Technology Desk, Delhi Magazine: Home Wi-Fi has a tendency to drop out or “jump” at the most important moment. And most often for unknown reasons.
The good news is that a slow internet connection is usually easy to fix and doesn’t require you to find a new ISP at all. The DailyMail has put together 5 tips to help you speed up your Wi-Fi by 50%.
1. Move the router to an open area
Your router is a radio transmitter and should be as close as possible to devices that require fast connection (such as smart TVs and laptops) – ideally in line of sight. Walls, closets, and even bookshelves can weaken your Wi-Fi signal.
If you live in a two-story house, try moving your Wi-Fi router as high as possible to get the best signal.
Also keep in mind that if you put the router on the “edge” of your house, half of the signal will be transmitted outside, so don’t put it next to a window and keep it away from the walls you share with your neighbors.
2. Change channel or band
The Wi-Fi signal is divided into channels, and the router uses one of them to communicate with devices throughout the house. This can affect connection speed, especially if you live in a building where multiple people are using Wi-Fi and everyone is on the same channel.
Switching to a different channel may solve this problem. To do this, find out how to change the channel on your particular router: instructions can usually be found in the admin menu at 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.0.1. Try channels 1, 6 and 11 as they tend to have the least amount of interference when connecting multiple devices.
3. Use cables where possible
If you have a lot of devices, it might be worth connecting the ones that don’t move (TVs or game consoles) via an Ethernet cable to get the best speed.
4. Rotate the antennas
The antennas on your router (if you have them) can also help boost your Wi-Fi speed.
If you live in an apartment, place them vertically so that the signal propagates to the sides. For owners of large private houses, it is best to leave one antenna vertically and the other horizontally for broadcasting between floors.
5. Update your router
If all else fails, it might be time to buy a newer router or set up a mesh network altogether – it’s an easy way to expand your network across multiple rooms without drilling or running cables.