#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL UPDATE#
#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL UPGRADE#
#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL SOFTWARE#
#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL PASSWORD#
#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL TV#

But if your router is limited to obsolete 802.11n or 802.11g standards, for example, you might want to look for an 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6 router. Not only can a new router be expensive, but it's a lot of work to set up a new router and have your various devices join the network. Replacing your router is always something of a last resort.

#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL SOFTWARE#

Your router's software can show you a list of all the users and devices on the network. To find out, browse the list of devices connected to your network (again, your router's mobile app or admin control panel can usually provide this info) and use the router's admin controls to evict users or devices you don't want online. If several different family members are trying to stream Netflix at the same time, that can slow things down substantially.

#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL PASSWORD#

If that's the case, you should use your router's mobile app or admin control panel to change the password right away, and make sure it's a strong one too.Įven if you don't have a freeloader, your Wi-Fi might be overtaxed by an army of devices in your home. If you aren't securing your Wi-Fi network with a strong password, it's entirely possible that neighbors are connecting to your network and siphoning off your bandwidth. Your Wi-Fi might be buckling under the load of a lot of users or devices all using your internet at the same time. You might need to check your router's user guide for details.

While most routers default to a particular channel for each band, sometimes they're highly congested, which can slow down your Wi-Fi.Ĭheck your router's mobile app (if it has one) or log into the admin control panel and try switching to a different channel and see if that improves your performance. Don't confuse the channel with the frequency band – there are several channels within the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands. Your router probably has several channels it can choose from when broadcasting the Wi-Fi signal. If your router has a mobile app, it's probably easy to check on your firmware status. However, if your router is too old, chances are the manufacturer will stop providing updates for it, and you'll have to upgrade. Doing this is the best way to ensure that your router has the latest performance and security features. The process might be especially arduous if you have an older router, so check your user guide for details.Īfter your router is running the latest firmware, be sure to keep it up to date if it doesn't perform automatic updates.

#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL UPDATE#

Is your router up to date? If its firmware hasn't been updated in a long time – or ever – its performance might be seriously hobbled.įew routers can update their firmware automatically, so use the router's mobile app (if it has one) or log into its control panel and see if the firmware can be updated. In general, the best place to put your Wi-Fi router is in a central location with lots of open air, so it has the best chance of reaching the extremities of your home without any obstructions.

Wi-Fi signals have trouble penetrating solid materials, and certain things stop the signal cold – like brick walls, metal appliances (like a refrigerator), and large volumes of water, like fish tanks. If your router passed the speed test but your Wi-Fi is sluggish or drops out a lot, it might just be positioned poorly. If your devices are connected to the slower 2.4GHz frequency band, you can probably boost your performance quite a bit by switching to the 5GHz band. You can do this if you have a modern router by going to its configuration page, finding the 5GHz band option, and giving it the same name or SSID as the 2.4GHz band. Then, you should let the devices choose the best frequency for themselves. Use the Wi-Fi settings on each of your devices to see what Wi-Fi band you're using.

#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL TV#

Many smart home devices (like video doorbells and smart speakers) can only use the slower 2.4GHz band, but your phone, laptop, tablet, and TV should all be connected via 5GHz to take advantage of the significantly higher speeds it offers. If you have a dual-band or tri-band Wi-Fi router, you should be using the 5GHz band rather than the 2.4GHz band whenever possible. Make sure you're connected to the 5Ghz band

#BOOST YOUR WIRELESS SIGNAL UPGRADE#

On the other hand, if you're getting the expected speed for your plan, but it still feels slow, it could be that you need to upgrade your internet subscription to one with faster speeds. If the speed you're getting doesn't match the plan you paid for, then contact your ISP or consider upgrading your router if it's old.

Boost your wireless signal