Wireless networks are essential for connecting devices and accessing the internet, but they can also be frustratingly slow at times. If you want to improve your wireless network performance, there are some simple steps you can take to optimize your settings, hardware, and environment. In this article, we will show you how to make wireless networks run faster by using these six tips.
Your router is the heart of your wireless network, and it can affect your speed and signal quality. Make sure your router is updated with the latest firmware, which can fix bugs and improve security. Also, check if your router supports the 802.11ac standard, which offers faster and more reliable wireless connections than older standards. If not, you might want to upgrade your router to a newer model that supports this standard.
Switch to the 5 GHz band on all your devices. The 5 GHz band offers faster speeds than the 2.4 GHz band, but it has a shorter range. If you are close to your router, try switching to the 5 GHz band to see if it improves your speed.
Wireless networks use radio frequencies to transmit data, and they can interfere with each other if they use the same channel. This can cause congestion and slow down your network. To avoid this, you can change your router's channel to a less crowded one. You can use a free app or software to scan the available channels in your area and see which ones are less used. Then, you can log into your router's settings and change the channel accordingly.
To check WiFi channels using an iPhone or Android device, you will need to install a WiFi analyzer app. Popular apps: iPhone: WiFi Analyzer, NetSpot, WiFiMan Android: WiFi Analyzer, NetSpot, WiFi Analyzer Pro To choose the best WiFi channel for your network, look for a channel that is not being used by many other networks. You can also use the WiFi analyzer app to see how strong the signal is for each channel. If you have a dual-band router, try using the 5 GHz band instead of the 2.4 GHz band. The 5 GHz band offers faster speeds, but it has a shorter range. If you live in a densely populated area, you may need to experiment with different channels to find one that works best for you.
The position and direction of your router's antenna can also affect your wireless network speed and coverage. If your router has an external antenna, you can try to adjust it to point in the direction of your devices. This can improve the signal strength and reduce interference. If your router has an internal antenna, you can try to move your router to a central and elevated location, away from walls, metal objects, and other sources of interference.
An example I've seen routers in open areas in a residential environment, however, when other wires such as ethernet, pluggable wires, printer wires, or any other types of electronic communication wire (especially lines at time - - in intervals) crossing over and in between wireless antennas cause interference with wireless device radio transmission rates and reception rates.
If your wireless network has a large area to cover, or if you have dead zones where the signal is weak or nonexistent, you can use a repeater or extender to boost your network. A repeater or extender is a device that receives the wireless signal from your router and amplifies it to reach further areas. You can plug it into a power outlet and place it halfway between your router and your devices. However, keep in mind that using a repeater or extender can also reduce your network bandwidth, so use it only when necessary.
One thing I've found helpful is using mesh systems. While boosters and repeaters are very simple options, mesh systems are more reliable with better computational ability to provide better reliability for a comparable price.
Another factor that can affect your wireless network speed is the capability of your devices. Older devices may not support the latest wireless standards or have outdated network adapters. This can limit your network performance and cause compatibility issues. To solve this, you can upgrade your devices to newer models that support the 802.11ac standard, or you can replace your network adapters with faster ones. You can also update your device drivers and software to ensure optimal performance.
Upgrading your devices to support 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) can also improve your wireless network speed. 802.11ax offers a number of advantages over 802.11ac, including: -Faster speeds -Improved efficiency -Better battery life
Finally, you should secure your wireless network to prevent unauthorized access and usage. If your network is open or has a weak password, anyone can connect to it and consume your bandwidth. This can slow down your network and expose it to security risks. To secure your network, you should enable encryption on your router, such as WPA2 or WPA3, and set a strong password that is hard to guess. You should also change your router's default name and password, and disable remote access and guest networks.
You should keep the number of broadcasted SSID to a strict minimum. Multiple broadcasted SSID on a same wireless networks creates a heavy transmission overhead that uses precious packet load space in a transmitted string thus reducing the actual transmission load and resulting in a slower network speed.