With the current COVID-19 Pandemic, most organizations are now allowing their employees to work from home. This is also not an exception for schools. It is therefore important to have a very fast internet connection in your home to get work done faster.
Why You Have a Slow Wi-Fi
Slow internet connection is caused by a number of reasons. It can be caused by physical barriers between your Wi-Fi and connected devices. Your walls, floors and furniture can block wireless signals. The distance between your router and devices could also wide or far apart that leaves you with only a weak signal. Other major factors that affect the speed of your Wi-Fi include: the position of your router, the technology you are using and the number of devices you have connected to your router. Outlined below are suggestions on how you can boost your internet connectivity and make it faster
1. Add strong Passwords to Your Wi-Fi
When your Wi-Fi doesn’t have a password, anyone can tap into it, including your neighbours and hackers. In the process, they may have access to your computer files and even spread some viruses to it. They can also monitor the kind of websites you visit and even decipher your log in credentials to some of the sites.
When too many people are tapping into the same Wi-Fi, it slows down the network. Protecting access to your Wi-Fi with passwords is a good idea. Having a Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), creates some form of deviation and protection. It will ensure only the people you want, have access to your Wi-Fi and it increases the speed of your internet connection.
When creating passwords, use a unique password that is a combination of letters, numbers, alphanumeric characters, lower cases and upper cases. You can also consider separating your network from that of the guests, especially if it is an organization Wi-Fi or when you regularly have a lot of guests. Change your passwords on regular basis.
2. Don’t Reboot Your Router too Often
Restarting your router can fix a lot of issues, including your dead internet. But rebooting on a more frequent basis is not recommended, unless your slow internet connection is caused by radio frequency interference.
However, if you use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and you are experiencing internet speed problems, rebooting is highly recommended as the router will choose the best channel with least interference.
To reboot your router, you can press the restart button, which is usually located at the back of many routers. You may have to use pointy objects to get to it.
Alternatively, you can disconnect the router from its power then turn it back ON again. Rebooting clears router’s memory, allowing recent updates to install. This will improve the speed of your Wi-Fi.
3. Involving Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
After you have tried all you can and still have poor connectivity, consider involving your service provider. They will help you diagnose the problem with your Wi-Fi. They may even send a technician to test your signal strength. They are more knowledgeable and can pin point issues you hadn’t seen.
4. Place Your Router in a Good Location
Cupboards, tables, walls or bookshelf can potentially act as a barrier to fast internet connection. Consider moving your router to different places and explore the speeds. Routers should not be placed close to appliances and metal objects that emit electromagnetic radiation. Metals can disrupt your Wi-Fi signal as they create dead zones when placed close to your router.
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For the Wi-Fi signal to cover all areas of your house, consider looking for a central point. When you find a perfect spot, set your router there and enjoy fast internet connection. Do not place your router on the floor as it severely limits its ability to emit strong signals.
You can also consider purchasing powerful Wi-Fi antennas for your router. There are different types of antennas each with a different gain capability. The higher the gain, the stronger the signal of your Wi-Fi.
5. Link Your Device Directly to the Router Via Ethernet Cable
Wired connections are usually faster and more stable than wireless ones. However, there is a limitation to this in terms of the distance of the Ethernet cable.
6. Upgrading your router
There are different routers in the market in the market, each offering different quality of different connection. If your internet speed is low, consider upgrading your router in terms of how far it can broadcast. Large houses require routers that can reach furthest parts of the house.
If you are using an outdated equipment, consider replacing it with a new one for faster connection. If you rented a gateway from your service provider, request for a new one as the old one can cause poor network performance. You can also purchase your own router which will give you more control over its features, security and speed.
7. Disconnect Unused Devices from your router
Evaluate the number of devices that are tapping into your router. Disconnect and remove all devices that are no longer in use but are still connected to the router. Not only will this help you reduce the number of devices at hand but also increases the speed of your internet. The more devices that are tapping into your Wi-Fi, the lesser the speed.
Always ensure whatever is connected to your router is essential. Prioritize your connections especially if your router is on a low bandwidth. The simplest way of ensuring only key devices are connected to your router is by changing your Wi-Fi password. You can then log back in for all the devices you want connected to your network.
8. Check Your Computer for update in the background
There is a high possibility that the slowdown is caused by failure in your computer. Certain program in your computer could be auto-updating themselves causing internet slowdown. Disable the automatic updates to enjoy faster internet.
9. Extend Your Wi-Fi
If your house is large, consider extending your Wi-Fi by connecting it to other routers to reach some parts of your house where internet was slow. Wi-Fi boosters extends your signal to places where they initially couldn’t reach. Most of the boosters are plug and play, making it easier for you to extend its reach on your own.
Before purchasing a Wi-Fi booster, estimate the size of the area you want it to reach. Network analyzers like NetSpot can help you estimate the signal heat map of your space. Network boosters and Wi-Fi extenders are really helpful when you are looking for more coverage without upgrading your existing router. With these, you will enjoy strong and reliable Wi-Fi signals everywhere in your home or office.
10. Change Your Channel
Routers have different channels to which they are connected to, just like a highway. Many routers are usually set to their default channels. This usually results into a network traffic jam due to a lot of packets trying to utilize the same line.
If you are sharing the same channel with your neighbors, the network can get congested and cause a slowdown. Consider changing to another channel to enjoy a faster connection. You can use Netspot to identify which channels are less congested. Netspot acts as a Wi-Fi analysis tool.
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