An unstable internet connection can seriously dampen your mood and surfing experience, especially when you are in the middle of a movie streaming session. Here are 10 things you can do to improve the speed of your Wi-Fi connection.
1) Security settings
The type of wireless security you use could impact your connection speed. The best option is WPA2 with AES. AES is a newer and more secure setting that gives you higher internet connection speeds. Avoid the older WEP security as it’s easily hacked.
2) Electrical interference
Other routers aren’t the only thing that can cause interference. Cordless phones, microwaves and other electrical appliances can muck with your signal as well. Try moving your router away from interfering appliances to stop the problem.
3) Bandwidth-hogging applications
If someone in your house regularly video chats, plays online games, torrents files or uses services like Netflix, they may be making the internet speed slower for everyone else. Luckily, there are tools available that can prioritise certain applications over others.
4) Congestion
This is a problem in crowded neighbourhoods or apartments. When too many people try to connect at the same time to the same Wi-Fi channel, connection speed becomes slower. Fix this by selecting a different channel for your router (consult your router’s manual to see how to do this).
5) Default modes
Some routers come pre-programmed on their power-saving or eco modes, which while great for the environment, also reduce your bandwidth. If you value bandwidth over minimal power-saving, switch these default modes off.
6) Outdated equipment
Up-to-date hardware yields faster and more eliable connection. The main thing you need to know: Wireless A, B, and G are old and slow, and wireless N (and the even newer wireless AC) will give you the fastest speeds.
7) Wrong network
Modern routers offer ‘dual-band’, which means they’re sending datat over two network signals: 2.4Hz and 5GHz network is often far less crowded and offers more channels to hook onto. To speed up your connection, activate both networks and connect mobile devices to 2.4Hz, while laptops and desktops should be on 5GHz.
8) Internet thieves
If your network password is too simple, there could be more people tapping into it than you expected. There are easy ways to find out if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi, but the best thing to do is just lock them out with better security.
9) Out of range
Routers aren’t the prettiest of decorations, so you might want to hide them. But that’s a bad idea as routers are susceptible to overheating and need good air flow. The devices also perform better when placed in an open, central location, away from walls and obstructions, such as metal filing cabinets.
10) Rebooting
If your connection is sluggish, try rebooting your router every so often so it doesn’t drop out. You should also run a few tests to make sure the problem isn’t caused by overheating, old firmware or excess downloading.
Article by Atika Lim, originally appeared in The Singapore Women's Weekly.