Pretty much everyone has internet, and sure, it's gotten better. Wi-Fi spots are all over town, at your place of work, in your parking lot, and at your neighborhood coffee shop. It's easier than ever to be consistently be connected. Yet, Wi-Fi in your home can sometimes be just as frustrating as getting a good signal anywhere else in town. The problem is consistency. Many devices these days, like the Eero system, aim to help extend your Wi-Fi range. A company called Ethertronics hopes to be a similar solution to a range extender, but without the need to buy any access equipment.

Ethertronics, a startup from San Diego, has developed EtherChip, an active antenna originally designed for use in mobile phones, that extends the range of your router's signal. No need to buy any extra boosters, all the work is done within your very own Wi-Fi router using “active steering algorithms” (Engadget). Ethertronics' chief scientist Jeff Shamblin calls it a “beam-forming technology” that can optimize communication when “the spectrum is getting crowded and there's a lot of interfering signals”. Active steering helps the signal navigate through multiple walls of your home, then selects the ideal pattern to supply its device with the most efficient signal (Gigaom).

The company's own demonstrations have shown that EtherChip can provide a 20 percent to 45 percent increase in Wi-Fi signal efficiency. Shamblin sees this as a soon-to-be selling point for ISPs and cable providers who want to stand apart. As far as availability, the chip has not made it into any devices yet, but the company will be showing EtherChip off during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this March.