Buffering video, a game that’s stuck when you are about to win or an online shopping site that won’t load. The worst nightmares powered by weak Wi-Fi signals.
A time came when I too started blaming my Spectrum Internet deals after facing issues with the internet speed. However, I realized later that it was not my service. Instead, a couple of other modalities were causing all that inconvenience.
Since those issues are pretty common, here’s how to find and fix them yourself to improve your WiFi signals.
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Selection of Place
The best place to place your Wi-Fi router is anywhere where there are no barriers between the router and the devices. Avoid placing your router close to metal objects as they weaken the signals. Metal can weaken the Wi-Fi signals to the extent of creating a dead zone. Other than that, also avoid placing the router anywhere where there are electromagnetic objects around it. Some objects that emit electromagnetic waves include microwave ovens and stoves.
In case you think that concrete, glass, wood, and cardboard do not disrupt the signals, you are wrong. They act as a barrier as well. However, the severity is less than metal objects. Also keep your Wi-Fi router away from the washing machine, cordless phones, tumble dryers, radiant heaters and televisions. Avoid placing your router near electric wires as well.
If you wish to spread the Wi-Fi signals evenly, place the router in the middle of the house (roughly). If you live in a double-story house, try fixing the router near the ceiling of the ground floor. That will do the trick.
Updated Router
Keeping your router updated is also essential. Malware attacks are very common these days. They cost businesses a lot of money each year. However, individuals are also at risk of getting affected by these attacks. Keeping your router updated is the only way that you can help counter any attack. If malware attacks a router, it can steal the bandwidth.
Even if a virus does not attack the router, old routers will always perform worse than the new ones. You need to update your router to the latest firmware for it to function like a new one.
Strong Antenna
The antenna plays an essential part in transmitting the Wi-Fi signals around the house. The majority of the Wi-Fi routers come with weak and small antennas. The companies cannot pack large antennas with their routers to give to the subscribers. It is nor doable. A powerful antenna can be anywhere between ten and fifteen inches. Hence, making it inconvenient for companies to provide it with the router.
You should invest in a stronger antenna upon your router’s arrival. Replace it with the one that the company provided. And see the difference. There is a huge variety of antennas available. However, you need to look for rubber duck ones. If you fail to find any in a store near you, place an order on Amazon.
Cut Off Wi-Fi Leeches
Protect your router with a password. This is the most basic step you can take to protect your router from overuse. People are always on a hunt for free WiFi networks. In case you do not encrypt yours, you will suffer as a result. Always aim for a strong password that means that it should include one or all of the following:
- Combination of upper case and lower case alphabets
- Add symbols and numbers to the password
- Avoid using common passwords
- Password should be at least 8 characters long
- Avoid adding any personal information in the password. For example, your date of birth
- Never write your password on a paper
Limit the Bandwidth Hungry Applications
Some applications use more bandwidth than others. Try to limit the use of the former as much as possible. Modern routers come equipped with services including Quality of Service that allows the users to prioritize applications. This means that your online gaming session will never get interrupted by someone watching a video on another device.
You can change your router’s QoS settings by doing the following:
- Log into your router
- Open the ‘wireless setting’ tab under the setting option
- Search for QoS settings
- Set the new rules
- Restart your router
Apart from all of the above, you also need to check for the frequency of your network. I opted for the Spectrum Silver package and have never faced any issue when it comes to Internet downtime. Some people complain about that as well. In that case, your router is not to be blamed. You need to contact your service provider and get the issue fixed.
