Learning About Routers and Internet Security

Want Faster Internet? Follow These Tips To Troubleshoot Your Wi-Fi Speeds

Do you feel like your home's Wi-Fi connection is sluggish and not responsive? The following tips can help troubleshoot your Internet connection speeds. 

Test Your Speeds

The first thing you should do is run a speed test to find out exactly how fast your W-Fi is. There are various speed test websites and applications that can be used to tell you what your upload and download speeds. Verify these reported speeds against what you are paying for from your local Internet provider. You may find that you are getting the fastest speeds that you can, but you are subscribed to a slower Internet package. It may be that a speed upgrade is all you need.

Centrally Locate The Router

Many people make the mistake of putting the router in a place that is out of the way. This may be a far corner of the basement that is near the point where the cable comes into the home or in a cabinet somewhere so that it is not seen. It is much better to have the Wi-Fi router centrally located in your home. This will help ensure that the signal reaches all corners of the home with the same amount of distance, eliminating dead zones as much as possible.

You can also upgrade to a mesh router system, which uses several beacons to extend the Wi-Fi signal in a home. This works great for homes that are very narrow or have construction materials that prevent the Wi-Fi signal from reaching other rooms. 

Perform Updates

There is always a possibility that things have been fixed with your hardware that allow the Wi-Fi connection to work better. It is worth updating the firmware on your router to ensure that it is the latest version and updating the operating system on phones and computers. Run a speed test before and after doing the updates to see if it makes a difference.

Replace The Router

Your Internet router is a device that stays on 24/7 and never gets a break. It's possible that a router that is old and broken may simply be the reason. Request a new router from your ISP or purchase a new one from the store. If a new router doesn't work, you can always return it and go back to using your old equipment. If you have faster speeds, know that the problem will be fixed for quite a few years.

For more information about wireless internet, reach out to a company such as DigitalPath, Inc.


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