Working from home has been more popular than ever with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. People from all over the world are having to pick up everything and work remotely from home. What’s the problem? Wi-Fi isn’t always the friendliest… we all know it.
It is a huge pain in the butt when your Wi-Fi is lagging while watching Netflix or talking to your boss over video chat. What can you do from home to fix your Wi-Fi without spending a penny?
100% FREE fixes that can speed up your Wi-Fi
Move closer to your router. Moving closer to your router will help stabilize a spotty connection and better your routers speed. Lifting your router to a higher location can also help with the spread of the signal. Routers tend to spread the signal downward, so if it is placed lower or on the floor, you are not maximizing your router coverage.
Keep your wi-fi in central spot. Be careful where you place the router in your home. Not all places are suitable, your router needs to be in an open location. For best results, place your router in the most central location of the home. Take into consideration that thicker walls tend to absorb more of a Wi-Fi signal than thinner walls do. For example, if you put your router in a cabinet, the connection will not be as good.
Update your router’s firmware. If your device has any issues whatsoever, this should help. Most routers have automatic updates and some don’t. Some require you to log into your router’s admin page and update everything manually. It is 100% worth the trouble. A router kept up to date will continue to run fast and smoothly.
Set up wireless security. If your router is left unsecured, users of that network are left with a potential threat. Unsecured routers can cause dramatic slowdowns due to users who leech off of open networks. Remember to never reuse the same password and use two-factor authentication whenever possible. There has already been a dramatic increase in breaches since the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak on remote access users. Hackers are using COVID-19 to take advantage of potential victims.
Trash older wireless devices you don’t use anymore. Older devices will tie up your network because they tend to hold onto network connections longer than newer devices do. Unplug all wireless devices you don’t need right now (gaming systems, tv, etc.), they will always be connecting to internet services, only slowing it down.
If you decide to spend some money…
Increase the speed of your internet connection. Your internet connection is limited to the service plan you originally subscribed to. You can upgrade your internet plan to a faster speed if you choose. If you are still having issues with videoconferencing quality or router speed, this might something you want to look into.
Purchase an extender for any dead zones. You can improve reliability and connections in specific areas or rooms that you are having issues with. If it doesn’t work well in your office but does great in your living room, an extender may solve your problem. The connection should not be any slower due to the extender.
It might be time to buy a new router. If you have had zero luck with fixing your router connection, it might be time to buy a new one. Do your research before hand and know exactly what what you want out of your new router.
Fixing your router connection and speed may be easier than you have ever imagined. Give some of these ideas a try, you never know, it may fix all of your issues.