Internet Browsing which is slowing to a crawl, the inability to stream Netflix, dropped Wi-Fi signals, as well as wireless dead zones, are maddening in a world where getting online has become, for some, as necessary as breathing. The need has intensified as Covid-19 has necessitated that we work from home.
If you feel as of your Wi-Fi performance has gotten sluggish, luckily there are many tools which you can utilise in order to test the speed of your Internet connection. There are also several tricks that you can try to troubleshoot your network issues.
What Can Make Wi-Fi Signal So Fickle?
Wi-Fi can be an inconsistent thing. You may be getting a perfectly strong Wi-Fi signal, move just a few steps in a particular direction, and watch it drop down to one bar. The apparently unreliable nature of Wi-Fi networks has a lot to do with the fact that there are many aspects that influence their performance. Some of these are:
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Physical distance,
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Obstructions, and
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Interference.
Physical distance
For clear technical and safety reasons, Wi-Fi routers don’t have exactly the same transmitting power as cell towers do. Cheaper routers could even struggle to cover a relatively small apartment with a strong Wi-Fi signal — let alone an entire house.
Obstructions
Wi-Fi signals may be partially absorbed – or even completely blocked – by a number of different obstacles and objects. These include walls, ductwork, furniture, home appliances, and even people.
Interference
Wi-Fi signals are the same radio frequency band of the electromagnetic spectrum that actual radios, cell phones, microwave ovens, walkie talkies, baby monitors, and several other tech devices are in. All of these could interfere with Wi-Fi signals. Of course, Wi-Fi networks could also interfere with one another, which is a problem that’s especially common in apartment buildings and other heavily populated areas. This will prevet you when you want to check this site, and can be endlessly frustrating.
Update Your Wi-Fi Router’s Firmware
Before you start tweaking things and turning your home upside down, it’s a good idea to update your Wi-Fi router. Router manufacturers are always improving software so that you can eke out a bit more speed. How easy—or how difficult —it is to upgrade your firmware depends entirely on your device’s manufacturer as well as the model.
Select a Good Place for Your Wif-Fi Router
Not all places in your home are equally suitable for your Wi-Fi router. To start with, you will want to avoid putting your router close to metal objects and appliances which emit electromagnetic waves. Metal is the top disrupter of a Wi-Fi signal, and its presence close to a Wi-Fi router could easily create a large dead zone.
Are You Using The Right Frequency?
Have a look at your network’s administrator interface and ensure that you have it configured for optimum performance. For instance, if you have a dual-band router, it is likely that you’ll get improved throughput by switching to the 5GHz band rather than using the more common 2.4GHz band.
What Are The Advantages Of 5GHz?
Not only does 5GHz provide faster speeds, but you’ll also be likely to encounter less interference from other wireless networks and devices. This is because the 5GHz frequency is not as commonly used. (It doesn’t handle obstructions and distances quite as well, although, so it won’t necessarily reach as far as a 2.4GHz signal does.)