Boost Your Home WiFi: Turn Your Smartphone into a Repeater

Written by Camilla Jessen

May.13 - 2024 8:26 PM CET

Technology
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Use your Android phone as a signal amplifier.

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In many households, there are corners where the WiFi signal is weak and the internet connection is consequently limited.

An effective and cost-efficient solution to increase the WiFi range is to use your own Android smartphone, which can function as a WiFi repeater. This setup can enhance signal strength and significantly extend network coverage in your home without the need for additional hardware.

According to a recent article by CHIP, there are a few steps to transform your Android device into a WiFi amplifier. Initially, ensure your smartphone is successfully connected to the WiFi network.

There are several methods to connect the smartphone to the router: either via a USB cable, an Ethernet-USB-C adapter, or Bluetooth tethering.

Once the connection is established, navigate to "Network and Internet" in the Settings menu, select "Hotspot and Tethering," and then activate the desired tethering option.

Considerations and Limitations

While this method offers many benefits, such as ease of setup and avoiding the costs of external repeaters, it also has its drawbacks.

The primary disadvantage is the increased battery consumption, as the smartphone must constantly run to amplify the signal. It is therefore advisable to use this function at home and, if possible, keep your smartphone connected to the power supply.