There’s nothing worse than a poor WiFi connection.
Well, there is, but in the digital world of 2024 having a strong WiFi connection has become more important than ever. Whether it’s for remote working, shopping online, or simply kicking back with a few games, you want to make sure your WiFi connection is up to the job and always reliable. So how do you improve your WiFi connection around your home if it’s slow?
Diagnosing the Problem
Well, the first thing you need to do is diagnose the problem, working out whether your WiFi connection is always slow or only lags during heightened activity. Let’s say you’re joining an interactive experience. These days, online interactive events use a great deal more bandwidth than their predecessors. Live video and other interactive elements require a much stronger WiFi connection, while traditional activities like browsing the web or checking email might not be as demanding.
If you notice lag or buffering during these interactive experiences, it’s likely that your current WiFi network is struggling to keep up with the increased data load. On the other hand, if your WiFi is struggling to keep up with simple tasks, or halting whenever you try to pay online, it could be that the problem lies with your ISP, which will require slightly different problem-solving tactics.
Resolving Overall Poor Connectivity
Looking at the latter, a few factors could be contributing to the issue, such as outdated equipment, network congestion, or as mentioned previously, insufficient bandwidth from an ISP. To further diagnose, start by testing your connection at different times of the day to see if the performance drops during peak usage hours. You can also check if your router is outdated or placed in a location that causes interference, like near walls or electronic devices.
If it turns out that your router is outdated, the first thing you should do is upgrade to a newer model – something that supports the latest WiFi standards, such as WiFi 6. Once you’ve received the new router, try to place it in a central location in your home, ideally elevated and free from any obstructions.
If upgrading your router hasn’t helped, then it’s time to talk to your ISP. Your internet service provider plays a crucial role in determining the overall speed and reliability of your connection, which means your current plan might not be enough to suit your needs. If you contact them and discuss your issues, you may be able to identify the problem and receive the best advice to deal with it.
Improving Upon Connectivity
As mentioned previously, the problem might be that your internet only struggles when you’re trying to carry out more intense tasks. If this is the case, another solution to try out involves using a wired connection – connecting your device directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. For modern routers, you should also be able to optimise the settings.
Let’s say you’re trying to host an online video presentation, settings such as channel, QoS, and the frequency band can all be adjusted to prioritise certain devices or activities, with a switch to the 5GHz band over the 2.4GHz being particularly useful if you’re experiencing congestion.
If none of these solutions work, you could try limiting the number of connected devices – over 90% of all UK households have multiple smartphones – upgrading your modem, or using WiFi extenders or mesh networks to reduce interference. The chances are one of these solutions will be the right one, so all you have to do is look deeply into the problem and try as many things as possible to get your home fully connected.