Our advice is applicable to any form of broadband router, whether it’s one which was provided by your internet service provider, or one you’ve purchased separately from a store. These tips aren’t specific to Quickline’s provided router hardware. However, if you’re a Quickline customer and require technical support, check out our knowledge base.
Restart your router regularly
If you’re experiencing Wi-Fi issues, one of the first things you should do is restart your router.
- Turn it off at the switch or unplug the power at the wall
- Wait 30 seconds – this is an important step
- Turn the router back on or plug the power back in
- Wait for 1-2 minutes for the router to fully power back on and come back online
It may seem like one of the most basic methods to improve your Wi-Fi signal, but the simple act of regularly restarting your router can have a marked improvement. It’s also an important useful first step for diagnosing any potential issues.
Note, if you’re diagnosing a potential problem, it’s also worth ensuring you test your Wi-Fi in the same spot from a different device to see if your device is potentially at fault rather than the router.
Optimise router placement
The location of your router can have a huge impact on the quality of your Wi-Fi signal. Central locations generally provide the best signal coverage throughout a property. Whilst that isn’t always possible, ensure your router isn’t on the floor or next to other appliances which can give off electromagnetic waves. Floors, walls and metal objects can impact your signal, so try to place your router in a well thought out spot.
Check and adjust antenna
Sometimes the simple act of adjusting the antenna on your Wi-Fi router can help eliminate a dead spot in your house. Not all routers have external antennas, but if yours does then adjusting the antenna to aim towards the dead spot can sometimes help.
It’s also important to ensure your router’s antenna is correctly connected. If you’ve been moving your router around sometimes the antenna connection can come loose. Usually these simply screw in – always worth a quick check!
Disable unused devices
Over the years you’ve probably set up many different devices to use your Wi-Fi network. Maybe you have smart plugs, smart bulbs and other Wi-Fi enabled devices. It’s worth periodically checking whether you still use these devices and need them connected to your Wi-Fi network.
If you have smart plugs switched on that are no longer used for example, it might be time to switch these off.
Extend your Wi-Fi reach
Wi-Fi extenders come in a range of shapes and sizes and can help to extend its range by bouncing your Wi-Fi network. This can be handy when eliminating dead spots in the house.
Mesh networks are also a popular solution these days, and there are many popular manufacturers producing Mesh Wi-Fi Routers such as Google, NETGEAR, ASUS and TP-Link. Mesh networks connect multiple Wi-Fi access points throughout your home, with dedicated backhaul channels that are specifically used just to relay your Wi-Fi / network signal, which is then shared out.
Upgrade your equipment
Unfortunately, as Wi-Fi standards change and internet speeds improve, older equipment sometimes requires replacing to keep up with modern standards and devices. If you’ve tried all our other suggestions and are still having Wi-Fi issues, maybe it’s time to upgrade your out-of-date equipment.
Routers come in all shapes and sizes, and most importantly prices. If you’re a heavy internet user, using it for online gaming, downloading, media streaming, with a range of connected home devices and you know your Wi-Fi 6 from Wi-Fi 7, a premium store-bought router may be the best route.
However, for most users with standard browsing, basic media streaming and gaming, then many ISP provided routers will be just fine and it may be worth speaking to your provider’s technical support team instead.
Upgrade to faster internet
Whilst we hope our previous tips did the trick, it’s possible that your internet connection simply isn’t up to the demands of your network and in fact your Wi-Fi is slow due to a slower internet plan.
As bandwidth demands increase due to higher quality streaming options, the increased popularity of online gaming and improvements in technology, many users who may have been fine with lower speed packages many years ago will now find that their plan is struggling to keep up with their modern needs and requirements.
Quickline offer a wide range of internet packages catering to different speeds and requirements. We currently offer a selection of Ultra Fast broadband packages which can suit your needs. If you’ve tried all other methods to improve your Wi-Fi speeds, get in touch and we can help determine whether a faster connection is just what you need!
Here at Quickline we’re committed to providing fast and reliable broadband. We provide a free wireless router with new connections which is designed for better performance within your home. But if you get stuck encountering issues with your Wi-Fi we’re always here, whenever you need us.
Our Yorkshire based customer experience team is on hand to help – don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re an existing customer requiring tech support, or if you’re just looking for a reliable broadband provider that genuinely cares, explore our latest home broadband offers.
If you enjoyed learning how to improve your Wi-Fi signal you may also be interested in knowing where is the best place to set up your Wi-Fi router or learn more Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips. Follow Quickline on Facebook for other news and broadband related offers.
