How To Change Wifi From 2.4 To 5
Browsing slowing to a crawl, the disability to stream, dropped Wi-Fi signals, wireless dead zones—every ane of these issues is maddening in a world where getting online has get, for some, every bit necessary equally animate. (Well, maybe not that critical...merely still important.)
If y'all feel like your Wi-Fi has gotten sluggish, there are many tools you can use to examination the speed of your internet. At that place are also a few tricks y'all can effort to troubleshoot your network issues. All the same, if the simply way yous can get decent reception is by standing next to your wireless router, these elementary tips can assist optimize your network.
1. Check Your Wired Internet Connection
Before you blame the Wi-Fi, make sure the internet coming into your house is performing as it should. Find an Ethernet cablevision and plug your computer directly into your modem—y'all may need a USB to Ethernet adapter if your laptop doesn't accept an Ethernet port.
Run a speed test to see your internet speed. If information technology doesn't match the speed on your internet bill, yous may need to telephone call your ISP or replace your modem. If your speed examination does match your net bill, but it still seems slow, information technology may be time to pony upwardly for a better plan. (My grandmother was convinced her Wi-Fi was faulty, simply for me to tell her she was subscribed to a snail's-pace 3Mbps connection.)
If the modem seems okay, try running the examination again wirelessly, continuing right next to the router. If y'all go similarly good speeds next to the router, but not elsewhere in the firm, and then your Wi-Fi coverage may exist to arraign. If your internet is still wearisome standing right side by side to the router, you may accept some outdated gear that needs an upgrade.
2. Update Your Router Firmware
Earlier you commencement tweaking things, information technology's a skillful idea to update your router. Router manufacturers are always improving software to eke out a bit more speed. How easy—or how difficult—it is to upgrade your firmware depends entirely on your device's manufacturer and model.
Virtually current routers accept the update process built right into the assistants interface, so information technology'southward just a thing of hit a firmware upgrade push button. Other models, particularly if they're older, still require you to visit the manufacturer's website, download a firmware file from your router's support page, and upload it to the administration interface. It's tedious, simply still a proficient thing to do since it would exist such a elementary fix.
In fact, even if your wireless network isn't ailing, you should make it a point to update your firmware on a regular basis for performance improvements, ameliorate features, and security updates. For aid with this, we have a guide on accessing your router's settings.
If you really want to get the virtually out of your current router, the adventurous should look at a third-party firmware, like the open-source DD-WRT. This can ramp upwards operation and give you access to more avant-garde networking features, including the ability to install a virtual individual network (VPN) right onto your router. It's a fleck more than complex to set up, simply for tech-savvy users, it may exist worthwhile.
iii. Achieve Optimal Router Placement
Not all homes volition distribute Wi-Fi signal equally. The fact is, where you place the router can hugely affect your wireless coverage. It may seem logical to take the router inside a chiffonier and out of the fashion, or right by the window where the cable comes in, but that'due south non e'er the case. Rather than relegating it to a far finish of your home, the router should be in the center of your business firm, if possible, so its bespeak tin can reach to each corner with ease.
In addition, wireless routers need open spaces, away from walls and obstructions. So while it's tempting to put that ugly black box in a closet or backside a bunch of books, y'all'll go a better signal if it's surrounded by open air (which should prevent the router from overheating, too). Keep it away from heavy-duty appliances or electronics as well, since running those in close proximity can touch on Wi-Fi performance. If yous can eliminate even one wall between your workspace and the router, y'all tin drastically improve performance.
If your router has external antennas, orient them vertically to bump upwards coverage. If you tin can, it even helps to elevate the router—mount it high on the wall or on the acme shelf to get a better signal. There are enough of tools to help you visualize your network coverage. Nosotros similar Ekahau's Heatmapper or MetaGeek's inSSIDer, which evidence yous both the weak and stiff spots in your Wi-Fi network. There are plenty of mobile apps, too, such as Netgear's WiFi Analytics.
(Editors' Note: Ekahau is owned past Ziff Davis, the parent company of PCMag.com.)
4. What's Your Frequency?
Take a wait at your network's administrator interface and make certain you take it configured for optimum performance. If you have a dual-band router, y'all'll probable go meliorate throughput by switching to the 5GHz band instead of using the more mutual 2.4GHz ring.
Non merely does 5GHz offering faster speeds, but you lot'll likely come across less interference from other wireless networks and devices, because the 5GHz frequency is not as normally used. (It doesn't handle obstructions and distances quite besides, though, so it won't necessarily accomplish as far equally a 2.4GHz bespeak does.)
Near modern dual-band routers should offer y'all the option to employ the aforementioned network name, or SSID, on both bands. Check your router's assistants interface, look for the 5GHz network choice, and give it the same SSID and password as your 2.4GHz network. That way, your devices volition automatically cull the best signal whenever they tin can.
(If your router doesn't offer you lot the option to use the same SSID, only give it another name—like SmithHouse-5GHz—and endeavor to connect to that one manually whenever possible.)
5. Modify That Channel
Interference is a big issue, especially for those who live in densely populated areas. Signals from other wireless networks can impact speeds, non to mention some cordless phone systems, microwaves, and other electronic devices.
Ever play with walkie-talkies equally a kid? Yous may call back how the units needed to be on the same "channel" in club for y'all to hear each other. And if yous happened to be on the same aqueduct every bit your neighbors, you lot could mind in on someone else's conversation, even if they were using a completely different set. In that same vein, all modern routers can switch across different channels when communicating with your devices.
Most routers will choose the channel for you lot, but if neighboring wireless networks are besides using the same channel, you'll encounter indicate congestion. A good router set to Automated will endeavour to cull the least congested channel, but older or cheaper routers may just choose a predefined channel, even if it isn't the best i. That could be a trouble.
On Windows-based PCs, you can see what channels neighboring Wi-Fi networks are using. From the control prompt type netsh wlan show all, and you'll meet a list of all wireless networks and the channels beingness used in your vicinity. The aforementioned network analyzers can as well show you this information, often in an easier-to-read graphical format.
At the PCMag office, for instance, most of our networks and those of our neighbors are using channels vi and 11. In general, for 2.4GHz you want to stick to channels 1, 6, and 11 since they're the only ones that don't overlap with other channels (which tin degrade performance). 5GHz mostly uses non-overlapping channels, however, which should make selecting the correct one much easier.
If y'all observe the Auto setting isn't working well for you, sign into your router's administrator interface, head to the basic wireless category, and endeavor selecting i manually (ideally, ane that isn't in use by many networks in your area). Run another speed test to run into if that provides a improve betoken and faster speeds over the Automated setting in your problem areas.
Keep in mind that aqueduct congestion can alter over time, so if y'all choose a aqueduct manually, you may desire to cheque in once in a while to make certain information technology's still the best i.
half dozen. Kick Off Wi-Fi Intruders
Information technology's entirely possible the problem has nada to do with interference or Wi-Fi range. If your network is open, or has a weak countersign, y'all could take an unwanted invitee or 2 piggybacking on your network. If the neighbor is downloading multiple 4K movies on your Wi-Fi, your video chats will suffer.
These tools can help y'all find a list of devices on your Wi-Fi, which may aid you sniff out uninvited neighbors. Your router'due south admin interface may also exist a traffic analyzer of some sort that volition tell you which devices are using lots of data—you lot may even find one of your ain kids is sucking up bandwidth without you realizing it. (If so, hither'due south how to kick them off).
In one case you find the intruder and remedy the problem, secure your network with a strong password—preferably WPA2, every bit WEP is notoriously easy to crevice—so others tin't bring together in.
7. Command Quality
Almost modern routers come with Quality of Service (QoS) tools to limit the amount of bandwidth that apps use, like the Netgear menu above. For example, y'all could use QoS to prioritize video calls over file downloads—that mode, your call with grandma won't drop just because someone else is grabbing a big file from Dropbox. (Sure, their file will have longer, but grandma is more important.) Some QoS settings even allow you to prioritize dissimilar apps at different times of 24-hour interval.
QoS settings can typically exist found nether advanced settings in the network's administrator interface. Some routers may fifty-fifty brand it easier by offer a one-click multimedia or gaming setting, then you lot know those applications will be prioritized. If you're trying to stream games while sharing a network, at that place are steps you lot can take to make things better.
8. Replace Your Antenna
If your router uses an internal antenna, adding an external i would exist a skilful thought, equally the latter tends to transport a stronger signal. Your router may have come with antennas you lot can add on yourself, simply if not (or if you threw them away long agone), many router manufacturers sell antennas separately.
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In many cases, you can choose between omnidirectional antennas, which send a indicate to all directions, or directional ones, which send a indicate in one specific management. Most born antennas tend to be omnidirectional, then if you are buying an external 1, it should exist marked "high-proceeds" to actually make a divergence.
A directional antenna tends to exist a better option, since odds are that y'all aren't experiencing weak spots in your network in every management. Point your external antenna in the direction of your weak spot, and it will broadcast the indicate accordingly. Check your router manufacturer's website for details on what to buy.
ix. Upgrade Your Obsolete Hardware
TP-Link Archer AX11000 tri-band gaming router
It'due south a skilful idea to get the most out of your existing equipment, simply if yous're running former hardware, yous tin can't expect the best performance. We have a tendency to subscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality with dorsum-end devices, especially networking gear. Nevertheless, if you lot bought your router years ago, you might still be using the older, slower 802.11n standard (or God forbid, 802.11g).
Older routers may cap at fairly low bandwidths, and may fifty-fifty have shorter ranges. Thus, all the tweaking we've outlined above will simply go you so far—the maximum throughput for 802.11g is 54Mbps, while 802.11n caps out at 300Mbps. The latest 802.11ac supports 1Gbps, while next-gen Wi-Fi half-dozen routers can theoretically hit 10Gbps. Our list of the best wireless routers is a good place to beginning the search for a faster router.
Fifty-fifty if your router is new, you might have some ancient devices that are falling back to older, slower standards. If you bought a PC within the last couple of years, you likely accept an 802.11ac wireless adapter, or at least 802.11n. But the older your devices, the less likely they are to have mod tech built in. (Y'all might be able to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter that makes things a fleck better on those old machines, though.)
Call back, a higher-quality router won't simply back up those faster standards—it'll also do all the things we've outlined in a higher place improve. Information technology'll accept better channel selection, perform improve ring steering for 5GHz devices, and include better QoS features.
Others may have features similar Multi User-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), like the Editors' Choice TP-Link Archer AX11000 tri-band gaming router. MU-MIMO routers can send and receive multiple data streams simultaneously to multiple devices without bandwidth degradation and require specialized testing with multiple clients, but the clients need to be MU-MIMO compatible.
If you do end up buying a new router, the setup procedure won't be as well scary. We have a guide on how to set up and configure the device.
10. Achieve Further With a Range Extender or Mesh Wi-Fi
Amazon Eero Pro half dozen
Some newer routers may have better range than your old beater, but in many homes, you may still not become the range you need. If the network has to cover an surface area larger than the router is capable of transmitting to, or if there are lots of corners to become around and walls to penetrate, performance will inevitably take a hitting. If all of the above tips fail, it's possible that your house is just too big for a unmarried router to send a good signal everywhere. In that case, yous'd demand another device to extend your signal.
Range extenders receive a signal from your router, then rebroadcast it to your devices, and vice-versa. However, while they're inexpensive, they're often non as effective every bit mesh Wi-Fi systems, which replace your existing router entirely. Instead of merely repeating a router's indicate, multiple units work together to intelligently road traffic back to your modem, blanketing your firm in a single Wi-Fi network that reaches everywhere y'all demand.
When setting up these mesh points, yous should still use the same rules for figuring out placement: i node will be connected to your modem, and each of the other nodes should be close enough to pick upward a solid indicate, while still far enough to extend coverage to expressionless zones.
The traditional downside to Wi-Fi mesh systems has been that they're generally more than expensive than simply adding a range extender to your existing router. Withal, we expect to encounter that change in the near future, spurred by Amazon's Eero 6 and Eero Pro six, which come in around $100 to $200 less than much of their mesh competition while offering Wi-Fi six compatibility and even a Zigbee smart abode device hub built into the main router.
Even with a mesh system, still, annotation that yous may nevertheless incur some operation loss on the far ends of your house, specially if your Wi-Fi has to make multiple "hops"—again, placing the master unit in the center of your house is all-time, and connecting the nodes with Ethernet will produce the best results. Trust me: if you truly want problem-gratuitous Wi-Fi, it's worth having an electrician run a couple of Ethernet cables to each mesh unit, because in my experience, anything else is a compromise that may or may not measure up to your standards.
Mesh Wi-Fi Systems aren't inexpensive, particularly if y'all have a large dwelling, which will require multiple nodes. Yet, if you're in the market place for a new router anyhow, they're absolutely worth because as an culling. If you're tech-savvy, y'all might be able to relieve some money by setting up a few cheaper-only-more than-circuitous Ubiquiti UniFi Lite access points.
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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/10-ways-to-boost-your-wi-fi-signal
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