Wireless internet is like electricity at this point — you only notice it exists when it stops working. Discover common WiFi issues and their solutions here.
You are watching one of your favorite television shows online. But just when you’re about to find out an important clue for solving the mystery, your show comes to a screeching halt.
You’ve got WiFi issues.
Wireless internet today is a lot like electricity — you don’t truly notice it until it quits working. Fortunately, if your WiFi decides to call it quits on you, you may be able to restore it on your own.
Here’s a rundown on the top five WiFi issues and how to fix them.
Let’s get started!
1. Common WiFi Issues Include the Absence of WiFi in Specific Rooms
Routers broadcast in multiple directions from central locations. This means that if your home’s router is located in one corner of the house, a chunk of your home likely isn’t being covered.
In this situation, you may want to move the router to another location of your home that is more centralized. This will yield better reception throughout the house.
Also, if you are an apartment unit tenant, other tenants’ routers may be causing interference with yours. Switching your router to a different channel may solve the problem. That’s because your router may be overlapping with a nearby network and simply needs to be on a channel that is less congested.
Let’s say that none of the above steps helps. In this situation, your residence may be too big for a single router. So, consider buying a wireless extender or even adding an old wireless router to extend your main router’s range.
2. You Are Dealing with Slow Internet
Perhaps the speed of your WiFi is slow wherever you are in your home. Try to plug your laptop into the modem directly. Then, use a website such as speedtest.net to test the speed of your internet.
If your speed is still low, you probably have an internet connection issue, not a router issue. So, you’ll need to contact your internet service provider.
If the internet connection isn’t your issue, the many devices you’re using may be overcrowding your wireless channel. Or, nearby networks may be causing a channel crowding issue. So, go ahead and change your router’s channel to see if this resolves the issue.
If this still doesn’t work, reset the router, and set it up once again. Most routers have “reset” buttons that make completing factory resets easy.
If the above doesn’t work, your router may be dying. Therefore, consider purchasing a new router.
You can also learn how to speed up internet and make online downloads faster using a variety of other tricks, like performing virus scans or power cycling.
3. Nothing Is Connecting to Your WiFi
Let’s say that you’re unable to connect to your WiFi whatsoever.
First, plug the laptop into your router directly with an Ethernet cable. If this works, then your WiFi has a problem. If this doesn’t work, then you need to call your internet service provider, as your internet might be down.
Also, note that resetting the router may also fix your issue. Just press your router’s reset button for half a minute using a paperclip. After this, your router will default to its factor settings.
If resetting your router still doesn’t solve the problem, then you might need to simply purchase a brand-new router.
4. Internet Access is Lacking Even Though Your Network Connects
Perhaps you can’t access the Internet even though your network is connecting to it. In this case, try to reset your modem. You can do this by unplugging the modem and then plugging the modem back in.
Let’s say that the modem tip doesn’t work. Now, you should consider resetting the router in the same manner.
Afterward, connect your desktop computer or laptop to the router with an Ethernet cable. If this ends up working, you have a problem with your router. Therefore, you may need to reset it.
Still not getting any internet? You might have an outage, so reach out to your internet service provider for support. They should be able to investigate the issue and remedy it for you.
5. Your Internet Connection Drops Randomly
If your connection keeps dropping, try to see if you notice a pattern of some sort.
For instance, perhaps connections drop when you’re using your microwave. Although this might sound far fetched, this is actually a problem for some routers.
This is especially true on a frequency of 2.5 gigahertz. And it’s also true if you are using a microwave that is older and has shield issues.
Your connection may be dropping because other devices or networks are causing interference. For instance, if your next-door neighbor is using WiFi heavily in the evenings, this could slow you down in the evening.
So, what do you do in this situation? First, try changing the channel your router is on. Using a less crowded channel may immediately resolve your issue.
Finally, if this doesn’t work, consider resetting your router. This should eliminate the problem.
How We Can Help
In addition to offering a look at how solve common WiFi issues, we offer advice related to other daily-living matters.
For instance, our online community offers tips for caring for your home and your household. You can even read the latest about technology designed to enhance your daily life.
Take a peek at our site to learn more about how to enhance your and your household’s quality of life in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
