TP-LINK TL-WR940N keeps dropping connections for laptops and phones.

[KentaZX]

Okay so I got so freaking tired of using wifi to connect my computer to the internet, so I moved the modem and router from the basement to my room upstairs, and now im happy with having a stable connection. However, my family is bitching on me so many times on how the Wi-Fi keeps dropping off while they're in the living room playing with their phones and laptop doing casual related stuff (casual games, facebook, etc).

I have tried playing around with the settings like moving from WPA 2 to WPA, and that didnt help at all and I'm getting annoyed now.

So before I go ahead and save up for a couple of months 200$ and waste it all on an aC router, or go spending money on an extra router to bridge, I Want to know if you guys can help me out fix this problem once and for all.

 

[Solandri]

Put the router in the living room. Wifi signals will propagate through the house best if the router is located in the middle. Not the basement, not upstairs.

Also, the antennas radiate the strongest signal out in a plane perpendicular to the antenna. e.g. if it's pointed straight up, the strongest signal will be in a horizontal plane. So try tilting one of the antennas so this plane intersects your room upstairs.

 

[KentaZX]

but that also means I have to move the modem too right? If i move that into the living room, My desktop wont have internet then..and I do NOT want to go back to wifi.

 

[Solandri]

My desktop wont have internet then..and I do NOT want to go back to wifi.

Yeah, and we all want a million dollars. What you want and what you can get are usually two different things. You said the wifi router was originally in the basement. You should try it in the living room to see if connectivity to your desktop via wifi is acceptable, before writing it off as a potential solution. Given the situation you've outlined, that's the only possible fix which does not involve spending some money.

If you're going to spend money, here are some ideas you can try which might be cheaper than a new router.

• 
  ■Powerline network adapters, so your desktop can connect via a wired connection to the wifi router in the living room.
  ■MoCA network adapters if your house is rigged for cable TV, so you can have a wired connection to the wifi router in the living room.
  ■Wifi extender in the living room (or somewhere more central to the house which still gets a good connection to the router in your room), to give people downstairs a better wifi connection (just make sure they connect to the extender instead of the wifi router).
  ■ Run a network cable from the living room to your room if there's a heating duct, laundry chute, or window to easily pass the cable through. If you're handy with drywall and a drill, you can install the cable in the wall yourself.
  ■ A better wifi adapter for your desktop, one with a good antenna.

 

[KentaZX]

My desktop wont have internet then..and I do NOT want to go back to wifi.

Yeah, and we all want a million dollars. What you want and what you can get are usually two different things. You said the wifi router was originally in the basement. You should try it in the living room to see if connectivity to your desktop via wifi is acceptable, before writing it off as a potential solution. Given the situation you've outlined, that's the only possible fix which does not involve spending some money.

If you're going to spend money, here are some ideas you can try which might be cheaper than a new router.

• 
  ■Powerline network adapters, so your desktop can connect via a wired connection to the wifi router in the living room.
  ■MoCA network adapters if your house is rigged for cable TV, so you can have a wired connection to the wifi router in the living room.
  ■Wifi extender in the living room (or somewhere more central to the house which still gets a good connection to the router in your room), to give people downstairs a better wifi connection (just make sure they connect to the extender instead of the wifi router).
  ■ Run a network cable from the living room to your room if there's a heating duct, laundry chute, or window to easily pass the cable through. If you're handy with drywall and a drill, you can install the cable in the wall yourself.
  ■ A better wifi adapter for your desktop, one with a good antenna.

whats the best Wifi extender that isnt too expensive to buy?