A patchy Wi-Fi can cause a lot of frustration and loss of productivity. Below are a few steps you can take to boost your Wi-Fi signal and improve your internet speeds.

Run a speed test

There can be numerous reasons why you may experience a slow Wi-Fi connection, so it's always good to start with the basics and run an internet speed test to check what kind of internet speeds the router is getting before it gets converted to a wireless signal. You can try speedtest.net to check if your internet speeds are at par with your internet plan. For more on internet speed tests, read our article on how to test your internet speed.

Connect to the 5Ghz band

If you have a dual-band router, you should connect to the 5GHz band rather than the 2.4GHz band whenever possible. Many smart home devices can only use the slower 2.4GHz band, but your phone, laptop, tablet, and TV should all be connected via 5GHz to use significantly higher speeds. Use the Wi-Fi settings on each of your devices to see what Wi-Fi band you're using. Also, if your router doesn't have a 5GHz band, then you should upgrade your router to get a 5GHz enabled router.

Place your router in a central location

In case your internet speed test came out good but your Wi-Fi is still slow, it might just be placed poorly. Wi-Fi signals get constraints and have trouble penetrating solid and liquid materials. In a nutshell, the best place to put your Wi-Fi router is in a central location, so it can reach the extremities of your home. But if you mostly need it in one part of the house and you're having Wi-Fi trouble, consider moving it closer to where the internet action is.##BlogVASBanner##

Update your Wi-Fi router's firmware

If your router’s firmware hasn't been updated, its performance might be hampered. A few routers can update their firmware automatically, and for some, you will need to log into its control panel and see if the firmware can be updated.

Switch to a less congested channel

Your router has several channels it can choose from when using the Wi-Fi signal. There are many channels within the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands, and you should choose one with lesser congestion.

Check the number of users/connected devices

Your Wi-Fi might be using a lot of users or devices all using your internet at the same time. This can choke your bandwidth. In that case, you should upgrade your plan or reduce the number of users or devices connected.

Upgrade your router, or add. extenders

Replacing your router should be the last resort to upgrade your Wi-Fi. If your router is limited to the 802.11n or 802.11g standards, for example, you should move to an 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6 router to improve connectivity.

In case you still face issues, you can refer to our most commonly asked questions here to know more about Wi-Fi signal troubleshooting.