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Slow internet is a very common issue. Nothing is more frustrating than stopping in the middle of your online work because your WiFi decided to go slow all of a sudden.
Last week, as I was draining my Spectrum packages by working on an important research assignment, my WiFi went dead slow. But after a quick call to the tech support, I had to eat my harsh words. It was embarrassing to find out that my cat had taken the power plug out!
So make sure that is not the case with you too. If not then go through the first two steps mentioned below. If that doesn’t fix the issue, then follow all the tips.
Place the Router at a Good Place
Your router is the connection between your device and the WiFi signals. Simply put, if it is put at someplace too far away from where you are using the internet, the distance can disrupt the signals, hence, make it slow.
To begin, place it away from home appliances that emit electromagnetic signals. The biggest risks are microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors, dishwashers, etc. Also, do not place it right next to any metal object. This is because metal can greatly influence the WiFi signals strength, and placing your router permanently next to a metal object can slow down your internet, creating a dead zone.
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Some other materials like wood, plastic, foam, and glass can disrupt the signals too. That is why it is advisable to place your router in the room where you use the internet the most because walls and doors can also disrupt the signals. Try placing your router above floor level, as the WiFi signals are emitted outward. If your router is on the floor, it can greatly influence the signal strength.
Update Your Router
Updating your router can solve the slow connection problem too. Malware attacks are all over the news these days. And if your router gets attacked once, the malware can spread to the connected devices, and steal the bandwidth. Keeping your router updated can solve this problem, and it will give a boost to the router performance too.
Also, if the firmware of your router is old, it can work as badly as a malware-infected router, even worse. So it is important to update your router at regular intervals.
Buy a Stronger Signal Antenna
The antennas that come with most WiFi routers are weak and small. It is not an attempt at the manufacturers’ part to save money by making small ones but to make a WiFi antenna strong, they have to make it in quite a large size. You can switch your default 4dB gain antenna with a stronger 10 dB antenna, and you will instantly see the difference in signal strength.
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So if you are okay with hideously big antennas to make your WiFi perform in a better way, a powerful antenna can solve your slow WiFi signals issue in a jiffy. You won’t even have to buy a new router then.
You just need to buy an antenna with greater gain than the one you are using to boost up your WiFi signals.
Password-Protect Your WiFi
If you haven’t done this already, most probably this is the reason behind your weak WiFi signals. The greater the number of people using your WiFi, the weaker the signal strength becomes. Don’t assume that your neighbors won’t use your open WiFi just because you don’t use theirs. They can, and they will.
You should protect your WiFi with a strong password as soon as possible. Share it with trusted people only, most preferably just with your family members. Also, don’t share your personal information, like your name or your phone number, in your password. If you have frequent guest visits, create a separate guest network for them, and change its password regularly.
Beware of WiFi Using Apps
Just one bandwidth-hungry app on your phone and your WiFi signals can drop down to the lowest you never expected. Even if a single person is having any such app, it can slow down the signals for everybody using the same WiFi network.
But good for us, all the new models of WiFi routers are compatible with services like Quality of Service (QoS). By using it, you can prioritize the use of certain apps, and leave out others which you do not use much. If you use QoS, you won’t have to stop playing your online game just because someone decides to watch a 1040p YouTube video, or put a movie on download.
I remember using my Spectrum Internet Only, with 3 different devices connected to the WiFi at the same time. My signals often got disrupted, but since I have started using QoS, I never face this problem now.
