How frustrating is it to watch a webpage struggle to load? Or to wait for your video to stop buffering? If you’re wondering how to improve your WiFi speed, we’re here to help and explain what you can do about it.
Improve the Location of Your Router
Router placement matters, because WiFi signals have a limited range. Simply moving your device or router closer to each other can make a difference in your connection speed. Don’t hide your router behind doors, walls and cupboards, as this will make your connection worse. Many other building materials can block WiFi signals, especially metal.
You should also watch out for devices with similar wireless bands to your router. These days a lot of devices operate on a 2.4GHz band frequency, so if your router is near one, the signal may struggle when these other devices are in use. More modern routers can operate on a 5GHz frequency, which should also help improve your connection quality.
Microwaves are notorious for interfering with WiFi signals. Keep your router away from microwaves, to avoid your connection slowing whenever someone decides to reheat their leftovers.
Switch off and reboot the router
The IT Crowd wasn’t wrong! Turning it off and on again can actually work. Rebooting a router clears out the device’s cache (short term memory) so it can run smoothly again. Resetting your router is sometimes just the simple fix your router needs.
Waiting ten seconds after turning off before rebooting your router is a good idea. That gives it time to completely drain every capacitor and fully reset, before you start using it again.
Check your router hasn’t overheated
Overheating can cause your router to crash, and there are a few reasons it might start overheating. If your router is hot when you go to investigate it, then there are some things you should do to keep it cooler.
The first step is to ensure the vents aren’t covered up.
You may also want to ensure that dust has not built up in the vents. To clean your routers’ vents, use compressed air to remove dust. This can prevent further overheating.
Check your VPN
If you use a VPN, that could contributing to the problem. Because of the type of encryption used by VPNs and the distance between your location and the server, an active VPN can slow down your internet connection.
If the problem is fixed by disabling your VPN, then adjusting your VPN settings might help improve your internet connection in the long term. The exact distance between a VPN server and your device can vary, and servers located closer to your physical location may have more manageable speeds for you.
We hope you have found this article on how to improve your WiFi speed useful! If you are struggling with any of the above steps, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
