Recommend:
Knowledge document #3243

Optimizing the Wi-Fi network of the FRITZ!Box

Your FRITZ!Box and Mesh Repeaters like the FRITZ!Repeater provide the best Wi-Fi quality in the home network. Here it is especially important that you can easily switch to the best wireless access point when you move to a different room. However, individual settings and structural conditions can mean that devices and the FRITZ!Box are not perfectly aligned with each other.

If the Wi-Fi speed or network coverage is insufficient, the following simple steps will help you to optimize the Wi-Fi network.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Adjusting the name of the Wi-Fi network (SSID)

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Network" ("Radio Network") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Click "More Information on the Wi-Fi Network" and disable the option "Hide name of the Wi-Fi network" or enable the option "Name of the Wi-Fi network visible". This way, all wireless devices can connect to the FRITZ!Box and the FRITZ!Box can optimally control wireless devices in the Mesh ("Mesh Wi-Fi Steering").
  4. If available, click "Additional Settings for the Wi-Fi Network".
  5. Disable the option "Different names for the Wi-Fi networks on 2.4 and 5 GHz" to use the same name (SSID) for both Wi-Fi networks. Only then can the FRITZ!Box automatically steer your wireless devices to the ideal frequency band ("band steering").
  6. Click "Apply" to save the settings. All Wi-Fi connections to the FRITZ!Box are cleared when the settings are adopted.

2 Setting Wi-Fi channel settings automatically

In the factory settings, the FRITZ!Box evaluates the Wi-Fi environment and the connection quality of the wireless devices at regular intervals. Based on this evaluation, it automatically selects the best Wi-Fi channel settings. If you disabled the automatic adjustment of Wi-Fi channel settings, enable it again:

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Wi-Fi Channel" ("Radio Channel") in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enable the option "Set Wi-Fi channel settings automatically (recommended)".
  4. Click "Apply" to save the settings. Now Wi-Fi connections to the FRITZ!Box are briefly cleared and then automatically re-established.

3 Optimizing the Mesh settings

Checking the Mesh connection of the FRITZ!Repeater

  1. Click "Home Network" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Mesh" in the "Home Network" menu.
  3. If the FRITZ!Repeater is not marked with the Mesh symbol in the Mesh Overview, follow the steps in our guide FRITZ!Repeater is not marked with Mesh symbol.

Enabling the adoption of Mesh settings

  1. Click "Access to Home Network" in the user interface of the FRITZ!Repeater.
  2. Enable the option "Adopt settings enabled".
  3. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

4 Updating FRITZ!OS and Wi-Fi software

Updates contain improvements, bug fixes, and new functions. Therefore, install the latest FRITZ!OS or software version on all of the devices:

Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Box.

Installing the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Repeater

  1. Install the latest FRITZ!OS on the FRITZ!Repeater.

Installing the latest software for the wireless device

  1. Install the latest software version for the wireless device (for example Android, iOS) or the latest driver for the computer's wireless network adapter (for example from the Intel Download Center).

    Note:Refer to the device's manufacturer for information on how to update, for example consult the manual.

5 Optimizing the position

Finding the ideal location for the FRITZ!Box

  1. If possible, place the FRITZ!Box in a centrally located room. The FRITZ!Box has omnidirectional antennas. The Wi-Fi signal is therefore emitted spherically in all directions.
  2. Do not place the FRITZ!Box directly in the corner of a room.
  3. Position the FRITZ!Box so that it is as unobstructed as possible, i.e. not directly in back of or under an obstacle such as pieces of furniture or a heater.
  4. Place the FRITZ!Box as high in the room as possible, for example on a shelf.
  5. Place the FRITZ!Box so that there are as few obstacles as possible between it and the wireless devices. Even small objects in the immediate vicinity of your FRITZ!Box can greatly reduce the range of the Wi-Fi signal. Especially metallic objects or objects containing water, for example radiators, refrigerators, or houseplants, significantly reduce the quality of the Wi-Fi signal.
  6. Place the FRITZ!Box away from other radio transmitters, such as microwaves, wireless speakers, or Bluetooth devices.

Finding the ideal location for the FRITZ!Repeater

  1. Position the FRITZ!Repeater so that at least three of its five signal strength LEDs light up. You can find tips on positioning it in the guide Finding the ideal location for FRITZ!Repeater.



Help topics:

Related topics:

Language selection