There are many potential reasons
you’ll notice Wi-Fi performance issues: signal congestion, router location,
firmware issues, hardware limitations or even the physical size of your office.
The reality is, there’s nothing
more annoying than your Wi-Fi connection dropping when you’re in the middle of an
important client conference call or just doing your everyday expected work as
efficiently as possible.
Luckily there are things
you can do to help solve some of these issues. Here we will go into more depth
on the causes for a dropped wireless connection and what you can do about them.
Your Router Is Overburdened By
Heavy Network Use
Some of you may be
experiencing a Wi-Fi blackout when your network is being heavily utilised
(simultaneous streaming, downloading, large file transferring, online gaming, etc.)
which can cause router to temporarily fail. It may be working fine but is just
not up to the rigours of modern networking demand, especially if it’s the free
one you got from your ISP 12 years ago. Wireless standards have moved on, so don’t
limit your internet use because your router can’t handle it – pick a router
that can accommodate all of your connected devices and networking demands. We
would suggest today to go for at least a wireless AC1200.
Your Wi-Fi Signal Is Weak or
Doesn’t Extend Far Enough
Wi-Fi connections can easily
drop when the connected device is located near the edge of your network’s
wireless signal range. The further away you get, the more unstable a Wi-Fi
connection can get. Relocating your devices closer to your router kind of defeats
the purpose of a wireless connection, so as per the previous example a new
router upgrade would be a solution. If however you live in a big house with a
lot of walls or have 3 storeys for instances, looking at adding in a MESH
system to your network is a good idea. A mesh network will boost your wireless
range/strength massively, some up to 6,000 square feet! Most are also compatible
with any make of router.
You’ve Got Too Much Wireless
Interference
Your router isn’t the only
device in your office emitting a signal. Several items like Bluetooth devices,
are pumping out radio signals that can interfere with your Wi-Fi network signal
when they are in use. Moving your router away from devices like these is an
easy solution but if for some reason you have to put your
router next to the microwave in your office, we suggest changing some of your
devices Wi-Fi radio settings. Upgrading to a dual band router or one with smart
MESH technology gives you the ability to connect your devices to the standard
2.4GHz or the less crowded 5GHz band (if compatible) which can decrease much of
the interference.
Your Firmware or Drivers Need
An Update
Computers connect
to a Wi-Fi network using a device driver and your router creates a Wi-Fi signal
based on its firmware. Network drivers and firmware can occasionally affect
your network connection if either/both requires an update. Check your computer
for any driver updates and install new firmware for your router from the
product page on the manufacturer’s website.
4G redundancy
What do you do if your internet
connection does go down fully? Internet connectivity becomes more essential for your
business every day and losing it can cause problems. No Internet means no
email, no web browsing and in many cases, no work. At home it means no Netflix,
YouTube, online shopping or video games. The best solution is to look at
purchasing a 4G router is a great backup network when your broadband
internet goes down, so you can keep using the internet without interruptions.
They run on a standard sim card and allow multiple users to share the
connection, keeping either your home or business fully functional.
We hope these tips were helpful to you (assuming your Wi-Fi didn’t drop while you were reading) and that you were able to use our suggestions to guarantee a strong, steady wireless signal for your home network. Keep checking in for more tips and tricks!
Shout out to Paul Routledge, Head of D-Link UK for sending this through!