With more time spent at home than in the office and out exploring, and more devices being connected for longer, you may have noticed a drop in the quality of your WiFi connection. Have no fear, the expert team of IT engineers here at Glo have put together their top tips to help improve your WiFi strength. You can always count on our engineers to rescue you from an IT-based headache.
Password protection
Let's kick it off with password protection. It is essential to keep your WiFi protected with a password. People can be quick to make use of available and unprotected WiFi signals, which can make your connection an easy target if it has no password barrier. When creating your WiFi password, we recommend against using personal details or creating short or simple codes that are likely to be cracked easily.
Router position
Now, turn to your router! Find a strategic place for your router, avoiding any spots near metal objects. Metal objects can block the WiFi signal and limit its reach across your home. Placing it on a shelf or cabinet above floor level can also improve your signal ever so slightly by limiting potential blockages in the way.
Directing your antenna
It's also worth checking the manual for your device to see if repositioning your antenna may improve your signal. To put it simply, routers and access points have different radiation patterns which mean signal travels differently, and trial and error will be required as part of your WiFi mission!
Time for a reboot!
It may be the case that your WiFi signal needs resetting, a simple reboot will do the job and allows the router's memory to clear. However, before pointing fingers of blame at your WiFi, check the internet coming into your house. Grab an Ethernet cable to plug your computer into the modem and check the signal. Follow up with a speed test on speedtest.net or a similar site to confirm the quality of the signal. Repeat this a few times throughout the day. It may be that your ISP slows down at certain times of the day.
Opt for a different frequency
Remember not all routers and access points are equal. Just because it's advertised as 'super fast', does not mean that it actually is. Certain ISPs are guilty of providing substandard equipment but claiming it's super fast. If your router supports it, the 5 GHz frequency provides a much faster signal than the 2.4 GHz. It's a handy solution for an immediate short-range boost.
Get a WiFi extender
No antenna on your router? It's time to get creative with your interior, as it may be worth checking your signal quality when it is at ceiling height. If you are struggling to get WiFi all around the house, you may need to pick up a WiFi extender, a powerline system such as HomePlug or a mesh WiFi system to reach all four corners of your home. We can advise you on which products to get to suit your home and business needs.
It also needs to be noted that it can be down to your router getting old and needing an upgrade. If you've got Glo IT support, we can check to see if this is a contributing factor.
Check your devices
The team recommends reducing the number of devices you have connected. If you have anything connected that you don't use very often, consider removing them to speed up your WiFi. Check who is using your WiFi and how. If your kids are using it to watch YouTube or heavy downloads, it's likely to be eating up a lot of your bandwidth and slowing everything else down.
Swap WiFi channels
Last but not least, your WiFi signal can switch to different channels, if one is being slower than usual you can swap to another. If you are feeling technical, you can use free software to scan your wireless neighbour to help determine the best channels to try.
All out of luck? Speak to your favourite IT support team here at Glo. Our engineers have expert know-how and are renowned for their tip-top service leaving our customers with big cheesy grins and a seamless connection.
