ORLANDO, Fla. – The average person in the US spends eight hours and five minutes using digital media and most of that is probably connected to Wi-Fi. But in this increasingly connected world, what do you do if your Wi-Fi can’t keep up?
There are some things that you can do to prevent your internet speed from slowing down any further.
Cellphones, computers, televisions, tablets—all these devices require the internet or Wi-Fi to operate. A recent study by Pew Research Center found 93% of Americans use the internet and 91% use Wi-Fi at home. But the question remains, “What’s slowing down your speedy connection?”
“One thing; the equipment that you’re using, if it’s older, residential average consumer-grade equipment can be, unfortunately, it just wears out,” said Lincoln Chiappone, Network Engineer/IT Tech at PCGeeks2Go.
Another reason could be your neighbor’s network. Places like apartment complexes have lots of different Wi-Fi’s, causing slow speed.
“You can get into the router settings and look to see what channel your Wi-Fi is on — Wi-Fi works off of channels — and you can change that channel to get you a better signal and a better quality of internet,” Chiappone explained.
Also, check out the placement of your Wi-Fi box. Wi-Fi signals can be interfered with by microwaves, cordless phones, even walls and furniture.
“The device needs to be put up high, on a desk or up higher on a hutch or a shelf that will make the signal broadcast better through the house,” Chiappone said.
Even the material that your building or house is made of can impact your Wi-Fi signal. Concrete, masonry, thick timber walls, metal roofs and floor heating can block wireless signals or cause some signal loss.
Another thing that can slow down your Wi-Fi is exceeding your data cap. If you go over your limit, it can cause your Wi-Fi speed to slow down. You can avoid this by either keeping track of your data or just purchasing more.