Wi-Fi routers in a store. Photo: screenshot from video/YouTube
A slow connection doesn’t always mean your Wi-Fi is to blame: it’s just a “middleman” between your data plan and the devices in your home. There are ways to improve the signal and, potentially, increase the stability of your connection.
SlashGear writes about it.
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Relocate your router
A Wi-Fi router broadcasts a wireless signal, and the easiest way to strengthen it is to place it closer to the devices you are connecting. Choose a central location and an open area without unnecessary obstacles. It is worth avoiding placement on the floor, in the kitchen, and in areas with a lot of equipment, in closed cabinets, and near mirrors.
Switch to a different channel
Modern routers are usually dual-band: 2.4 GHz (broader coverage) and 5 GHz (higher speed). Often, networks are distinguished by the suffixes “2G” and “5G”. The algorithm for switching to another channel is as follows:
open a browser and enter 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 and press Enter;
log in as administrator;
go to “Settings” — “Wireless Settings”;
select “Manual Wireless Network Setup”;
disable “Automatic Channel Scan”;
in the “Wireless Channel” drop-down list, set the channel manually.
Upgrade your router
If the home router “doesn’t work”, it can be replaced with a newer and less expensive model. This is especially true if your device is older and doesn’t support extended range or multi-band. You can also add a second router (in addition to your guest network) to extend your coverage.
Upgrade the router firmware
Like smartphones or laptops, routers receive firmware updates that add features and fix bugs. Automatic updates aren’t always available, so check manually:
download the latest firmware from your router manufacturer’s website;
open 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in your browser (some models have a different address).
log in to the admin panel (often the default login/password is admin);
find the “Firmware Update” item (may be in a submenu);
click “Browse”/”Select File”, add the downloaded file, and click “Upload”;
confirm the action in the pop-up window.
Disconnect unnecessary devices
According to the IPv4 standard, a router is theoretically capable of serving up to about 250 connections, but household models consistently “pull” more like 20-50. Each active gadget “eats” part of the bandwidth and can increase delays for others. The solution is simple: temporarily turn off Wi-Fi on unnecessary devices and unload the network — for this, it is not necessary to go into the router settings.
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