If you struggle to get online in certain parts of your home or end up switching to mobile data to finish streaming a show, you might need to improve your home broadband. Here are five ways you can speed up your internet and make your Wi-Fi more reliable.
1. Get closer to your router or move it to a better spot
Lots of things can get in the way of your Wi-Fi signal, like brick walls and even fish tanks. No, seriously! Water can absorb your Wi-Fi signal, so it doesn’t travel as far as it should.
Furniture can also block your Wi-Fi, so hiding your router in a cupboard or behind the sofa might look tidier, but it isn’t doing your signal any favours. Moving your router can be one of the easiest fixes, so try to:
Move it away from thick walls.
Put it on a shelf or on top of a cupboard.
Keep it away from your TV and windows.
Make sure you can see it.
2. Upgrade your router
So, your router’s in a good location and nothing is blocking the signal, but your connection is still slow. It might be your router itself – often what your provider sends you isn’t as fast as it could be. Upgrading your router can get you the fastest speeds possible for your connection.
Make sure you pick a router that’s compatible with your network, some ISPs (internet service providers) limit what router you can use.
3. Switch to the fast lane
This is a bit more technical, but Wi-Fi routers have ‘dual bandwidths’, one is a standard 2.4GHz frequency, and the other is a faster 5GHz one. Think of it like two lanes on a motorway - you want to make sure you’re on the faster 5GHz lane. Checking and adjusting this depends on your router, so have a look on the bottom of your router for the details of it, and then you’ll be able to check online how to switch to 5GHz.\
4. Expand your system with a WiFi extender or whole home WiFi
Wi-Fi still not reaching into those tricky parts of your home? It might be time to add to your system with some additional hardware.
**Wi-Fi extenders **boost your signal – all you have to do is plug them into a socket.
**Whole home Wi-Fi **blankets your home in fast and reliable internet. It’s a bit like having multiple routers.
**Powerline adapters **turn any plug socket in your home into an access point so you can plug in an Ethernet cable and get internet to your garden office or attic room.
5. Keep your home network secure
Everyone needs Wi-Fi, but not everybody likes to pay for it. An unsecured Wi-Fi network is like an invitation for your neighbours to use your internet for free. The more devices on your Wi-Fi, the slower it will be, so make sure you change your router’s name and password to upgrade your security.
Need more advice?
If you’re still not sure about the right Wi-Fi product to go for, have a read of our Networking Buying Guide. It’s packed with all the info you need to make the right choice.
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