As the most tech-savvy one in the family, it’s really only a matter of time before I have to troubleshoot someone’s home WiFi issues. And I’m sure my mom isn’t the only one who can’t tell the difference between the internet, our broadband connection and our WiFi.
It just goes to show how important good WiFi is to our everyday lives. For many, the internet is WiFi.
Thankfully, you don’t have to be a tech expert or an engineer to fix slow wireless speeds, bad reception or other WiFi issues. Here are 7 pretty simple ways to enhance your home WiFi:
- When WiFi signals go down,
WiFi signals are a kind of radio signal. And just like other radio signals, WiFi signals work best when they travel horizontally and downwards.
Because WiFi signals tend to travel downward and out, the opposite is also true: WiFi signals are awful at travelling upward.
In other words, if your home has multiple floors, relying on only a ground-floor router is probably going to lead to disappointing speeds and coverage.
The most popular solution is to set up a second WiFi router upstairs, extending your coverage. There are a few ways to do this:
MyRepublic, for example, offers a Dual Fibre plan, which comes with 2 fibre broadband lines to one home. You could then use one fibre broadband line for one router downstairs and then run the second line upstairs to a second WiFi router.
Alternatively, you could connect a second router to the first one, using the former as an Access Point. This approach can get quite technical but there are a lot of guides that can walk you through the steps online.
- Get stuff out of the way
For WiFi’s sake, please don’t hide your router in a cabinet or cupboard. Walls and physical obstacles can seriously hinder your wifi signals.
Building materials can also affect your WiFi performance. For example, WiFi signals have a lot of trouble going through concrete walls but travel through dry walls more easily. Metal also absorbs radio waves, so a metal fence or metal bars will interfere with WiFi signals passing through.
So however ugly your WiFi router may be, the best place for it is in the open.
- Try meshing up your home WiFi
If you’re having trouble with your WiFi coverage and can’t run Ethernet cables around your home or use wired connections, you could get a WiFi mesh system. - Make sure your home WiFi is up to standard
Somewhere on your WiFi router box or manual, you’ll see the term “802.11” followed by a letter or two. This refers to the wireless networking standard your router operates on.
- Dual bands are better than one
Remember how I said WiFi signals are radio signals? It’s time to take the concept one step further with WiFi radio frequencies.
As radio signals, WiFi signals operate on certain frequencies. If you have different radio signals on the same frequency channel, you are going to get interference. You know the “bzzt-baba-bzzt-baba-bzzzzzt” piercing sound that comes on when you put your phone too near your radio speakers? That’s interference.
- Don’t forget what’s in front of you
WiFi performance doesn’t just depend on your WiFi router, it also depends on what wireless device or computer you’re using.
- Keep your WiFi router secure and up to date
It’s good practice to keep your router’s firmware (its software) up to date as it may improve your WiFi performance.
The kind of security protocol your WiFi router uses can also affect your WiFi speed. WEP or WPA security for your WiFi passwords can significantly slow down your wifi data transfer rates.
For example, using a Wireless AC router with these older protocols will limit it to only 54Mbps even though it can go many times faster than that.