How to Increase the Reception of a Wireless PCI Adapter

By Ruri Ranbe

Turn off other wireless devices to prevent potential interference.
i Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

To communicate with a wireless network, a computer needs a wireless local area network card, also called a WLAN adapter. This adapter connects to a mini-PCI slot on the motherboard. Two antenna cables attach to the card, and these cables send and receive radio signals, allowing the computer to interface with Wi-Fi devices. If your computer fails to find or remain connected to local wireless networks because of poor signal strength, you can adjust the settings on the WLAN adapter to improve reception.

Step 1

Click "Start" and select "Control Panel." Type "network" into the search field and then click "View Network Connections."

Step 2

Double-click "Wireless Network Connection," and then click "Properties."

Step 3

Click the "Configure" button and select the "Advanced" tab.

Step 4

Select "Roaming Sensitivity Level," "Roaming Aggressiveness," "Roam Tendency" or a similar option.

Step 5

Choose "High," "Highest" or "Aggressive" from the associated drop-down menu.

Step 6

Click "Transmit Power" or "Transmit Power Level," then select "Highest" from the drop-down menu.

Step 7

Select "Antenna Diversity" and confirm that the option is set to "Auto." Click "Band Preference" and choose "Prefer 802.11a" if your wireless network uses the 5 GHz band; choose "Prefer 802.11g/b" if the network uses the 2.4 GHz band.

Step 8

Click "OK" and "Close" to improve the wireless reception on the network adapter.

×