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In today's world, having a stable internet connection is essential. If your internet isn't reliable, it can be hard to accomplish tasks, which can be very stressful.But don't worry! You can do some easy things to improve your home internet.For over 25 years, WEBIT Services has helped hundreds of clients maintain their IT systems while building IT strategies.By the end of this article, you will know seven steps to troubleshoot and improve your home internet's performance.
Improving your home internet means ensuring it's stable, reliable, and as fast as possible. You want to be able to upload and download files without any problems.
You might need to fix your home internet if you notice:
Find out how fast your internet should be and see if it matches what you're actually getting.First, you must know what speeds you're working with and what is available from your internet provider. Check your contract or speak with your provider to see the promised download speed for your service plan.Then, you can run an internet speed test to compare the promised speed with your actual download time.If the test result is close to your service plan's promised speed, your internet service is optimized. However, if the two numbers are far apart, continue troubleshooting to achieve optimization.
Location matters!Your internet connection may be slow or unstable if your router is too far from your device.Verify that your router is in a good spot where it can reach all your devices easily. If it's hidden away in a closet or tucked behind furniture, it might not be able to send a strong signal to all parts of your home.How do you know if your router is too far away? Check and see how close your device is when it has a strong WiFi signal versus when it has a weak one.For example, you have your router in your home office. When you're in your office, your laptop connects seamlessly. However, the connection is slow and shaky when you move across the house into your kitchen.
To extend your router’s connective power, you can purchase access points to create a mesh network. Access points connect to your router wirelessly, but each makes its own WiFi connectivity sphere, expanding your network.For instance, you can set an access point on your back porch for effortless streaming outdoors. If your router is downstairs, you can place an access point upstairs for a more robust WiFi signal.
Check if the problem is with your internet or with your devices.Try using different devices (like your phone, laptop, or tablet) to see if they all have the same problem. If only one device has issues, it might be a problem with that device, not your internet.Examining the slow device might be a good idea if you have one device that lags. Multiple factors can affect a device’s download speed. For example, is it an older device? Has it had any recent updates? Has it been checked for malware?
If too many devices are connected or one device uses a lot of bandwidth (like streaming video or downloading large files), it could slow down your internet.Find out if too many devices are connected and using up all your internet. You can do this by logging into your router's settings and seeing what devices are connected.As you examine your internet use, ask yourself, "Who is using my network, and what are they using it for?"Do you notice a significant slowdown when your kids play online games or when everyone is simultaneously binging a different streaming service?It's possible that your current bandwidth subscription is not meeting your needs or that too many devices are simultaneously connected. Consider turning off devices not in use to ensure they're not using bandwidth in the background.Or is the signal spotty when an application is doing a significant update? Sometimes, applications will download or update in the background, using a great deal of bandwidth.Check your computer's Task Manager to verify what programs or applications are running and how much memory and bandwidth they use. Then, if possible, you can shut down the application.
If you need a solid connection, try using cables instead of WiFi.Ethernet cables connect your devices directly to your router, which can be faster and more reliable than WiFi. You might not be able to move around as freely, but you'll have a more stable connection.
Sometimes, just turning things off and on again can help. Try unplugging your router and modem for a few minutes, then plugging them back in to reset your internet connection and fix any temporary glitches.
If nothing else works, talk to your internet provider. They might be able to fix things for you or suggest other solutions. They can also check if there's a problem with your internet connection that needs to be fixed.
Having a good internet connection at home is essential. By following these steps, you can make your internet faster and more reliable:
One or a combination of these steps can help you increase your internet speed and stability.For over 25 years, WEBIT Services has helped hundreds of clients troubleshoot and solve thousands of IT issues and concerns.If you are looking for a new IT provider, schedule a 30-minute consultation to see if WEBIT Services can help.If you're not ready to talk to our team of experts but would like to learn more about safely using the Internet and IT resources, we recommend the following articles:
