routers box

You will then get the router box and cut the part that will meet the space’s dimensions between the antennas. You will then fix the aluminum foil inside the box and leave some openings that will face the direction you want the signal to be projected.

As you fix the foil, you will ensure no opening that lets the signal penetrate out of the desired way.

  • Fix the antenna on the holes

After you have fixed the aluminum foil, you will put the box on the antennas using the holes you have made. You can choose to have the antennas covering halfway on the box or have them fully submerged.

  • Position the router

The next thing you will do is to place the router in the most convenient position. The holes that project the signal should be placed to facilitate the specific direction that needs the internet boosted.

If you have a dead zone, you can have the holes facing where it is located, making the connection more dependable. You can choose to adjust the router to face the direction you want at every single time.

Method 2

Requirements

  • Aluminum foil
  • Router
  • Pair of scissors

Method 2: Step to step process for boosting the WiFi signal with aluminum foil

  • Cut the aluminum foil

You will start by cutting aluminum foil to form a square shape that you can comfortably wrap to form a cylinder-like design.

  • Fold the aluminum foil

The aluminum foil works well when it has the shape of a cylinder with open ends. After folding, you will make some holes that you will insert the antennas on. When folding, ensure that there is no additional hole apart from those that are at the end.

  • Insert the antennas on the folded foil

After folding, you will insert the antennas on the aluminum foil, observing the holes you made. Ensure that the ends get full inside the foil.

  • Position the router

After doing the whole process, you then position the router. When positioning the router, ensure that the openings face the areas that your devices are.

Placing them in a design that faces the walls is ideal as the signal manages to penetrate them. You can keep adjusting the antenna to face the area that you want to have internet-facing.

You are sure that this will boost the WiFi signal with aluminum foil and enable you to enjoy using the signal where it is needed.

Method 3

This method works for routers that have antennas and those that do not have exterior antennas. You can therefore boost the WiFi signal with aluminum foil as described below:

Requirements

  • Aluminum foil
  • Router
  • Pair of scissors

Method 3: Step to step process for boosting the WiFi signal with aluminum foil

  • Cut the aluminum foil

Using a pair of scissors, cut the aluminum foil observing a large size that will accommodate at least two or three folds. The size should be large so that it will maintain the size of the length of the router after folding.

  • Fold the aluminum foil to form a concave shape

You will fold the aluminum foil two or three times to ensure that it is sturdy enough to stand without folding. After that, make a concave shape with a very slight bend such that it can from a quarter cylinder shape.

  • Fix the aluminum foil on the router

The next thing you do is fix the aluminum foil on the top of the router standing by itself or supported by the antennas. If your router does not have external antennas, you will have it supported by itself.

  • Position the router

The next thing that you will do is to have the router in the position that you desire. Makes sure that the folded side of the aluminum foil faces the direction that there is a poor signal. You will have the foil projecting the maximum signal in one direction.

Is aluminum foil safe for boosting the internet?

This method of improving WiFi is free and very effective. Amazingly, the foil does not catch fire hence ensuring that your router is very safe. Any chances of having damages due to the aluminum foil effect get limited to a great degree.

When you choose high-quality routers, you will be quite sure that they will deliver an outstanding service. The aluminum foil is capable of supporting powerful signals for a long period.

When you boost the WiFi signal with aluminum foil, you are sure therefore that it is safe and very effective. You no longer need to browse the web looking for the best WiFi extenders like the ones in this article.

In case you want to use the best Wi-Fi extender to boost your Wi-Fi, you can choose the best according to your ISP or function. We have the best Wi-Fi extenders for gaming for avid gamers. For different ISPs, we have explored the best Spectrum Wi-Fi extender, exceptional AT&T Wi-Fi extenders, best-rated Wi-Fi extenders for Xfinity, top-rated Verizon FiOS Wi-Fi extender among others.

Conclusion

Many simple methods can boost the WiFi signal. Most people are used to buying wifi repeaters and extenders to have their wifi signal boosted.

Simple methods such as using aluminum foil to boost the WiFi connection prove to work more effectively. You now need to pick the method that will work well for your device.

FAQs

Does aluminum foil boost the antenna signal?

Yes, you can use aluminum foil to boost the router antenna signal. The foil helps to direct WiFi signals to the area where devices are situated thus boosting the signal.

Does putting aluminum foil on the antenna help?

Yes, it helps since it increases the surface area, and is more conductive than steel, more corrosion-resistant than copper, and cheaper than gold. Thus, you can use it to improve the signal strength of your antenna.

Does putting tin foil behind the router work?

A reflector shield of aluminum foil will be a ‘virtual wall‘ that is positioned behind your Wi-Fi router. The virtual wall helps to shape the flow of indoor wireless signals. This gives you better coverage and improved signal strength hence better internet connections.

Can aluminum foil block a Wi-Fi signal?

Yes, the Aluminum foil reflects the WiFi signal thus making sure they do not flow in a certain direction. This means that it can block the signal from moving in a certain direction when you use the tin foil as a strategically placed metal barrier.

How do you deflect Wi-Fi signal?

There are several objects that can be used to deflect the WiFi signal including metals, Ceramic tiles,  Concrete Walls, Plaster and metal lath, Windows and tinted glass, Mirrors, Drywall, and devices operating on the 2.4 GHz Frequency.