Your Wi-Fi’s network coverage and signal strength determine how fast your internet is. If you work from home as so many people do nowadays, then speedy internet is very important. Unfortunately, one’s internet strength depends entirely upon where one is in the world. In the world’s more remote regions, slow internet is very common.
There are some ways that you can extend your Wi-Fi’s network coverage and signal strength, however, thereby improving your internet speed, even in the world’s most remote regions. This article will tell you several of those ways:
Configurations and Updates
If your Wi-Fi connection is slow, then it might be worth checking for any configurations or updates. Usually, your router will do this automatically. If it doesn’t then you may need to do it manually. The way that you do this depends entirely upon your Wi-Fi router’s manufacturer.
If in doubt, the best solution is to phone the manufacturer and ask them for their advice. You can also likely find information about how to update your router online. Configurations and updates take place once or twice a month, although this depends on the manufacturer. Make sure to keep your router’s firmware updated.
Outdoor Satellites
Another solution to slow Wi-Fi is an outdoor satellite, also known as a Wi-Fi booster or extender. These handy devices are a very effective way of boosting one’s Wi-Fi connection, especially if one just so happens to live in a remote, rural area. As with Wi-Fi routers, these devices need to configure and update too.
For example, when the Orbi satellite is flashing white, this is an indication that it is updating. If your Wi-Fi booster is not working properly, then you should, as with your router, see if it needs to be updated. Updates are infrequent with outdoor satellites.
Moving Your Router
Sometimes, slow Wi-Fi speeds are caused by one’s Wi-Fi router being located in a part of the home that doesn’t get a very good signal. There are many reasons why a router might not get a signal in a specific part of one’s home, including the router being located at the lowest point in one’s home.
It’s usually better to keep your router next to windows, or upstairs, in an area where there are things that will get in the way, such as heavy walls, ceilings, and bookshelves. Keeping it by the window, in one of your home’s upstairs bedrooms is a sure-fire way to get a great signal and boost your coverage.
Buy a Better Router
If your router isn’t functioning properly and a Wi-Fi booster isn’t working, you might have no other option than to invest in a new router. If you have Wi-Fi on contract with a company, then you can email or call them and explain your dilemma to them.
The chances are that they will happily send you a new router, or at the very least dispatch a technician to investigate it and see what’s going on. It could be something to do with your home’s Wi-Fi cables, ports, or coverage in the area that you live in.
Check Wired Connection
While on the subject of diagnostics, have you checked your wired connection yet? Before you assume that your router is to blame, check your home’s wired connection. You can do this by plugging an ethernet cable directly from your computer, into your modem.
If your wired connection runs faster than your wireless connection does, then your Wi-Fi router definitely is to blame. If it isn’t, then you need to contact your internet service provider and find out why your connection is so slow.
Performance Band
You need to optimise your Wi-Fi router for maximum performance if your connection is slow. One way of doing this is by logging onto your Wi-Fi network’s administrator interface and switching to the 5GHz band. Most Wi-Fi routers run on the 2.4GHz band.
With that said, this is only possible if you have a dual-band router. If you do not, then you will not be able to do this. The 5GHz band runs a lot quicker, so should definitely be your Wi-Fi router’s default setting. How you log onto your admin interface again depends on your internet provider.
Changing Channel
Sometimes our Wi-Fi routers run slowly because they are using a channel that lots of other routers in the area are using. When you have multiple routers using a single channel, then interference can occur. Thankfully, it is possible to manually change your Wi-Fi router’s channel.
It is very straightforward and does not take much time. You simply log onto your network admin interface and switch channels. Most routers are automatically set to channel one, so try to change to six or seven and see if that improves your router’s speed. More often than not, it will do.
Unwanted Guests
Another cause of slow internet speeds is unwanted guests on one’s Wi-Fi network. This is usually the case when you have a weak password or an open network. You can log straight onto your network admin’s interface and look at the accounts that are connected to your Wi-Fi router.
If you have several people using your Wi-Fi, kick them all off. Make sure to change your password so that it can’t be cracked again. This should hopefully boost your Wi-Fi network’s speed. Make sure that you do not kick off family members, however. Ask for their device names so that you can avoid this.
Antenna Replacement
Sometimes, adding an external antenna – or replacing your router’s antenna altogether – can be a good way to boost your Wi-Fi speed. An external antenna is a great addition to your router if it has an internal antenna. Sometimes, internal antennas can be very slow, which can be problematic when you are trying to stream and download things.
An external antenna will give your network an added boost, making it much quicker. Antenna replacement is very affordable and you can do it yourself with the help of a YouTube tutorial.
If you have slow Wi-Fi speed, then it’s definitely worth boosting your network coverage and signal strength. You can do this in a number of different ways. This article features only the most effective, though there are many others worth checking out.
