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Researchers Develop Software To Extend WiFi Range By 200 Feet

Over the years, there has been an exponential increase in the WiFi speeds all over the globe. However, the high speeds come at the cost of range.

All the modern WiFis use the 802.11n version which enables users to use the 5Ghz spectrum. While it provides relentless speeds, WiFi range is a big problem with it. The 5Ghz spectrum also has difficulty penetrating through walls and doors.

There are a few options in the market to boost the WiFi range such as a WiFi Range Extender. However, a group of researchers at Brigham Young University have discovered a more economical way to extend the WiFi Range.

Led by a BYU computer engineering professor, the team has created a protocol titled “On-Off Noise Power Communication” that can extend the distance a Wi-Fi-enabled device can send and receive signals up to 60 meters or 200 feet.

The best part about the research is that the new protocol can be applied to current WiFi-enabled devices without needing to replace the hardware.

How BYU extended the WiFi range?

WiFi-enabled devices generally require a speed of at least 1Mbps to maintain a signal, but the researchers discovered a way to maintain a signal on as low as 1bts.

To achieve this, the team managed to adjust the transmitter in WiFi-enabled devices which sent wireless noise in addition to the data. The ONPC protocol enabled the device to send a series of 1s and 0s, turning the signal on and off in a specific pattern.

According to the researchers, the WiFi router was able to identify the pattern and maintain the singal, even if no data was being sent.

“The new innovation can be applied to cellular and Bluetooth as well,” said BYU assistant professor Lundrigan. If the protocol goes mainstream, it would allow users to extend their WiFi range up to 60m merely through a software upgrade.

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