Frustrated and wanting to call your Little Computer People computer fixer because your WiFi doesn’t work properly? Yes. It is a problem that plagues many a computer owner in Richmond and Sydney. Don’t worry though! Our in-house computer fixers can help. 

Do you remember when the mobile phone first came out? Maybe you were too young for that. How about the arrival of the smartwatch? That was a game-changer! Suddenly, you could catch your calls on the go.

While these inventions are incredible, the greatest and most impactful innovation of the last 20 years has to be WiFi. Imagine life without it—it’s practically unthinkable! WiFi has been one of the most important milestones in the evolution of the internet, freeing us from the limitations of wired connections.

However, working with WiFi isn’t always smooth sailing. Many of us face issues like slow speeds, poor reception, or sudden connection drops. If these problems sound familiar, don’t worry! Here are 10 simple ways to boost your WiFi signal.

Take a look, and if you’re still having trouble, our computer fixers are here to help.

1. Use The Latest and Greatest

To ensure your network is reliable, it’s important to use the latest hardware. Pay particular attention to wireless standards: older ones like Wireless A, B, G, or N can limit performance, while the newer AC standard offers significant improvements. In short, if your router is more than a year or two old, it’s probably time to upgrade. Consider consulting a computer fixer to help you make the switch.

So Which Do You Get?

That’s an interesting question! Let me start with another: how do you use the internet, and how many people are on your network?

If you stream video to devices like Chromecasts or smartphones, a wireless AC connection is essential to prevent video stuttering or crashes. The next big thing in routers will be the AX standard, expected to debut in 2019.

Here’s the catch: to take full advantage of a wireless AC router, you’ll also need a device with a compatible networking card or a USB dongle that supports wireless AC. This ensures you can optimize your speed and performance.

2. Add To the Router’s Strength

We’re passionate about all the amazing devices that make a house a home. Many of our team’s computer technicians own smart home devices themselves. However, it’s important to know that these gadgets rely on a strong WiFi signal throughout your home.

If your router struggles to provide consistent coverage and the signal weakens as you move farther away, it may be time to consider a wireless extender or a mesh network router.

Companies like Google, Luma, and Eero offer mesh network routers that can solve this problem. These compact routers are placed strategically around your home, creating a seamless Wi-Fi blanket that ensures reliable connectivity in every corner. If an internet technician near me equals Melbourne and you need assistance with a router, click here. If Sydney then as usual, give us a call on 1300 885 218.

The Setup

This network operates with a central base station, complemented by additional router devices placed at various points throughout the home. These modern systems are designed for easy setup, which can be completed through a smartphone application, allowing you to monitor and manage your network effortlessly.

3. Find the Perfect Place for Your Router

We know. We know. Routers are ugly, but that doesn’t mean you should hide it behind the TV or in the cupboard. If you want a great signal, you need it to be in open space. If that optimal location does not have a table or surface where you can place the router, check to see if you can wall mount it. Most new routers have pre-installed mounting holes or a mounting bracket. Use some common sense here and place it somewhere in the centre of the home.

4. Find the Right Wireless Channel

Check to make sure your neighbours are not using a channel that will interfere with your router. It causes the signal to degrade. All routers can operate on different channels with as little interference as possible. You can even use tools like WiFi Analyzer or Network Analyzer Lite.

5. Get Rid of the Interference

Routers from your neighbours are not the only things that interfere with the signal. Cordless phones, microwaves and appliances can also interfere. To prevent this from happening, buy a dual band router or purchase your cordless phones on other bands. Another option is to try moving your existing router further from appliances that interfere with the signal.

6. Beware of the Wi-Fi Thieves

There are a number of ways to protect your WiFi Connection from attackers and prying neighbours. The easiest way to take care of this problem is to use proper password protection.

7. Control Applications that Hog the Bandwidth

If you regularly use video chatting apps, play online games, use torrents or services like Netflix, you have to check to see how much bandwidth they are taking up. These apps can make your internet slower. The easiest way to prevent these apps from hogging up all the internet, talk to everyone who uses the WiFi signal in the house. Ask them to close out these applications when they finish using them.

Little Tricks that Can Increase Your Wi-Fi Range

So nothing seems to work and you still can’t afford to pick up the phone and call a mobile computer repair person from Little Computer people, what do you do? If your router still isn’t reaching far enough you can try to extend it using a few simple tricks. Try the old beer can or cooking strainer trick. Just cut a piece of aluminium out of the canand placed around the back of the antenna to extend the signal. Use the cooking strainer for portable WiFi devices. You won’t get incredible results with these tips but it may extend your signal a bit, just until you can call us to purchase an extender or new router.

8. Hacking

Only for computer whiz kids. This is not something you want to try as a novice. However, if computers are your thing, you can look for an old router lying around the house and make it into an extender by installing the DD-WRT firmware. Doing this will also give you a ton of security features as well. But again, I have to reiterate, this can be dangerous for your router.

9. Set the Router to Update and Reboot Periodically

If you have to reboot your router frequently you can run a few tests to make sure that the reboot is not caused by heat or old firmware.  A good way to prevent these problems is to make it reboot once a day or so. You can do this by placing an outlet timer on the router so it does it automatically.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. These are the best ways to keep your home WiFi working at its best. Need more help. Give us a call. We help small businesses and home users create better computer connections to improve their workflow or entertainment use.