[Home Tips] Wi-Fi coverage is insufficient. How can I ensure signal coverage throughout my home?

🧐 Why is Hong Kong's home Wi-Fi coverage insufficient?

Although Hong Kong homes are not particularly spacious, poor Wi-Fi reception is still common. The main reasons are:

  1. Wall barrier🧱

    • Most buildings in Hong Kong use reinforced concrete walls, which significantly reduces signal penetration, especially the tiled walls in kitchens and bathrooms.

  2. Improper router placement 📍

    • The router is placed in a corner, inside a cabinet, or on the floor, blocking the signal.

  3. Many sources of interference📡

    • Overlapping Wi-Fi channels of neighbors, microwave ovens, cordless phones, and Bluetooth devices can all affect the signal.

  4. Insufficient router performance ⚙️

    • The older model only supports 2.4GHz, which is slow and susceptible to interference.

  5. The coverage of a single signal is limited🗺️

    • It is difficult for a single router to cover a multi-room, multi-story unit.

🔍 How to check Wi-Fi coverage?

  1. Test with mobile phone

    • Install a Wi-Fi analysis app (such as WiFi Analyzer or AirPort Utility) and measure the signal strength (dBm value) in each room.
    • Editor's Tip : -30 to -50 dBm is excellent, -60 dBm is acceptable, and anything below -70 dBm needs improvement.

  2. Observation speed and stability

    • Perform Speedtest in different rooms to test download and upload speeds and latency (Ping value).

💡 Editor's Picks for Improvement Solutions (From Low Cost to High Performance)

1. Optimize router placement (zero cost)

  • Place it in the center of the room, about 1-1.5 meters from the ground, to avoid being blocked by cabinets.
  • Avoid being too close to large metal objects (refrigerators, steel doors) or electrical appliances (microwave ovens).
  • Editor's Tip : Pointing the antenna at different angles can provide more comprehensive signal coverage.

2. Replace with a high-specification router

  • Supports dual-band (2.4GHz + 5GHz) or Wi-Fi 6 for better coverage and speed.
  • Select multi-antenna design, support MU-MIMO and beamforming functions.
  • Editor's Tip : For new apartments in Hong Kong, it is recommended to choose a router with Mesh Wi-Fi function to facilitate future expansion.

3. Use a Mesh Wi-Fi system (my top recommendation)

  • Multiple "nodes" form a seamless network with automatic signal switching, suitable for multi-room or duplex units.
  • The installation is simple, and each node can be powered by a power plug.
  • Editor's Tip : Hong Kong offers a wide selection of brands, such as TP-Link Deco, Netgear Orbi, and ASUS ZenWiFi, with prices ranging from just over a thousand Hong Kong dollars to several thousand Hong Kong dollars.

4. Install a Wi-Fi signal repeater

  • The cost is low, but the speed will be halved due to the relay.
  • It's suitable for light use (surfing the internet, watching movies), but not for high-demand use (gaming, 4K streaming).
  • Editor's Tip : Place it within the range of the main router where the signal is still stable.

5. Use wired network with wireless AP

  • Use LAN cables to lead the signal directly to each room, and then connect to wireless access points to transmit Wi-Fi.
  • Stable and high-speed, suitable for gaming and HD streaming.
  • Editor’s tip : Old buildings in Hong Kong may need to use exposed wiring or skirting ducts, which affects the aesthetics.

6. Adjust channel and bandwidth

  • Use a Wi-Fi analysis tool to select a less-used channel (for example, the 5GHz band has less interference).
  • Editor's tip : 2.4GHz has strong wall penetration but low speed, while 5GHz has fast speed but poor penetration. You can use a mixture of them.

📊 Comparison of Wi-Fi Improvement Solutions

method cost Difficulty Effect Suitable for the situation
Optimize router placement 💰 ⭐ ⭐⭐ Slightly insufficient coverage
Switch to a higher-spec router 💰💰 ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Small and medium-sized units
Mesh Wi-Fi System 💰💰💰 ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Multi-bedroom/duplex units
Wi-Fi Extender 💰 ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ Temporary extension of coverage
Wired + AP 💰💰 ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High-demand users
Adjust Channel 💰 ⭐⭐ ⭐⭐ A lot of channel interference

🚨 A friendly reminder from the editor

  1. Hong Kong has many high-rise buildings and faces severe Wi-Fi channel interference, so the 5GHz band will see significant improvements.
  2. If the house structure has multiple reinforced walls, Mesh Wi-Fi will work much better than an extender.
  3. If you want the highest speed in the whole house, it is best to combine wired backbone (LAN) + wireless coverage.
  4. Router firmware should be updated regularly to improve stability and security🔒.

📌 Editor's Summary

Inadequate Wi-Fi coverage in Hong Kong homes is often due to poor router placement, obstructing walls, and channel interference . In the short term, adjusting the router's placement and upgrading to a higher-spec router can be helpful. Long-term, a mesh Wi-Fi system or a wired + AP combination is recommended to ensure stable, high-speed internet access from the living room to the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. 📶✨

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