Stubbing your toe against a table. Long lines. Slow Wi-Fi. No one likes these things because they’re just a massive pain to deal with. Well, we can’t say anything about the other two, but the Wi-Fi thing is something we can definitely take a crack at fixing up.
In this little guide, we’ve put together some of the best ways to give your Wi-Finetworka significant boost in performance. Follow these tips and you should be all good to go.
Choose The Right Location
The position of your router plays a huge role in determining your Wi-Fi speed, even though it might not seem that obvious. Now, you might ask, why does the location make such a difference? To which we say, just imagine your Wi-Fi signal as a light bulb radiating light from a central point - that’s basically how your router spreads signals. Which is whyplacing your router in the middle of your home will make sure that there’s an even distribution of the signal.
But it’s notjustabout relocating your router to your home’s midpoint;it’s also super important to sidestep certain areas called ‘dead zones’. Stuff like microwave ovens, wireless phones, baby monitors, and even that shiny little fridge can cause signal interference.Avoid these spots like the plague when deciding where to place your router.
The golden rule?Place your router in an open area, steer clear of bulky metal, glass, brick, or concrete items, and attempt to set it up at an elevated point if possible.By minimizing all of this interference, your Wi-Fi signal can breathe just a little more freely, giving you the sweet, sweet gift of speed optimization.
Update The Router’s Firmware
Your router is basically a compact computer, which means that it needs software upgrades as well.From time to time, these manufacturers release updates, commonly known as firmware, which serve a similar purpose to the operating system updates you may be all too familiar with. It’s a great thing, though; these enhancements can correct persistent glitches, improve performance speeds, and bump up your overall network security.
To search for available updates, you need to navigate to the router’s settings interface,which is, again, essentially, its hidden dashboard. The process to access this is going to be different based on the make of your router, but it usually involves entering a unique number (the router’s IP address) into your browser.
Fun fact:192.168. 1.1 and 192.168. 0.1 are some of the most commonly used router IP addresses.
Alright, so once you are done there, you will want to check out an option labeled “Firmware Update” or something similar. Follow the on-screen directions, and your router will manage the update process from there.
Adjust Router Channels
You may be aware that when there’s areas with a lot of people living close together, the Wi-Fi networks can sort of overlap and disrupt each other, which ends up causing slower internet speeds and unstable connections.
Adjusting your router to a channel with less traffic can go a long way in reducing this interference. Now, a lot of the newer routers out there pick the optimal channel automatically, so what you can do is maybe get a Wi-Fi scanner app on your phone that shows you which of those channels is less occupied.Once you find a channel with fewer networks on there, you can just switch to it by accessing your router’s configuration settings.
We also have some tried and tested options for the scanner app.Network Analyzer Pro, for instance, seems to be doing a wonderful job on the iPhone. And for those of you with androids,WiFi Analyzeris a solid choice.
Get A New Router
Have you been using the same router for quite a while now? Because it might be time to upgrade yourself a little.Most of these new-age routers come with better featuresandsupport for the newest Wi-Fi standards.For example, 802.11ac (a.k.a. Wi-Fi 5) or even Wi-Fi 6, which is pretty cool too. These things matter a lot when it comes to speed, range, and overall performance,especiallyif you’ve got a whole roster of devices connected to your network at home.
Anyway,if you’re going for a new router, ensure you get one of the MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input, Multiple Output) models.It sounds like a mouthful, but it basically means that your router can talk to multiple devices at the same time instead of just one. This comes in handy when you’ve got a house full of people all trying to stream, game, or work online simultaneously.
Another feature to look for is beamforming, which lets your router focus the Wi-Fi signal directly toward your devices, kind of like a spotlight, instead of just blasting it out in all directions. There arealways more factors to consider, sure. But the gist of it is, if you’ve got one of those dinosaur-era routers, it may be time to chuck it out and get a new one.
Use An Extender
Covering a large home (or one that has a lot of those weird, pesky Wi-Fi dead zones) can be a headache. Which is where Wi-Fi extenders come in.Think of a range extender as a relay runner: it sets up shop in an electrical outlet and lifts your router’s signal, springing it even further into what were once, the frustratingly inaccessible nooks and crannies of your home.
The alternative here would be a mesh Wi-Fi system, which is essentially a key router, coupled with a series of smaller devices planted strategically around your home.Forming a sort of Wi-Fi relay, these devices seamlessly bounce around the signal from one to another, drowning out any potential dead zones and well, giving a semblance of uniformity to your home.
Limit Connected Devices
It’s a simple equation: the more devices you got hooked up to your Wi-Fi, the more burdened your router becomes, and consequently, the slower your internet speed gets.A quick and easy method for yanking your Wi-Fi efficiency up… is unplugging devices currently out of use.
This could be anything from outdated smartphones, tablets, to IoT gadgets that frequently interact with the web without your notice. We know, we know, it seems like a simple and obvious thing, and it shouldn’t even be on the list, but you know what? This happens more frequently than you would think.
Going off the same lines, you could also just set up a guest network for visitors. This way, a fine line is drawn between accessibility and overloading your primary Wi-Fi connection(boundaries are important, after all). Most routers out there will allow you to create a separate guest network with its own password, so this wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
Implement Quality of Service (QoS) Settings
Alright, so QoS is all about setting priority levels. Think of it as your own personal internet traffic controller. During your workday, for instance, you might set your office laptop to receive the most bandwidth. And then, come evening, it’s ‘lights, camera…bandwidth’ for your streaming device.It’s all in your hands with QoS, because you can arrange bandwidth priority to suit your specific needs at a convenient time.
Start by getting on your router’s web interface. Once inside, look out for the QoS settings. Here you’ll find the magic that lets you manage your network like a pro. You can establish priority levels, such as “Highest”, “High”, “Normal”, or “Low”, based on devices or applications.These can be further adjusted with rules defined by MAC or IP addresses, or even specific applications or port numbers. Remember: a good balance between everything is key to avoiding slowing down your overall network.
Change the Wi-Fi Band
Most routers support not one, but two separate Wi-Fi bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Picture them as two different highway lanes for your digital traffic. Think of the 2.4 GHz band as the scenic route. It’s a bit slower, sure, but it boasts a longer range. Now, the 5 GHz band? That’s your autobahn. It’s quick, it’s efficient, but unfortunately, it doesn’t take you quite as far.
you’re able to essentially play the role of a traffic controller. And you get to pick which band you use for each device based on two things: its location and bandwidth needs. Kind of like playing matchmaker with your tech. For example, if you have a device that is far from your router, such as a smart thermostat or a security camera, you may want to connect it to the 2.4 GHz band for better range. On the other hand, if you have a device that requires a lot of bandwidth, such as a gaming console or a 4K streaming device, you will definitely want to connect it to the 5 GHz band for faster speeds.
Use A Secure Password
Leaving your Wi-Fi network unprotected is the virtual equivalent of leaving your door open; it’s a welcome mat for, well, let’s just say, opportunistic internet trespassers… and cybercriminals. To prevent unwanted access and ensure your private data stays that way - private, you definitely need to come up with a secure password and make good use of the encryption protocols for your network.
Among the different encryption types available,WPA2/WPA3 stands out as the safest for securing your Wi-Fi network.General rule of thumb: do not use easily guessable passwords like your anniversary, your birthday, or, you know, your dog’s name. Ideally, though,you should be going for a random but memorable phrase consisting of random words, numbers, and symbols.
Run Regular Maintenance
Remember, it’s not just your computer that needs the occasional power nap. Your router and modem can also benefit from a brief snooze in order to blow out any mental cobwebs. So, how about showing them some love by planning a monthly restart?This small break can significantly improve their memory management and remove lingering software glitches that are dragging overall performance down.
Also… Over time,your web browser accumulates data that can slow down your internet experience. Make sure that you’re clearing this data because it plays a huge hand in keeping things running smoothly on your end.
