How to improve Wi-Fi signal on Android

If you notice that your Wi-Fi is consuming a lot more battery than it usually does or you seem to be always connected but the internet isn't exactly flowing as it should, then you might be suffering from poor Wi-Fi connections. On devices like the Nexus 5 or Moto X, which have notoriously weak batteries, this is a problem. Poor Wi-Fi can occur anywhere, from thickly walled buildings, to long-range connections or simply a bad Wi-Fi signal in the first place. Here's what you can do to fix it.

No Wi-Fi? Poor connection? We've got yout covered.

Avoid poor connections

In the settings menu of Android there is a nice little option that tells your phone to avoid poor Wi-Fi connections, meaning that while it is scanning for available networks it will actually avoid trying to connect to those with poor signals. This will save you a lot in terms of power and frustration. Just go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the overflow menu button and then Advanced. Here you will see the check box to avoid poor connections.

Avoiding poor Wi-Fi connections is a great idea!

MacGyver a DIY radio dish

If you're in real need of a better Wi-Fi signal then you can actually make your own little parabolic dish to ''catch'' some better reception. This is basically a small version of a big radio or satellite dish. You can use a metal bowl or cut open a soda can to make a receiver dish. It may not be the most practical thing to do every time you have a weak signal, but it is fun.

Update your radio or firmware

If you're receiving over the air updates from your carrier or manufacturer then this probably doesn't apply to you, but if you are running custom ROMs you may find yourself occasionally needing to manually update the radio on your Android. This can be done very simply and we've shown you how to update the radio and bootloader on the Nexus 5 already. Making sure you're on the latest version of Android for your device is always a wise move for best performance, including your Wi-Fi drivers.

If you're not on the OTA trail, you may need to update your radio manually

Forget bad connections

If you've signed in to a million different Wi-Fi connections and found half of them to be so bad you can't use them, then do yourself a favor and forget those networks in your Wi-Fi settings. If you don't your phone will connect to those bad signals whenever you're in range, again draining your battery with a unusable Wi-Fi connection.

If you have a saved connection that's particularly poor, just forget it!

Don't obstruct your antenna

Lots of cases can actually make your Wi-Fi signal worse, especially if they contain metal, which is often used for added protection or kick stands. To see if your case is affecting your Wi-Fi signal, do an Ookla speed test with the case off, then, in the same location, put the case back on and perform the test again. If you see a difference when the case is on you may want to look at alternatives.

If you notice a decrease in Wi-Fi speed from no case (left) to with case (right) then you need to reconsider your case.

Speedtest.net INSTALL

Get a better signal

If you actually have control over where the Wi-Fi router is located, then get physical: move that thing closer to where you use it the most or at the very least place it where it has the least amount of interference from where it is to where you want the signal to be. If you installed your router in the bedroom but find yourself continually struggling to get a good signal in the kitchen, then why not move the router to where you use it most or somewhere in the middle. You can use the same trick mentioned above and create a little ''directional'' dish to place on top of the router too, to better focus where the signal is directed.
Do you suffer from poor Wi-Fi reception? What do you do to improve your Wi-Fi signal?