If your Wi-Fi speed is freaking you out lately, here are a couple of different ways to think about addressing it:
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Router Firmware and Drivers: Besides checking your router firmware, it’s also a good idea to update the drivers on your Wi-Fi adapter or network card. Outdated drivers could be responsible for the slower speeds, and ensuring they’re up-to-date might resolve the issue.
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QoS Settings: QoS (Quality of Service) is a feature on some routers that prioritizes traffic. By setting QoS, you can make sure that more critical tasks get the necessary bandwidth, which might help a lot if you’re streaming or gaming. However, not all routers offer this, and it can be somewhat complex to configure.
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Guests Network: If securing your main network isn’t helping, you might want to set up a separate guest network. It lets you limit the bandwidth available to guest users, ensuring they don’t throttle your main network’s speed.
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Replacement of ISP Provided Equipment: Sometimes the equipment provided by your ISP just isn’t up to snuff. Investing in a higher-quality router or modem can make a significant difference, especially if the provided hardware is budget or just aging out.
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Scheduled Reboots: Believe it or not, a router that has been running continuously for a long time can slow down. Some routers allow you to schedule automatic reboots. Doing this when you’re usually asleep can ensure your router gets a fresh start daily or weekly.
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Check for Interference: If you’ve already checked channel settings but are still experiencing issues, there could be non-Wi-Fi devices causing interference, like baby monitors, microwave ovens, or cordless phones. Moving or turning off these appliances can improve your Wi-Fi.
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Contact Support: Sometimes tech can get overwhelming. If you’ve tried everything to no avail, consider reaching out for support from your router or internet service provider’s customer service. They might identify something you’ve missed.
By looking into these additional angles, you can mitigate multiple potential pain points. In any connectivity troubleshooting, it’s about more than playing with just one variable.
If you’re interested in tools for diagnosing and understanding your Wi-Fi problems better, you could also give the NetSpot app a try. It can scan and visualize your Wi-Fi network, helping you see where issues might be rooted in interference or poor signal strength.
Good luck, and hopefully, your internet speeds will pick up soon!