How to Increase the Range of the Wii Sensor

By Veronica Summers

Updated September 22, 2017

Items you will need

  • Nintendo Wii Gaming System with Sensor Bar attached

  • Wii Remote

Playing a Wii game and getting frustrated because your Wii Remote keeps losing the signal with the Wii console? Try increasing the range of your Wii Sensor Bar. The Wii Sensor Bar is a thin bar that sits above or below your TV and plugs into the back of the Wii game console. When you point your Wii Remote at the screen, the Sensor Bar uses two points of infrared light to determine the distance that the Wii remote is from the TV screen. Typically, Wii Remotes can be used 6 to 10 feet away from your TV.

Remove any sources of bright light near your Wii console. Bright lights interfere with the infrared signals that your Wii Remote is sending to the Sensor Bar. Besides bright lamps, remove burning candles, turn off space heaters, and shut off Christmas tree lights. Also, try closing blinds or curtains to block out bright sunlight.

Turn on your Wii. Click on the "Wii" button on the lower-left side of the Wii startup screen.

Click on the "Wii Settings" icon that looks like a wrench.

Click on the blue arrow on the right until you see the Wii System Settings 2 menu. Scroll down the menu and click on "Sensor Bar."

Click "Sensitivity." The Sensitivity option specifies how far the Sensor Bar can be from the Wii Remote and still work.

Hold the Wii Remote and move to where you are having problems with the Wii Remote losing contact with the game console.

Point the cursor at the screen and move the two white dots into the square test box on the screen. If you see two blinking dots in the square, your Sensor Bar is set correctly and should be working.

If you don't see two blinking white dots, move the scroll bar under the test square to the right "+" side until you see the blinking dots.

Press "A" on the Wii remote to save the new Sensor Bar settings.

Tips

If you see more than two blinking dots in the test square, the Wii Remote is sensing other sources of light in the room. Walk around the room and eliminate light sources until you only see two dots on the screen.

Warnings

Only move the Sensor Bar sensitivity to right until you see the blinking dots. Don't automatically move to the highest sensitivity option. The higher sensitivity setting the greater chance that other types of light in the room will affect the Wii Remote.

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