If you’re facing sluggish or unreliable broadband, the culprit may not always be your Internet Service Provider.
Your trusty router, that little box that blinks incessantly all day long, is crucial for a fast and stable connection, and a few common errors can cause streaming to stutter and downloads to slow down. Fortunately, these errors can be avoided with ease.
Here are some tips to optimise your internet connection and steer clear of these pitfalls.
Move your router
If your router is situated in the kitchen or on the hallway floor, it’s time to consider moving it. The placement of your router is key to better speeds. Kitchens are full of metal objects and appliances like microwave ovens that can interfere with the signal. Similarly, placing your router on the floor is a no-no.
The higher up it is, the stronger the signal that will spread around your house. While relocating your router can be a challenge, it’s worth a try if your speeds are significantly affected.
Don’t turn it off
It might be tempting to switch off your router to save on electricity bills, but most UK internet service providers, recommend leaving your Wi-Fi equipment on all the time.
Constantly switching off and on the router can signal to your provider that there’s a fault on the line, which can lead to an emergency speed restriction on the service. Moreover, important security updates may not be received during the night, when many ISPs release upgrades. Leaving your router on will ensure that it gets these vital security updates.
Out of sight, out of signal
Your router and the wires protruding from it may not be aesthetically pleasing, but hiding it inside a cabinet or behind the TV can negatively impact your downloads. Most ISPs recommend keeping your router out in the open and away from other tech, such as baby monitors, as they can disrupt the signal. You can also buy boosters to help the internet reach every nook and cranny of your home.
No wifi?
If your router looks like it’s working but you can’t connect due to no wi-fi the chances are that you have accidently knocked off the Wi-Fi button. This can cause disruptions to your home network and prevent devices from connecting to the internet.
If you find that the Wi-Fi signal has been turned off, you can simply press the WLAN button again (this button is located in different areas of different routers) to turn it back on. It’s important to be gentle when handling the router and avoid bumping into it or moving it around too much to prevent accidental button presses.