Solved: Why Is My Wi-Fi Signal So Weak on My Laptop?

Physical obstacles or interference from nearby devices can weaken the Wi-Fi signal on a laptop.

It’s annoying when your laptop’s Wi-Fi connection is spotty and prevents you from doing things like streaming films or working online. Knowing what could be causing a poor connection is essential, given how ubiquitous Wi-Fi has become in modern life. This article will explore the numerous causes of a weak Wi-Fi connection on your laptop and how to fix them.

We’ll look at some of the most prevalent causes of signal degradation, like close-by devices using the same frequency or physical barriers like walls and furniture. We’ll also go through some concrete measures you can take, such as tweaking your router’s settings, investing in a Wi-Fi range extender, or simply moving your laptop to a better location to boost your wireless connection’s performance on your laptop.

Why Is My Wi-Fi Signal So Weak on My Laptop?

It is because of signal interference from other devices, malware attacks or software issues, inappropriate Wi-Fi settings, Wi-Fi signal congestion, signal interferences by other appliances, distance from the router, incompatible drivers, or a physical blockage of the path.

Dealing with a weak Wi-Fi signal on your laptop can be frustrating. It prevents you from working efficiently, interferes with your online life, and slows down your connection. But have no dread!

This all-inclusive guide will equip you to deal with Wi-Fi signal troubles head-on, whether you’re a student, a professional, or an internet enthusiast. Get ready to find out what problems are causing your laptop to have weaker wifi signals and are causing bad work experiences for you.

Malware or Software Issues

Your laptop’s Wi-Fi and network connections may suffer from malware attacks or software conflicts. To avoid this, make it a habit to run malware scans on your laptop regularly and always use the most recent versions of your drivers, OS, and security software. In certain cases, restoring the Wi-Fi signal strength might be as simple as reinstalling the network drivers or fixing a software issue.

Distance from the Router

The distance between the router and your laptop is the most common reason for a failed Wi-Fi connection. If you move away from the router, the signal may weaken, and your laptop may lose its Internet connection more frequently. Get your laptop and the router closer to each other if at all possible.

Click the wireless network icon in the system tray at the bottom right of your screen to view the signal strength of your wireless connection. The indicator could be a picture of a monitor connected to an Ethernet cable, depending on how your laptop is set up, or five bars representing the strength of a wireless network.

Wi-Fi Network Settings

If your Wi-Fi network’s settings aren’t appropriate, your signal quality may suffer. Using insecure protocols like WEP instead of modern ones like WPA2/WPA3 might have a negative impact on network speed. You can improve the signal strength and interference by adjusting parameters, including channel width, transmission power, and channel selection.

Signal Interference

The Wi-Fi signal can be disrupted by electromagnetic interference from appliances and electronics like baby monitors, microwave ovens, and fluorescent lamps. Your laptop and router’s signal strength will increase, and interference will reduce if you move them away from other electronic gadgets.

Incompatible Drivers

Updating the “drivers” (the instructions your laptop uses to interface with its hardware) can sometimes increase performance, such as when using a video card or a Wi-Fi antenna. Moreover, if your Wi-Fi is spotty, you may need to resort to using an Ethernet cable so that you can go online and search for updated drivers.

Overloaded Networks

Congestion in a Wi-Fi network happens when numerous devices use it at once to do bandwidth-intensive things like video streaming or playing online multiplayer games. Due to the increasing traffic, the network’s signal strength may decrease for all connected devices. You can help reduce network congestion by using fewer devices, prioritizing critical tasks more, and even upgrading to a plan with more available bandwidth.

How to Fix Weak Wi-Fi Signals on My Laptop?

You can fix this issue by maximizing Wi-Fi adaptor performance, updating Wi-Fi drivers, changing the Wi-Fi sensibility value to a maximum, changing the Wi-Fi MTU, utilizing the network troubleshooter, looking for Wi-Fi card issues, and resetting the network adaptors.

Is your laptop’s Wi-Fi signal often dropping? It’s quite annoying when your internet connection is slow or you’re constantly being interrupted. But have no fear; we’ve got you covered! Here, we’ll show you how to improve your laptop’s weak Wi-Fi connection with tried-and-true methods.

You will find actionable ways to improve your Wi-Fi signals and experience a dependable, high-speed connection, such as maximizing Wi-Fi adaptor performance, updating drivers, and modifying network settings. You may finally put your laptop’s wireless capabilities to good use and bid farewell to annoying connection problems.

Maximize Wi-Fi Adapter Performance

Increasing the Wi-Fi adapter’s settings from “medium” to “maximum” can improve its performance. The Wi-Fi adapter is functioning at a moderate level of efficiency. To access Power Options, use the Windows key and then type Power Options. Find “Power Options” in the list of results.

In the new window that appears, select your current electricity plan and then click the Change plan options button. Select the Advanced Power Options button. It’s like a door opening. Try adjusting your wireless settings here. Select it, and it will enlarge.

Then, you should enlarge Power Saver Mode. If you’re working from a desktop computer, you’ll see a single menu item labeled “Setting.” Choose between the On battery and Plugged-in options if you use a laptop. Select the Maximum Performance option by clicking the corresponding buttons. When you’re ready, select Ok to save your changes.

Update Wi-Fi Drivers

Even if your computer is running smoothly, updating the drivers every so often is a good idea. You may need to upgrade the driver if your Wi-Fi connection is weak. Now, open the Device Manager. Now, look for the drivers “Network Adaptors.” Expand them. Select Update Driver from the menu when you right-click your network card. Let Windows 10 check for updates and apply them if it finds any.

Turn your computer back on. If the issue with the signal strength is recent, however, you can attempt reverting to an earlier driver version if you cannot find an available update. An older release may function better on your computer. Additionally, to roll back a driver for a device.

To view the network adapters, launch Device Manager. Select Properties from the menu when you right-click the adapter or card. You can access the Roll Back Driver via the Driver menu. Once you’ve rolled back, restart your computer.

Maximize Wi-Fi Sensibility Value

To improve the Wi-Fi signal on a Windows 10 laptop or computer, you can increase the Wi-Fi Sensibility value to its maximum capacity and adjust a few other parameters. First of all, you need to press the Windows + X key. Locate Device Manager in the list of options.

Locate your Wi-Fi driver from the several available here in Device Manager. To view its properties, right-click on it and choose the menu item. Navigate to the Advanced tab in the Properties window. The Roaming Tendency, Roaming Sensitivity Level, or Roaming Aggressiveness should be among the options listed under Property.

When you find it, click it and choose “Aggressive” from the Value menu. Next, find the Antenna Diversity entry in the drop-down menu and set its value to “Auto.” Try pressing F1 or looking for Band Preference or BSS Mode. 5G connections require the 802.11a setting. So, you need to use an 802.11g or 802.11b for a standard 2.4GHz connection. Once satisfied with the new numbers, click Ok to save the modifications. Then, please restart your computer.

Change the MTU

Although 1500 is the default MTU setting, it is not universally supported. If you alter it, your network adapter may be able to pick up a stronger signal. Open the Command Prompt, and select the option for “Run as Administrator.” To learn the identifier for your adapter, type the following command: “netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces.”

Identify your network card and write its name down. It is necessary for the subsequent command. The MTU value, typically 1500, will also be displayed. Now, you need to enter the following command: “netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface “Wi-Fi” mtu=1400 store=persistent.” Then, replace Wi-Fi with the name of your network card. Now, your MTU is 1400. Now, restart the device.

Utilize the Network Troubleshooter

If your Wi-Fi signal is weak, the network troubleshooter may be able to help. To begin, launch your computer’s Settings menu. It’s often accessible via the Windows key + I shortcut or the Start menu. When you launch Settings, you’ll want to head straight to the “Update & Security” section. In the “Update & Security” section of the settings, there is a section labeled “Troubleshoot.”

Select this menu item to use the in-built troubleshooting tools. In the list of troubleshooters, the “Network Adapter” should be the one you choose. When you launch the troubleshooter, it will begin checking your network adapter’s configuration and connections. When you run the troubleshooter for your network adapter, it may suggest solutions to any problems it finds.

To improve your Wi-Fi connection, try making the recommended adjustments. You should run the “Internet Connections” troubleshooter in addition to the network adapter troubleshooter. If your Wi-Fi signal is weak for no obvious reason, this troubleshooter can help you pinpoint the underlying causes.

Look for Wi-Fi Card

PC users, verify that your Wi-Fi network card is functioning properly. The Wi-Fi card can be a source of problems on occasion. The strength of your Wi-Fi connection can slow if the Wi-Fi card isn’t securely fastened to your computer or if dust has built up on the card and its connecting ports. If you’re having Wi-Fi issues, trying to reconnect the card can help.

Your computer may not receive a strong Wi-Fi connection because of an outdated Wi-Fi card. If you feel that the Wi-Fi card on your computer is too old, you can upgrade it. Do you not know what a Wi-Fi card is or how your computer works? Consult a PC hardware specialist for assistance.

Reset Network Adaptors

If your laptop’s Wi-Fi signal is weak, even though you’ve tried various troubleshooting methods, rebooting the network adapter may assist. To begin, launch your computer’s Settings menu. It’s often accessible via the Windows key + I shortcut or the Start menu. Launch the Settings and tap or swipe right to see the “Network & Internet” section.

The “Status” tab is in the “Network & Internet” settings. To view the current network settings and diagnostics, select this tab. You can find the “Network Reset” button at the bottom of the “Status” tab. If you need to reset your network, go here. You’ll see a warning that doing so would uninstall all network adapters and restore factory defaults for your network settings.

After you approve the network reset, your laptop will restart. The network adapters will be reinstalled, and the settings will be restored to factory defaults during the restart. After the restart, see if your laptop’s Wi-Fi connection is stronger. In many circumstances where a weak signal results from an issue, rebooting the network adapter might help fix the problem.

If you reset the network adapter, all of your personal settings and configurations will be erased, including any Wi-Fi passwords or static IP addresses, you may have set up. After a network reset, reconnecting your Wi-Fi network and resetting any relevant network settings may be required.

Conclusion

It’s annoying when your laptop has a weak Wi-Fi signal, but there are various reasons and ways to improve it. Weak Wi-Fi signals can be due to several factors, including signal interference from other devices, malware attacks or software conflicts, improper Wi-Fi network settings, distance from the router, incompatible drivers, or physical blocks.

You need to take the right actions to solve these problems. Avoid software-related Wi-Fi problems by maintaining an up-to-date operating system, drivers, and security suite. You can enhance the signal strength of a Wi-Fi network by modifying its configuration to use updated security protocols and optimal channel parameters.

The network troubleshooter can help you find and fix network adapter issues if you’re having trouble connecting to the internet. It’s also good to ensure your Wi-Fi card is properly and securely linked. Resetting network adapters to their factory defaults can sometimes fix persistently low Wi-Fi signal strength.

You may improve your laptop’s Wi-Fi connection by implementing these methods and following the advice we have given. No matter who you are, fixing your Wi-Fi problems will make your online time more enjoyable and productive. Take the required precautions to improve your Wi-Fi signal strength and continue using your laptop without interruption.