Are you tired of a slow wifi signal pausing your favorite song on YouTube right before the beat drops? Imagine finally catching up with loved ones via a video call only to have their faces frozen on the screen because of poor wifi speed.
It is necessary to boost internet speed because we are dependent on being online for work and our personal needs. You do not want to miss an important work call if your Zoom does not load due to a choppy wifi signal.
While outside issues like your ISP not provisioning sufficient bandwidth or network congestion may be out of your hands, there are many ways you can improve your download speed and upload speed with a few tricks in the house.
Here are the best ways to boost internet speed so that you never have to deal with your favorite movies and videos getting ruined from all the buffering.
- Unplug Modem Correctly
Although this sounds like the most obvious step that should not be mentioned, you would be surprised by how many people forget to do this. Even if you may turn your modem on and off, you may not go the long haul giving it enough time to reset.
Modems, wifi routers, and other devices are all tiny computers that need a good reboot to kickstart things into working smoothly. The best way to boost internet speed is by turning the modem on and off. Do this by unplugging it from the main power.
Ensure that you wait at least 30 seconds to a minute before turning the modem back on. This will give the capacitors inside your device enough time to discharge. Otherwise, they may not hold enough power if they are not shut down for long enough to catch a breath.
Think about how much you use the internet every day. Do you download a lot of large files? Your modem needs a rest for powering all that work. Switch off that main power for a little bit and see if your wifi signal improves.
Otherwise, you may need to change providers for a better internet package. Check out connectnationwide.com/centurylink for more information.
- Update Firmware
If you have not looked under your router, now would be the best time. This is where you may find valuable information about accessing the router’s settings and menu.
This comes in handy because menus on routers can be different. However, you can find a clickable notification telling you to update the firmware. Unless you tend to your router’s needs by giving it the makeover it deserves with updated firmware, you can lose connectivity.
This step is essential because it can fix your choppy wifi signal problems while keeping you safer and more secure from cybercriminals. All it takes is a few moments of reading the instructions that come with your router, and you can enjoy a decent wifi speed once again like the good old days when you first bought the device.
3, Check Router Placement
Your wifi router will work best if it has a clear line of sight to project its signals. However, they are not always pretty to look at. Many wifi routers can appear clunky and “extraterrestrial” depending on how hi-tech your model is.
This causes many homeowners to hide their routers behind a TV or couch. This can disrupt signals emitted from the router, leading to a subpar wifi speed. The best thing to do is to have your router in the open.
It should always be up to 2 meters off the ground in the center of a room. The living room is the best place to keep your router, depending on the design of your home. However, you need to put it closer to where you use all your other digital devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
If you are working from home, you should always have the router placed near your devices for the best speeds. Otherwise, it will be restricted. The most common wifi router blockers are TVs, microwave ovens, books, fridges, fish tanks, mirrors, walls, and doors.
You should also keep your router on the same floor as your devices for the strongest signal. Otherwise, you may have a weak signal upstairs if you only have one router installed downstairs in a multi-story home.
- Buy Extra Boost
Your wifi signal could be negatively impacted by the design of your home. This is because some home layouts heavily restrict wifi signals. No matter where you put your router, you may still struggle to connect for a decent download speed or upload speed.
You can upgrade your setup with some extra gear to get a good boost when this happens. Although this may not be the cheapest option, you may need to invest anyway because nothing is more frustrating in life than slow internet speed.
You can opt to get a mesh router that can connect to one another. This will help you cover large areas with a single wifi network. You can have a router upstairs, another in your home office, and one in your living room. Wifi extenders are the best way to pass network along if you have a large home.
They pick up and pass on signals effectively instead of you having to rely on a single router. However, they all use a different password and network name from your original router. Then you will need to manually switch between them as you enter other areas of your home.
- Switch off VPN
Although a VPN is handy, you should be careful leaving it on. Your VPN may be slowing down your connection because of the extra layer of protection it provides. While the extra security is great, you do not want your VPN draining your internet speed if you are not using it.
Boost Internet Speed Today
Now that you know the best ways to boost internet speed, it is time to follow these steps to give your wifi signal more strength. Start by turning your modem on and off correctly from the main power.
You should also remove any clutter that could be blocking your router. For large multi-story homes, invest in wifi extenders to carry signals throughout the property. If you enjoyed reading this wifi speed guide, check out some of our other posts for more information.
