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At any time when somebody sends me a query about repair their Wi-Fi, I wince. It’s not that I dislike serving to folks with their router issues. Actually, there are few geeky endeavors I discover extra rewarding than fixing Wi-Fi connection points at a pal or member of the family’s dwelling.
However Wi-Fi has at all times felt extra like a darkish artwork than a science, and it’s an artwork that’s laborious to conjure with out being bodily current. Potential factors of failure are in all places, and what works effectively in a single dwelling won’t in one other. Even the reviewers of networking gear can attain drastically totally different conclusions about the exact same product.
Wi-Fi is basically at odds, then, with my want to reply questions with particular suggestions. The very best I can do is stroll your via how I diagnose Wi-Fi issues myself. That method, you can also make higher selections on whether or not (and the way) to improve your individual gear.
Dimension up the Wi-Fi downside
Step one to fixing Wi-Fi points is to see if the slowdown is coming out of your cable modem (which brings web service into the house) or from the router (which distributes Wi-Fi connectivity all through the house).
Begin by plugging a pc straight into your modem with an ethernet cable and working a velocity take a look at. (The simplest method is to do a Google seek for “velocity take a look at,” then hit the blue “Run Pace Check” button atop the search outcomes.) A USB-to-Ethernet adapter will probably be obligatory for testing on computer systems that don’t have an ethernet port, but when that’s an excessive amount of bother otherwise you don’t have a correct laptop in any respect, it’s also possible to attempt calling your web supplier and asking them to check your web velocity remotely.
Jared Newman / Foundry
If wired connection speeds are on par together with your web supplier’s marketed speeds, the subsequent step is to start out working velocity checks all through the home. Measure speeds across the space the place connectivity feels gradual, then work your method again to the place the router is positioned, working a number of checks in every space as you go.
The aim right here is to determine the place your connection troubles are occurring. Constantly gradual speeds all through the home could also be an indication of an outdated router, whereas useless zones or vary points might require a extra highly effective router or mesh Wi-Fi system. (Extra on that shortly.)
Discover your Wi-Fi router’s 802.11 model
To determine whether or not a router wants changing, it helps to know the way previous it’s. A technique to do that to find the router’s mannequin quantity—it’s seemingly printed on the router itself—then search the net for information about which model of Wi-Fi it helps. Listed here are the key Wi-Fi variations to find out about:
- 802.11a/b/g: Extraordinarily previous and virtually actually the supply of all of your Wi-Fi issues.
- 802.11a/b/g/n (or simply 802.11n): Outdated at this level and a stable candidate for substitute. Many of those routers solely help a single frequency band that’s slower and extra congestion-prone, and “dual-band” variants have restricted vary on the sooner 5 GHz frequency band.
- 802.11ac (additionally marketed as Wi-Fi 5): Not the newest commonplace, however nonetheless broadly obtainable even in some high-performance routers.
- 802.11ax (or Wi-Fi 6): Routers utilizing this commonplace began delivery in late 2020, so your router is probably going fairly new.
- Wi-Fi 6E: Congrats, you most likely simply purchased a brand new router (and perhaps even spent $1,200 on it).
Wi-Fi variations alone aren’t an indicator of high quality—an inexpensive Wi-Fi 6 router might be worse than a high-end mesh system with Wi-Fi 5—however every successive model has launched new options that enhance connectivity, and we’ve usually seen a push towards higher efficiency over time.
Attempt some smaller router fixes
Simply to rehash a tip I mentioned again in July, generally altering your router’s channel and bandwidth settings can work wonders for decreasing Wi-Fi interference, particularly if you happen to’re seeing inconsistent speeds on units that aren’t too removed from the router. By digging into your router’s settings, you’ll be able to bypass computerized channel choice and discover a channel that could be much less congested.
You too can attempt another little tweaks, like getting your router off the bottom and clearing some area round it—however I wouldn’t begin rearranging your room for the router’s sake. Chances are high the enhancements will probably be minimal. In fact, shifting your router to a extra central location within the dwelling will help, however that will seemingly require having the cable firm rewire your private home web connection.
Wi-Fi extenders: a final resort
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As a result of changing a router is a ache, loads of people surprise if they’ll simply clear up their issues with a Wi-Fi extender or repeater, which take the wi-fi sign from a router and rebroadcast it farther away. (“Extender” generally refers to a tool with a wired connection to the router, although I usually see each phrases used interchangeably.)
My expertise with Wi-Fi extenders is hit and miss. Wi-fi repeaters will at all times degrade no matter sign they obtain, so the advantages can cancel out if you happen to’re making an attempt to handle a useless zone or interference from different close by wi-fi units. The identical is true with powerline adapters, which ship a wired ethernet connection out of your router to a different a part of the home via your wall shops. Relying on how your home is wired, this strategy may give you a weak connection or not work in any respect.
I don’t inform folks to keep away from extenders outright, as a result of they’ll work in some situations, however preserve your expectations low and be ready to return the machine if it doesn’t assist.
Choosing a brand new Wi-Fi router
When you’ve concluded that it’s time to interchange your router, then what?
A mesh Wi-Fi system would be the surest method to clear up your Wi-Fi issues, particularly in bigger houses or ones with plenty of useless zones. These techniques allow you to plug in a number of entry factors all through the home, creating one large community. They’re higher at managing connections than a router with an extender, and techniques marketed as “Tri-Band” can join every entry level with out congesting the remainder of the community.
Such techniques won’t be obligatory, although. When you haven’t changed your router shortly, even a brand new standalone router could be sufficient to energy via useless zones in the event that they’re not too distant. Standalone routers are usually inexpensive than mesh techniques, and a few have options that mesh techniques lack, corresponding to USB storage help or numerous ethernet ports.
Finally, although, there’s no method to inform for positive if a brand new router will work with out making an attempt it your self. You may learn all types of critiques—PCWorld critiques each Wi-Fi mesh techniques and the newest Wi-Fi 6E routers—however even the most effective recommendation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Shopping for a brand new router will at all times contain a leap of religion.
A be aware on modem/router combos
Lastly, there’s yet one more complicating issue: Though cable corporations used to distribute web modems and routers individually—the previous bringing within the web from outdoors the home, and the latter to distributing Wi-Fi via the house—it’s more and more widespread now to get each capabilities in a single field. That makes set up simpler for the cable firm, however makes router substitute trickier for you.
When you’ve got a combo field and are paying for it in rental charges, contemplate changing it with two units: A brand new router and a separate cable modem. However remember that some corporations—significantly fiber-optic web suppliers corresponding to AT&T and Verizon—make changing the modem part tough or not possible.
If changing the modem isn’t doable or obligatory, you’ll be able to simply disable its Wi-Fi options so that they don’t intervene together with your new router. The directions for doing so can differ by supplier, so count on to do some Googling of “modem mode” or “bridge mode” plus the identify of your web supplier.
And if you happen to’re nonetheless having Wi-Fi issues in any case that, ship me an e-mail and I’ll do my finest to assist. You too can try my Advisorator publication—the place a model of this story first appeared—to get extra sensible tech recommendation each week.
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