This WiFi chip can 'steer' signals to reach distant rooms
Everyone gets WiFi issues every now and then, some more severe than others, prompting companies like Eero to conjure up possible solutions. A San Diego company called Ethertronics believes its new "active antenna" chip originally developed for cellphones can solve slow WiFi connections, though. Even better, the company says the EtherChip can extend your connection's range and make sure there's decent signal throughout your house even without the use of boosters. That chip, which uses "active steering algorithms," creates multiple signals around the antenna and chooses the best one to use for each device connecting to it.
According to GigaOm, that will allow your WiFi to work even behind thick walls and ceilings to penetrate rooms where it might not typically be available -- Ethertronics claims a 20 to 45 percent increase in signal strengh. It works even better if you're also using the new breed of 802.11ac routers with their multiple antennas. The chip is yet to be used on any phone (previous ones are already found in Samsung Galaxy devices) or other gadgets, but the company's hoping router makers will embrace its technology now that more and more people are starting to use WiFi.
[Image credit: Brenderous/Flickr]
