Internet is imperative for working these days, but sometimes your reliable connection will cut out with no warning. Other times, dead zones in your home make checking your email or receiving a simple phone call almost impossible. If you’ve been trying to mitigate these problems, here are the top seven tips to improve internet speed and reliability.
Relocating Your Router
Sometimes the simplest tricks will yield the best results. Since modems provide needed internet to your electronics, adjusting how their signal is sent out could bolster speed and accuracy.
The first trick is to take your router off the ground. Putting your modem somewhere elevated can help the signal travel without being blocked by furniture or other obstructions. Place the router on top of a shelf or table for best, unhampered usage.
Routers can also be obstructed by materials and substances such as metal, tile, and water. Even having something like a fish tank could hinder the efficacy of a router’s signal. Be mindful about where you place your router regarding these materials for better, faster internet.
Buying an Extender
If you live in a one-floor apartment, there aren’t many obstacles for a modem to overcome. A router’s signal becomes exponentially weaker once you add multiple levels to the equation. For those living in homes or wider spaces with numerous rooms, buying a WiFi extender will fix this problem easily.
An extender for your router is a relatively cheap solution for a dampened signal. Plug in the device in one of your home’s dead zones or on a different story than your modem. The extender will multiply and redistribute internet frequencies into the space, strengthening an internet connection for hard-to-reach devices.
Disconnect Certain Devices
Every computer, iPad, gaming system, and phone in your home may be connected to your WiFi simultaneously. Though we live in a golden age of technology, an average modem can only connect to so many devices before its speed is inhibited. Before upgrading your internet or buying a new modem, try disconnecting devices you don’t use regularly. Though this may seem simplistic, freeing up your modem’s connectivity could greatly increase its efficacy.
Angle Your Router Antennas
Many routers on the market will come equipped with two separate antennas. Like an old television set, angling antennas could help improve a device’s accuracy.
As stated above, dense materials and piping in the home can easily dampen an internet signal. Push one of your modem’s antennas directly upward and the other horizontally to better expedite its frequencies through furniture and walls. Ensuring that the modem’s signal covers all areas of an apartment and can travel through floors easily will improve your devices’ connections drastically.
Changing WiFi Frequency
For those who aren’t tech enthusiasts or part of the Geek Squad, one’s WiFi and various frequencies aren’t common knowledge. If you didn’t know, a basic modem has two different channels for speed, usually 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Routers instantaneously pick the optimal channel for your device, but that won’t necessarily yield the best results.
If you’re still having trouble with WiFi speed, try manually connecting to the second GHz frequency. Alternating the connection might be your solution if many devices are plugged into one channel.
To switch your WiFi frequency, you must access and log in to your router. You can log in through a web address or an app, depending on your router. Modems from NETGEAR will have an address provided, while Google’s modems have an app that’ll help you switch your WiFi channels.
Finding a Replacement Router
Replacing equipment is the absolute final and last resort step while having bandwidth issues. If none of the steps above have helped improve internet speed, contacting your provider to switch your router could be the necessary solution.
Improving internet connection doesn’t have to be an impossible feat. Luckily, there are plenty of troubleshooting ideas to help your modem out. Try any of these six tips if you’re becoming too frustrated with your WiFi’s speed and inefficiency.