How to Increase the Reception of a Wireless PCI Adapter
By Ruri Ranbe
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.
References
Tips
- If you experience connectivity issues after setting roaming aggression to high, reduce the value to medium for improved performance.
- Not all wireless adapters support the options above. Settings and options vary, depending on the make and model of the device.
Warnings
- Information in this article applies to Windows 7. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.
Writer Bio
Ruri Ranbe has been working as a writer since 2008. She received an A.A. in English literature from Valencia College and is completing a B.S. in computer science at the University of Central Florida. Ranbe also has more than six years of professional information-technology experience, specializing in computer architecture, operating systems, networking, server administration, virtualization and Web design.