Internet is an almost indispensable tool in the day to day of each person. Whether it’s to check the news, watch movies or series, stay in touch with friends and family or play video games.
That is why it is normal for the user to be overwhelmed when he realises that his connection is not working correctly.
According to a recent study by the technology firm Devolo, something that is quite common. Specifically, 93.2% of those surveyed by the company maintain that they have had problems with WiFi at some point and the majority of them, 61.3%, state that they do not know what the reasons are. that this happens.
Be that as it may, there are several procedures that the user can follow to improve the quality of his domestic connection.
Here we collect some of the most important things to fix the WiFi:
First Check the Connection
To find out the reason for the failure, you can connect to the internet both from your computer and from your ‘smartphone’. If the connection doesn’t work on both devices, the problem is most likely with the router or the carrier. However, if the connection only works on one of the devices, the problem is most likely with the device itself, so you should restart it and re-establish the connection with the router.
Turn Off and On
It is the simplest method and often the most effective. The cause of the malfunction may be a line problem or a communication problem with your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Therefore, it is recommended to turn off the router -by pressing the power button- and turn it on again after a few minutes. You can also try unplugging the device from the mains and plugging it in 2-3 minutes later.
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If the problem persists when restarting, you can consult the modem manual to see if there is any fault, and in case this is due to the router malfunctioning, you will have to replace it or, if the guarantee covers it, ask for a repair.
Look at the Reception
If the connection next to the router is good but weakens when you move away from it, you can optimise the router’s location by moving it closer to where you usually work, study, or watch TV.
If your house is large, one option may be to install WiFi amplifiers to increase the signal range.
Updated Network Card
The problem may also lie with the device’s network card in question. You can fix this by going to your computer settings, toggling it off, and back on again.
You can check if the card drivers have been updated in Windows Device Manager, and if they are not, check for an update and install it. Similarly, using the ‘Software Update’ feature on Mac devices, you can check if there is any update available for the operating system.
If the network card is old or damaged, one possibility may be to buy an external one, which would improve the computer’s reception of the WiFi signal.
Conduct a Network Diagnostic
Some features allow you to perform network diagnostics on Windows and Mac systems that will enable you to find errors and fix them automatically.
In Windows, ‘click’ with the right mouse button on the connection icon on the screen and then run the ‘Troubleshoot’ option. For their part, MAC users should close all open applications and connect to the WiFi network by holding down the Option key.
Once done, they will need to click on the WiFi network status icon in the menu bar and choose the ‘Open Wireless Diagnostics’ option.
Ethernet and Change Channel
Another helpful test worth performing in case the problems are persistent is to assess the state of the network by connecting the computer to the router directly with an Ethernet cable.
If this operation improves or restores the connection, there are likely problems with your WiFi network card or something that interferes with your signal.
In the latter case, the solution is to change your router’s WiFi channel by entering its IP address in the address bar, which usually corresponds to 192.168.1.1, and access the device configuration menu with the corresponding credentials ( admin and password).
Then, it will be enough to change the 2.4 GHz frequency band (choosing one between 1, 6 and 11) and the radio channel of the 5 GHz frequency band in the configuration. It is essential to know that not all routers have the same configuration menu, but they are usually very similar.
Speed Test
If everything works fine at the hardware level, the slow connection can be attributed to your company. The ideal is to verify the exact speed of your Internet connection by performing a speed test, both downloading and uploading: the higher these speeds, the better the network performance.
The download speed is always higher than the upload speed, and, in general, the average rate of FTTH fibre optics can reach up to 2500 Mbps in download and 300 Mbps in upload, while for an old ADSL, it is a maximum of 20 Mbps on download and one on upload. If you have an old ADSL connection, you may consider switching to faster fibre optics.
Adjust the DNS
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a very technical subject, but it is an essential tool for web browsing in reality. Choosing the best DNS servers allows you to optimise browsing and increase speed.
Among those available, it is recommended to add the following codes in the browser settings (in the DNS section): 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.8.1, which correspond to Google’s DNS, making the American search engine servers help your navigation.
Empty the Cache
Operating systems such as Windows and MacOS memorise the addresses already visited and those already resolved to optimise DNS resolution times. This memory is called the DNS cache. It may be helpful to flush the DNS cache, or clear stored data, both for cybersecurity and browsing speed.
Inspect if the Router is the Good One
Not everyone uses the internet in the same way, and not everyone needs the same resources. This means that those who limit themselves to watching a few movies and making a couple of video calls a day do not consume the same bandwidth as those who use the internet to telecommute continuously and need to send large files.
The number of connected devices can also make a difference, so if you have multiple devices connected to your WiFi line and experience continual drops in your connection’s performance, you may need to start considering purchasing a WiFi modem. High range to satisfy your high consumption.
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