Do you have kiddos using up all of the wifi with their gaming and streaming while you’re trying to access wifi to work from home?   If this is you, you’re going nto want to use these tips.

Struggling with poor wifi or internet connection can be extremely frustrating. We might be a long way from the old dial-up tone and being disconnected when someone calls the house phone, but slow internet is still a massive issue for some people.

If you find yourself on the frustrating end of not being able to get online or waiting for the dreaded buffer to run through the motions, then following these tips can help you improve your internet experience and speed things up a bit, no matter where you are.

Eliminate Bandwidth Leeches

One thing that can impact your ability to get online is how many people are leeching off your connection and trying to get their share of your plan. Lock down your home internet or your phone’s mobile connection and set a secure password that no one else has access to. This can remove any freeloaders from your network to ensure that you get the maximum speed and connectivity and you aren’t losing out to others.

Check Your Router Placement

Did you know the placement of your home internet router can affect the quality of your connection? Placing the router on the floor means that the floor will absorb some of your signal, and placing it too close to a wall absorbs signal strength. 

Place your router on a shelf or table away from the wall and above floor level for the best connection speed.

Check Coverage

Not all internet providers are the same, and while they might promise super-fast speeds, not everyone delivers on these promises, nor is every household able to get the speed promised. Multiple factors can influence the speed of your internet, and using a broadband speed checker tool online can help you determine the pass and see if you get what your provider said you should be getting.

Check You’re Not Blacklisted

If you’re struggling to access certain websites or get online, then it could be a good idea to check that your IP address has not been blocked due to being blacklisted. This can happen for various reasons, mostly your IP address being associated with malicious activity. But even if your ip has been temporarily blocked or permanently blocked, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. There are ways you can navigate bans and improve your online experience.

How Many Devices Are Connected

The number of devices connected to your router will impact your connectivity and speed. Each connected device will essentially compete for speed, and you will be fighting each device on the network.

Typically, most households will have TVs, streaming boxes, laptops, mobile devices on the network, and internet-enabled devices such as smart home hubs, Wi-Fi-connected appliances, lights, doorbells, etc. The more devices, the poorer your connection and speeds. Make a point of checking each connected device and removing anything that doesn’t need to be connected.

Consider Extending Your Range

You can try using wifi range extenders to help you extend the signal to parts of your home that are known to have poor signal or are in a “dead zone”. The wifi extender will then pick up the signal and rebroadcast it to those areas of your home that were left without coverage. You can find the range extenders at different price points with different capabilities, meaning some have a greater range and can offer you a better signal than others.

Change Your Channel

When installed, your router will likely be set at a certain frequency channel. This is automatic and could be the same channel as your neighbours, meaning you’re all competing for the same signal. Finding a new frequency channel that no one else is using can sometimes boost your signal and give you better connectivity.

Exactly how to do this will be down to your specific provider, who will have directions on finding a different channel to use.

Move To A New Provider

Lastly, changing your provider might be a good idea if nothing else fails and you aren’t getting satisfaction with your broadband speed. You can use broadband comparison checkers to compare the different providers in your area, which helps you find the best provider and gives you an idea of what you can expect from a new company or even what your current supplier should be offering you.

A poor internet experience can be extremely frustrating. We rely on the internet to perform many tasks these days, and being unable to do the simplest things or stream a movie without interruptions can be annoying. These tips can help you to boost your internet and get the speeds you need or at least should get.