Nothing is more irritating than a slow wifi signal. This generation’s millennials are always hot on their heels, want to get done multiple tasks at a time. Not only millennials, but also baby boomers and gen z, despite their generational differences, rely heavily on the Internet. Coffee shops to the corporate office now wifi is available everywhere. Agree with it or not, our lives are now interconnected with the internet. Can you imagine a day without Wi-fi? Tough right.
From entertainment to the business every aspect of our day-to-day activities is now completely digital. Which makes wifi even more important. Having a super fast wi-fi connection is important in offices to now, as most of their work runs online. In such cases, a slow wifi connection can cause serious damage to your business and waste a lot of your time.
But the most important question is how to test wifi speed? There are many wifi speed apps available in the market that can assist you in the test.
Here are tips to boost your wifi signal, if it is troubling you.
Check your Wifi speed
Check what is the speed your internet package is offering. You can contact your internet company for the information. Then conduct a speed test, there are many speed test apps available in the market. Once you conduct the speed you could see the speed of your wifi signal. If it is not as promised as your internet company, you can contact them to rectify the issue.
Router Placement
Placement can also affect your wifi signal strength. Not every place in your house or workplace is suitable for your wifi. Wondering what are the do’s and don’ts for placing your wifi. Avoid placing your wifi near or surrounding metals, even concrete and bricks can slow down your speed, they will prevent your wifi from reaching farthest corners of your house.
Always place your wifi in a central location and in heights like shelves, will provide your devices with a better connection. Don’t keep your wifi near the microwave, as they both operate on the same frequency, whenever your heating something in the microwave, you can see your wifi speed turning down.
Update your Router
Keep your router updated. Once a malware effects you’re wifi, it can easily steal your bandwidth and spread the malware across other devices too. Malware attacks are rapidly increasing in all industries. So it is important to update your router to avoid such situations. Not only malware but old firmware also deteriorate your wifi signal strength. Updating your router may save you and your wifi from all the troubles of slow connection.
Overlapping Signals
Avoid choosing channels that are used by most in your neighbourhood. Choosing similar channels as your neighbours may cause in overlapping signals, thus reducing the signal strength of your wifi. Selecting a less channel will more likely let your router work on high speed with less RF conflict or interference.
Various free softwares are available in the market that can help you in identifying wifi channels in your area. To explain in simpler terms, it is similar to avoiding roads with huge traffic on your way to work.
Switch to 5GHz
If you’re currently using 2.4 GHz frequency, you can consider shifting to 5 GHz frequency for faster data. 5GHz normally provides faster data within a short range of distances, and the traffic will also not be more on this frequency as only a few use this frequency.
If you need instant speed data connection within a shorter range and your router supports 5GHz you can think of shifting to it. If you need a router for both far and near, then maybe its time you consider using dual-band router that will ease your wifi signal issues.
Stronger Antenna’s
Usually, Wifi routers come with small, weak antennas. These small antennas have around 5db gain and only a few inches tall. But a 10db antenna can be around 15 inches tall. Must be wondering what this 10db antenna will do to your internet speed. It will provide your devices with a more stable and faster internet connection. You can even purchase them online and they will not cost too much also. Maybe its time to change your antenna’s and enjoy fast internet connection.
Wifi leeches
It is important to keep your wifi encrypted. People are always on the lookout for fast, open wifi connections. Leaving your wifi connection open and giving them a chance to leech on it can reduce the speed of your wifi signal. Change your passwords often, making it hard for intruders to crack your password.
Bandwidth sucking apps, wifi boosters
There are many apps in your phone that are wifi hungry i.e., those apps consume more of your bandwidth for downloads and app updates. Try to keep these apps in check. You can prioritize your apps in modern routers. Choose such options and avoid wifi troubles.
You can use wifi boosters, repeaters etc for boosting your wifi signal. All they do is take your wifi signal, amplify it and transmit it. They’re easy to install and only involves pressing a WPS button as the installation process.
Latest wifi technologies
There are always new technologies available in the market, so is the case with wifi also. Use the latest wifi technologies available, they can offer you fast internet connection and superior download quality without reducing your wifi signal strength. Take their advantage to boost your signal strength and enjoy uninterrupted services.
Reboot
The one best suggestion you would receive even from non-IT people when you’re discussing your wifi signal issues is? Did you try switching it off and restarting it again? This one timeless suggestion has sometimes the power to save your day. Rebooting your wifi can improve your wifi speed. Reboot simply clears router’s memory and allows installation of new updates, if there are any.