Most people don't bother with the Wi-Fi router -- it's typically set up by the service provider or IT guy and it remains in that state for its usable life. However, you can fix many issues like low coverage, add features to your Wi-Fi setup and stop people from stealing your Wi-Fi quite easily. We show you how. Get the router placement right If you have trouble with the Wi-Fi coverage in your home, it is most likely because of where the router is kept. The range of a typical home router is around 100 feet. Ideally, you should place your Wi-Fi router in a central location, away from walls, mirrors and other electrical equipment. The router signal is omni-directional -- it travels in every direction, so placing it centrally would increase the coverage throughout your home. Plus, make sure that your router is placed in a high position as the Wi-Fi signals travel downwards. We recommend placing it at 3/4th the height of your room as that is far enough from the ceiling to avoid any signal interruption. Buy larger antennas The default antenna on your router is not necessarily the best one available. Most manufacturers cut costs by using the cheapest available antennas on their router. The good thing is that you can easily switch the default antenna on most routers with enhanced versions. The antennas can be easily removed as they can be screwed off by hand. You will see multiple options starting from as low as Rs 500 with free shipping. Keep in mind that high-gain antennas typically emit signals in one direction -- so you might have to place your router accordingly. Otherwise, get a booster antenna that works the same way as the standard antenna but increases the range and strength. Adjust router software Most of us never bother to look at the various settings and tweaks available in the router software interface itself. Some routers come with settings for adjusting transmission power (also marked as TX power) -- increasing the transmission power will lead to improvements in coverage area instantly. You can also switch from the default wireless broadcast channel to another one to improve your Wi-Fi signal. Most routers work on a default channel -- if there are too many routers around using the same broadcast channel, it leads to drop in performance due to interference. In your router software setting, try and switch between various channels to find the one that shows improved performance and then use that channel. Use repeaters Another easy way to increase your Wi-Fi signal is to install repeaters in your home. A repeater takes signal from your Wi-Fi router and pushes it forward to increase its range. You can easily get compact repeaters the size of a smartphone wall plug -- these can be permanently plugged into a wall outlet. You need to make sure that the router and repeater have the same Wi-Fi SSID name and security settings. Next, you will need to configure the IP address of the routers -- give them static IP address so that they do not conflict with each other and switch off the DHCP setting on the repeater. In addition, the router and repeater will have to be configured on separate broadcast channels. Once you are done with these settings, place the repeater at such a place where it catches the signal from the router. Third-party hacks There are two third-party hacks that have been known to help in improving the signal and coverage area of the router. The first one is using a soft drink aluminum can. Just cut the can in half to create a parabolic (symmetrical curve) shape and place it around your Wi-Fi antenna. It will push the signal towards one direction and boost the signal too. Or you could just use ordinary aluminum foil. The process is similar: Fold the foil into a parabola shape and place it around your router's antenna to improve the signal.