Router signal strength

[#1]

Hi
I had Plusnet wifi installed in Sep 2013. I live in a fairly small flat, but I'm having problems with signal strength.
In the livingroom (same room as the router) I get 5 out of 5 wifi signal on my laptop, but in my bedroom I only get 2 or 3 out of 5 at most. I live in a shared flat so when I video call friends and family, I need to be able to do it from my bedroom.
I've tried changing the channel that the wifi broadcasts on, but this has made no difference. I bought an extension cable so that I could move the router closer to my bedroom, but it's a Victorian flat, so there are hardly any plug sockets and it's difficult for me to find a position for the router that's closer to my room without having the power cable and the cable to the phone socket all over the place. There are no other phone sockets in the flat. I've checked for software updates for the network adapter on my laptop, but I've got the most up to date version installed.
Can anyone make any recommendations?
I've heard that updating the router firmware may help - can anyone advise on this?
I've also heard that attaching an antenna to the router might help - again, can anyone advise?
Thanks!

[#2]

The router is not built with any facility to attach an external antenna, you would need to modify the hardware yourself.
There are also some software settings to improve the wireless: http://npr.me.uk/telnet.html#w300

[#3]

Quote from: firefly12346

In the livingroom (same room as the router) I get 5 out of 5 wifi signal on my laptop, but in my bedroom I only get 2 or 3 out of 5 at most. I live in a shared flat so when I video call friends and family, I need to be able to do it from my bedroom.

Hi Welcome to the forums.
If the WiFi connectivity s adequate for you video call, I would not worry about the signal level -  2or 3 bars out of 5 should be adequate.
If you want to make improvements, you need a channel analyser. Go look for inSIDDer - it is freeware and easy to use.  It will show you all of the WiFi networks in the area.  Look for an unused or least used channel and choose that one for your WiFi.
If that does not work for you, then consider buying a pair of Devolo dLan over power adapters.  One of the kits provides a WIFi  AP which is actually better Han the TG582n.  Put the WiFi AP in a plug in your bedroom.  Put the other end next to your router and put an Ethernet cable between the two.  Set the WIFi AP up to ave the same WiFI name and pass phrase, but put is on a different cannel well away from the existing one.
You'll then be able to have great WiFi in your bedroom and wander from room to room roaming between he two WiFi signals.
HTH,
Kevin

[#4]

Hi
Thanks for the advice
Unfortunately I'm still having problems...
Thanks very much for the software guide ejs - I tried these, but they don't seem to have made any difference for me.
Towman, two or three bars are ok for most of my browsing, but unfortunately, they are not enough for me to have decent video calls.
I had already used a channel analyser, but switching to the quietest channel made no difference (I live in a really densely populate area of London, so all of the channels were pretty busy).
Unfortunately, having a wire between sockets isn't a viable solution in my flat (Victorian = extreme lack of conveniently placed sockets).
My dad talked me into getting a Netgear WN1000RP wireless signal booster, which creates another network with a stronger signal. I can connect to that network, but only with "limited access", i.e. no internet.
Does anyone have any ideas on how I might fix this?
Thanks very much.

[#5]

You can replace the router or turn off the wifi function and put a access point connected to the router (a one with good WiFi) these are known as cabled connection routers.
I would go with replacing the router to a decent router around 50GBP and input details for your connection
NorthEasterner

[#6]

Quote from: firefly12346

Towman, two or three bars are ok for most of my browsing, but unfortunately, they are not enough for me to have decent video calls. Unfortunately, having a wire between sockets isn't a viable solution in my flat (Victorian = extreme lack of conveniently placed sockets). I can connect to that network, but only with "limited access", i.e. no internet. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might fix this?

1. Are you getting a decent video experience with more than 2 or 3 bars?  The WiFi speed is a better measure than the bars.  If the wifi speed is still greater than the BB synch speed, more bars is not likely to solve your problem.
2. Not sure that I understand the wire between socket statement.  Ethernet over power simply requires you to have another socket next to your router.  The other end can be placed anywhere on the same ring main.  That other end need not be in your room, it could be on the landing.
3. Guessing, I think you need to turn off NAT, firewall and DHCP in your secondary router.  If you set he SSID and pass phrase to,be the same as the TG you will than be able to roam between the two networks.

[#7]

@Townman
He would just have to simply plug in the cable router to the 582n then disable DHCP on the cable router and let 582n do the DHCP
Not too sure with firewall, I have always let Netgear sort my settings out with auto set up