Life HacksTechnology

7 Things That Are Making Your Wifi Network Slow Down

There is nothing more frustrating than having a lousy internet connection. How many times have you reset or tapped on the router to make it work? Why punish your router when it’s not even at fault?  What if we tell you that there are some elements in your router’s surroundings that slow it down. 

Here are some of the reasons for your slow wifi network:

1. Metal surface and furniture

woman using silver laptop
Photo by Marek Levak on Pexels.com

If you are dealing with a poor WiFi connection, the metal surface in your house may be the culprit. Metal is a good conductor of electricity, and the wifi signals are emitted in electromagnetic waves. The majority of these waves are absorbed by metal surfaces leaving you with a poor wifi connection. 


2. Mirrors

oval brown wooden framed hanging mirror
Photo by Nadine Wuchenauer on Pexels.com

Got any decorative mirrors around your router? Get rid of them right away if your WiFi is working slow. A mirror acts as a shield deflecting wifi signals and makES the signals weak. The closer it is to the router, the more unstable and poor the strength of the connection is.


3. Electrical appliances

stainless steel refrigerator beside white kitchen cabinet
Photo by Alex Qian on Pexels.com

Another reason why your WiFi signals are poor is the presence of a refrigerator and washing machine near the router. These appliances have pipes that circulate water. Some of the energy from the waves is absorbed by water making your signal strength weak.


4. Microwave

Photo by Mike on Pexels.com

Hope your router is not located in the vicinity of your microwave. Both these devices emit frequency from the same spectrum making the quality of your internet connection poor. To counter this problem, you should place your router at a place higher than that of your microwave.


5. Brick and Stonewalls

Photo by Markus Spiske temporausch.com on Pexels.com

This one is a no-brainer. It explains how when you sit in a different room or even floor than the router, your connection becomes weak. Walls made from concrete, brick, plaster, or cement impede the strength of your internet connection. 


6. Drones

Image: The Verge

Drones are not a primary reason for your slow internet connection, but they can significantly make your internet speed slow if there’s a drone flying around. Most drones operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz that interferes with the strength of your signal.


7. Baby Monitors

Courtesy: Shutterstock

Don one thing. Don’t put that baby monitor next to your router if you want to enjoy the internet with fast speed. These devices work at the same frequency as your router. When two devices transmit the same frequency, they use air to transmit data. 

How to speed up your internet?

Apart from not placing your router at all the avoidable arrangements mentioned above, here are a few other things you can do to troubleshoot the problem of slow internet.

  • Get a powerful antenna
  • Buy a wifi extender, also known as an amplifier to extend the range of your internet signals.
  • Buy a broadband connection operating at 5 GHz for less impedance and a much faster connection.
  • Keep your router updated. Reset to erase its memory and make storage for updates.
  • Make sure your WiFi is encrypted and your password is strong.

 

Featured Image: netspectrum.ca

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