I always get annoyed when there is a certain spot i would love to sit with my laptop and it just can't get reliable wireless signal. Check out these tips to now only boost your signal but also protect or monitor your signal. 

• The simplest way to improve your signal is get a better position of your wireless router.

Place the router centrally and as high as possible. Don't make the signal travel through think walls or large metal objects, also don't place your computer next to other appliances that may cause interference. If you live in a condense area and there are tons of wirelss signals change the signal channel to cause less interference

• Extend the signal with a repeater or a bridge

A wireless repeater is a device that finds any wireless signal and repeats that signal even farther. The tough thing with a repeater is that is a dumb device that repeats any wireless signal so if there is a lot of wireless signals in the area it can cause interference. You can also use a bridge which is connected wiried but also is a wireless device. You can use a router, or a specific device used for a bridge.

• Ever wonder whats floating around on those signals.

Check it out with wireshark. Wireshark is a packet sniffer that shows you all the information being passed along the network.

• Enable security on your router.

Wireless secruity isn't all that secure but its just like putting a lock on your front door. Most likely somebody will just move on instead of spending the time to break in. Use WPA and 128 bit encryption.

• Limit Mac addresses

This steps up the secruity a little bit. It allows you to only allow certain computers to be albe to connect to our network. While it is annoying to have to add a new computer every time you can be sure that only computers you approve are connecting. These security tricks will also speed up your network if you have people around you trying to connect.

• Don't broadcast your SSID or wireless name.

• Detect networks with netsumbler.

Use this tool to detect networks and the details about them. This will even show networks where the SSID is not displayed

• Share your computers' wired connection wirelessly

If your in a spot where your using a wired connection but also have some friends that need to connect. You can turn your PC into a bridge.

• boost your signal with tin foil

This actually works. The video describes how to cut some cardboard and tin foil to provide some extra juice for your router. Click the link below to watch this video

• Unlock your wifi routers capabilities with a firmware update

This hack is not for the novice user, firmware upgrades if not done incorrectly can render your device a useless brick. If you embark on this adventure it does have huge benefits unlocking all sorts of features.

Get all the juicy details and instructions here