Do you have a modern and powerful WiFi router installed in your apartment, but the speed of the Internet connection leaves much to be desired? One of the culprits for this may be your appliances. Fortunately, fixing the situation is not difficult at all if you know a few nuances.
One of the UK’s largest ISPs, Zen Internet, conducted a survey of its users in June 2022 and discovered some interesting data. It turned out that 99% of home Internet users do not know about some common scenarios that lead to a decrease in WiFi speed, or believe in various “myths” that are not related to reality.
76% of respondents were unaware that neighbors’ Wi-Fi routers could slow down their own connection, which is not uncommon in apartment buildings. When multiple devices on the same channel try to transmit data packets at the same time, a collision occurs. Each collision is followed by a delay before retrying the data transfer, slowing down the overall speed of the network connection.
90% of respondents also did not know that the proximity of the router to a refrigerator, microwave oven or other large appliances also negatively affects the quality of WiFi coverage and Internet speed.
common myths
By publishing the results of the survey, Zen Internet decided to dispel some of the myths that a large number of users still believe. For example, 23% of survey participants believe that their PCs, laptops, and other devices should be located as close to the router as possible to ensure the best connection quality. In reality, relatively modern routers can provide a high-quality Internet connection for devices scattered throughout the apartment.
Surprisingly, 14% of respondents believe that turning off the router at night can increase its efficiency the next day. In fact, routers are devices designed to work 24/7. If the sun’s rays do not fall on it and there is no overheating, then temporarily turning off the router will not have any positive effect.
While broadband internet access is almost always faster than mobile data, 29% of respondents believe that using a smartphone as a mobile hotspot provides a better connection than home Wi-Fi. In fact, broadband Internet access is the best option wherever it is available. For all other cases, mobile Internet was created.
More than half of the respondents (54%) believe that the installation height of the router does not affect the quality of the wireless network, but more on that below.
How to speed up home wifi
Before you buy a more expensive plan from a carrier or a new, faster WiFi router, there are a number of steps you can take to improve your existing wireless network. It is quite possible that you will be satisfied with the result and postpone the equipment upgrade until better times.
router location
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the location of the router. It should be closer to the center of the apartment/house and be, if possible, a little closer to the ceiling than to the floor; an open bookcase would be a good option; in this way, the signal will spread better throughout the room. There should be no foreign objects near the router, and the ceiling, floor, and walls should be in its direct line of sight so that the signal reflects from them freely.
If it is not possible to install the router in the optimal place, you should at least make sure that there are no appliances or other electronic devices near the device, be it a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a television, a game console, a system Audio. , baby monitors, etc.
correct range
The second tip is to check which band your devices are connected to. Most more or less modern WiFi routers can work on two bands at once: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The second is traditionally less “crowded” with neighboring wireless networks, and also provides higher bandwidth. Therefore, smartphones, PCs and laptops must connect to the 5 GHz band. But it is better to leave various light bulbs, sensors, alarm systems and other “smart” devices that do not demand the speed of the Internet on the 2.4GHz band.
Elimination of dead zones
If the signal from the WiFi router does not reach the back room of your apartment, this does not mean that the device needs to be replaced. You may have some old router lying around. It has many uses, and expanding the coverage of an existing network is one of them. An alternative option is to purchase a relatively inexpensive WiFi repeater, its cost starts from 800 rubles.
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Source: IXBT
