The advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted global action from corporations, industry, education, and other areas. Work from home situations is created to successfully guarantee the health and safety of everybody while ensuring that day-to-day tasks are carried out. As a result, the online discussion took center stage. Working adults and children, however, have found it challenging to obtain an online education due to informal internet activity. As a result, I’ve compiled a list of 11 inexpensive and practical ways to speed up/upgrade your internet connection so you can stop wasting important time.
Simple Ways to Boost Your Internet Connection
Everybody wishes for a faster internet connection. However, there is a wealth of knowledge and possible solutions available, and not all of them are effective. Some of the recommendations are outright lies, while others are very technical and/or expensive.
Knowing how to speed up your internet has become increasingly important as we grow more sedentary and work from home. The good news is that a number of internet service providers have increased download speeds for low-income consumers. Others have lifted data caps on Internet services.
This alleviates the bottleneck between your front door and the internet, but it’s largely up to you to minimize poor connections and Wi-Fi dead zones around your home. To help you out, I’ve put up a list of suggestions for diagnosing and, hopefully, enhancing the quality of your Wi-Fi both inside and outside your house.
Is your internet connection slowing you down? Let’s get started.
#1. Router Positioning
Is your device connected to a router? This is a terrible concept. Walls, cabinets, and even bookshelves might interfere with your Wi-Fi connection. Changing the router’s physical location can have a substantial influence on the router’s wireless transmission rates and range. Your router’s optimum position will vary based on your property, but it should not be hidden in a corner, behind a cabinet, or within a drawer. The more prominent and central it is, the better.
To reposition your router in a better position, you may need to be creative, but the ultimate result will be well worth the effort. The aim is to get as near to your network as feasible for your key devices, such as consoles and laptops. Devices that don’t consume a lot of bandwidth, like smart thermostats, don’t have to be close together.
If you don’t have a level surface at the ideal location, you can mount your router halfway up a wall. If at all possible, keep it away from other electromagnetic wave-emitting devices like baby monitors, wireless keyboards, and even microwaves.
#2. Accept Ethernet
Wires are still present, as we often forget. There is no need for Wi-Fi. A physical connection to your router is preferable to a wireless connection in most instances. It is more dependable and faster, and it is unaffected by other devices or large fish tanks. The negative is that it limits where you can place your gadgets, making it less useful in general.
For devices that demand the quickest internet, though. It’s often worth the effort to activate a wire on a game console or streaming box, for example. The router only has a few Ethernet connections remaining, so all you’ll need is a cable. Cable connections are ideal, especially if you enjoy watching large amounts of media data on your TV, such as videos.
The most crucial point to remember is that ethernet is always more secure than Wi-Fi. Ethernet is a better option if you want to keep your financial information completely secret.
#3. Band or Channel Transfer
The Wi-Fi signal is divided into channels. Your router interacts with the devices in your house through a specific Wi-Fi channel, which may quickly get crowded if you have neighbors with routers that utilize the same Wi-Fi channel. Changing the channel will solve the problem.
Each router will handle this differently. If you’re unsure, consult the device’s documentation or look up the instructions online, but the option should be available somewhere in the device’s settings. When numerous devices are connected, the channels to try are 1, 6, and 11, since they will have the least amount of interference.
Dual-band technology, which broadcasts at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, is used by the majority of routers today. You may be able to prioritize one over the other for certain devices if your network settings allow it. Although the 5 GHz band provides a faster internet connection, it has a shorter range than the 2.4 GHz band.
#4. Router Upgrade
Routers differ in terms of capability and price, but in this case, the upgrade to make is typically in terms of how far your Wi-Fi is transmitted. If you have a big house, a router that can pair with “repeaters” that broadcast signals to the farthest corners may likely be beneficial. Smaller homes and flats may often get away with a simpler system. For bigger homes, a mesh network with many router nodes put throughout the house is advised.
#5. A Wi-Fi Extender has been assigned to you
If dealing with your router settings seems too onerous and you have a little cash to spare, consider purchasing a Wi-Fi extension or repeater. These devices connect to your router’s wireless internet, then expand it even further.
They’re usually simple to set up and use, and they may help you eradicate Wi-Fi dead zones in your house rapidly. The extended or repeated wireless signals, on the other hand, will not be as strong as the ones coming directly from your router, therefore the position is vital once more. Connect these devices to low-bandwidth devices if possible.
#6. Make Use Of Power Codes
Extenders can be replaced using a powerline kit. The fact that digital signals may travel across an electrical wire is taken advantage of by powerline devices. Powerline networking kits are made by Netgear and TP-Link, two firms.
It will work like this: after attaching a powerline connector to your router, you plug it into a wall socket. To make a wired or wireless connection, add another powerline outlet to any other room in your house. Despite the fact that the speed would be reduced, this is a simple and practical approach.
Unless your home is really old, it should have electrical wiring that can handle this, but just in case, get your kit from a firm that has a good return policy.
#7. Password for Wi-Fi
As you are all aware, your Wi-Fi will almost certainly require a password. It protects you from hackers and stops your neighbors from Netflixing on your bandwidth, which would slow you down tremendously. Make sure you’re utilizing AES encryption, which is the safest and quickest option.
#8. Remove any extra devices.
Typically, only a few devices may be connected to the internet at the same time. It also helps you reduce the number of devices that are linked to your network. Keeping track of dozens of devices all trying to join the same Wi-Fi network at the same time might be tricky. Connect everything you can to Ethernet, then unplug whatever you don’t need (such as the “smart” tea kettle you’ve never gotten to operate). Ensure that only the items that require the internet have access.
A good router will allow you to set a device or service as a priority. It’s a simple way to make sure your games aren’t disrupted by someone else’s Facebook video broadcasting.
