Simple Technological Solutions for Increasing the Speed of Your Wi-Fi
There are very few things that are as aggravating as Wi-Fi that is not working quickly. Whether you are playing video games, taking online courses, streaming movies, or working from the comfort of your own home, a slow internet connection may throw a wrench in the works. The encouraging news is that you do not necessarily have to modify your plan or purchase costly equipment in order to see positive changes. In many cases, a few minor modifications and simple technical solutions may considerably improve the performance of your Wi-Fi connection.
1. Make Sure Your Router Is Placed in a Strategic Location
The location of your Wi-Fi router has a significant impact on the performance of your network. Routers should be positioned in the following locations:
In a key place in your house.
Placed somewhere that is elevated, such as on a table or a shelf, rather than concealed beneath furnishings
Away from walls, metal objects, and equipment such as microwave ovens, which have the potential to cause interference with signals.
Quick Solution: Relocating your router to a more open and central location can provide you with better coverage.
2. Make Sure the Firmware of the Router is Up to Date
In order to remain safe and efficient, routers, like all other electronic devices, need regular upgrades to the firmware that they operate on. Updates that increase performance and correct issues are often released by manufacturers.
Quick Solution: At least once every few months, go to the administrator panel of your router and check to see if there are any new updates for the firmware.
3. Change to a channel that has less people on it
Your Wi-Fi connection may become sluggish if you and your neighbors are utilizing the same channel to broadcast your routers. Contemporary routers often have a “auto” function that allows them to choose the channel that will provide the optimum performance.
Quick Fix: To choose a channel with less traffic, you may use the settings on your router or a Wi-Fi analyzer application.
4. Make the switch to the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band
Dual-band compatibility (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) is a feature of the majority of routers. The 5 GHz band (as well as the more recent Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz band) is quicker and experiences less interference, while the 2.4 GHz band is able to reach larger distances but is slower and more congested.
Quick Solution: Connect devices that need a high level of speed, such as video game consoles and laptops, to the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band. When it comes to smart home devices, maintain a frequency of 2.4 GHz.
5. Minimize the Number of Devices Running in the Background
If too many devices are connected at the same time, the bandwidth will be exhausted. Smart televisions, security cameras, and even mobile phones that are not being used have the potential to use data in the background.
Quick Fix: When you are not using a device, particularly during video conversations or gaming sessions, disconnect or pause it.
6. Make it a habit to reboot your router on a regular basis.
Similar to PCs, routers may benefit from a restart, since it clears memory and refreshes connections.
Quick Solution: Restart your router once a week, or if your model is capable of doing so, create a plan for automated restarts.
7. Ethernet Should Be Used for Critical Devices
Although using Wi-Fi is handy, a cable connection will always be quicker and more reliable than using Wi-Fi.
A quick solution is to use an Ethernet connection to directly connect game consoles, desktop PCs, or streaming devices to the router.
8. Incorporate a Mesh System or Wi-Fi Extender
If you live in a house that is spacious or one that has walls that are thick, it is impossible to avoid dead zones. A mesh system employs a number of access points in order to provide uninterrupted performance, while a Wi-Fi extender enhances coverage.
Quick Solution: In locations where coverage is inadequate, install an extender. If there are a number of rooms that have poor coverage, it may be wise to consider investing in a mesh system.
9. Make a search for any potential interference
The Wi-Fi connection may be disrupted by household appliances such as baby monitors, Bluetooth-enabled devices, and cordless phones.
Quick Solution: Either move your router away from these gadgets or switch to higher-frequency bands that are less likely to experience interference.
10. Make Sure That Your Network is Secure
If your Wi-Fi network does not have a password, it is possible that it could attract users who were not invited, which will consume up the bandwidth that is available to you.
In order to keep anyone from using your network without paying for it, you should use strong WPA3 encryption and a password that is different from any other passwords you use.
11. Think about upgrading your router.
It is possible that your router does not support the most recent Wi-Fi standards if it is over five years old. Faster speeds, improved coverage, and more efficient handling of many devices are all benefits of new routers that support Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E.
Rapid Solution: In the event that your existing router is out of date, you should upgrade to a more recent one.
In conclusion, the most important aspect of the process of making a decision is the ability to gather and evaluate information.
It is not always necessary to sign up for a new internet plan or purchase expensive equipment in order to increase the speed of your Wi-Fi connection. You may have a connection that is more stable and quicker by situating your router, changing the firmware, controlling the devices that are connected, and utilizing the appropriate frequency bands. Extenders or mesh systems are a straightforward answer for anybody who need coverage in more expansive areas. You may take use of your current internet connection to its full potential and prevent lag from occurring if you implement these simple technical solutions.