Six Hacks To Boost Wi-Fi Speed
Slow internet sucks. What is more annoying is paying for a faster broadband plan and still getting slow internet through Wi-Fi.
If you are also among those whose patience is tested by the slow Wi-Fi speed every now and then, here are six hacks to regain the faster Wi-Fi speed.
1. Position the router right
Location matters in the case of Wi-Fi routers. Wi-Fi waves are radio waves with a short wavelength under 12 cm. These signals can be blocked and absorbed by obstacles such as walls and floors. Hence, it is very important where to place the router in your home or office.
Firstly, avoid placing the router in cupboards, closets or on the floor. Secondly, find a location closer to the center of the house so that routers broadcast signals in all directions. Ideally, it will be best to have the router in your line of sight while using a Wi-Fi enabled gadget.
2. Keep the router away from other electronics
I have seen on numerous occasions' people keeping Wi-Fi routers on top of television boxes, microwave ovens, and refrigerator, constantly leading me to think how people in their good mind make such a rookie mistake. It is simply common sense to keep your router away from other devices that may emit or use other forms of electromagnetic waves as they could interfere with routers Wi-Fi waves. One of the most notorious culprits, in this case, is the cordless phones, which constantly interfere with the Wi-Fi signal.
3. Align the antenna properly
Every Wi-Fi router has an antenna, some have even two. Make sure that these are aligned with the Wi-Fi radios inside your devices.
For example, if you are someone who regularly uses Wi-Fi with laptops, then it is ideal to position the antenna in a horizontal manner as the Wi-Fi radios inside a laptop are placed horizontally. In the case of cell phones and tablets, this may vary with regard to the orientation in which you are using the device. Ideally, if your router has two antennas, make sure one is kept in a horizontal and the other in vertical positions.
4. Change passwords routinely
Here is a question, how many people currently have your Wi-Fi password? We have a habit of sharing Wi-Fi passwords with family and friends whenever they visit us. With so many devices connecting to your Wi-Fi, internet speed is expected to slow down.
Another reason for changing password is the possibility of people stealing Wi-Fi connection. So, make it a habit to change the Wi-Fi password every month or so.
5. Use a repeater
As mentioned above that unlike the AM radio waves, Wi-Fi waves are of the shorter wavelength and that means the maximum range of a Wi-Fi router is limited to 150 meters at best. If your need is more range, then the cheapest solution is to use an old router or an inexpensive new router as a repeater.
Although it will improve the speed in remote parts of your home by boosting or repeating the signal, the speed you get from this router will be slower than the speed of the original router in ideal conditions.
6. Change the wireless channel
This is for all geeks and nerds out there. If you live in an area populated with many Wi-Fi routers, then it will be wise to change the wireless channel in which your router broadcast. This is important as most of the routers are set to the same channel by default. By using apps like Wi-Fi Analyzer or Network Analyzer, you can identify the most crowded channels and by logging into routers setting you can swap to another less crowded channel.
