How to Fix Your Slow WiFi

• Admin
• 2016-12-14 09:17:05
• 1,527

Are you irritated by the slowness of your Wifi? Well, there are scores of users around the world that are faced with the problem of slow WiFi speed. It can indeed be very annoying and confusing. While there is not a single answer “How to” fix it, there are many reasons why your WiFi may be having a speed slower than we expect. There could be some issue with the WiFi router or some problem with the Internet. No matter what is the reason for your slow Wifi, fortunately, it is possible to fix your slow WiFi speed.

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While you can always seek professional help, it is also possible to take the DIY approach and fix your slow WiFi yourself. In this article I will help you find out how you can fix your slow WiFi and enjoy a great speed on your own.

Step 1. Identify the Problem

The first step is to identify the problem. You need to see if there is some problem with your internet or the WiFi router. To find out the real issue you need to have an ethernet cable which is generally supplied with the router so most likely you will have it already. This cable will help you connect the router to the PC directly without needing the WiFi signals. If your connection begins to work well once you use an ethernet cable, remember that the problem is with the WiFi. But in case it is still not working well it could be the Internet issue (or both).

If your Internet works fine with an ethernet cable, you will have to solve the problem with the WiFi. There can be various issues that could stop signals from reaching your router correctly. These may include the objects walls, electronic devices etc. It is essential to lessen these interruptions amid the router and your device. In addition, your router must be placed at a particular height to guarantee suitable supply of the signals. You need to ensure that there are no electrical appliances close to the router such as refrigerator, wireless speakers, electronic heating system, wireless console controllers and more. 

Positioning is very important when you don't have a wired broadband linking and you depend on signals from your Internet provider. In that case you need to adjust the router position to get the finest signals from your ISP, which are generally represented by the number of lights.

When you look for the right spot for your router, a heatmap of the WiFi signals can prove to be very useful. You can use a third party app that will create a heatmap of your house to inform you how the signals are being spread in the house. You will also come to know about the points where there are interruptions and the spots where you can get the ideal signals. 

WiFi signals are distributed over various channels in a particular place. All the routers in your neighborhood are distributed over these channels and if they are packed with connections, it could disturb WiFi signal. So you just have to move to another channel that is less crowded to get improved and fix your slow WiFi signals.

WifiInfoView is a suitable utility for this purpose. It will list down information about all the channels in your area, and how swarming they are. You can just pick a new channel that is least busy.

Many routers have a built-in option to put themselves on low power consumption in order to save power. In this mode the router uses less power, it lessens the power of the signals as well. But some of the routers are by default configured to run in power saving mode. So you have to disable it on your own. Look for options like "Eco mode", "Low Power Mode" or "Transmission Power" in the router settings and turn it off or set it to 100%.

Windows operating system may provide less power to the wireless adaptor to save power. This leads to slower Internet speed over a WiFi connection as well. To fix your slow Wifi issue you need to press Windows + R keys and type "powercfg.cpl" in the "Run" dialog. You will see "Power Options" from where you click on "Change plan settings" to your chosen plan. Now click on "Change Advanced power settings". In the advanced power options, expand "Wireless Adaptor Settings". You need to ensure that it is set to "Maximum Performance". This must ensure your network card is getting the power it requires.

It may sound too simple, but sometimes this is all it takes to fix your WiFi problem. Just a fresh start is the answer to a number of Internet issues. Turn off the router and the modem and after 30 seconds turn them on again.

Step 8. Resetting the Router

Resetting the router can do the trick in case restarting the router does not help. There has to be a reset button somewhere on the router. You can use a paperclip to push this button. Remember to hold it for 15-30 seconds, or until the router reboots. It will reset all your settings to factory settings which in turn may fix the slow WiFi problem.

If nothing works you may have to buy a new router. The older a router gets the less its power becomes. So getting a new one with more power will help fix slow WiFi problem. 

If you want to fix your slow WiFi but the problem is due to the internet, you need to take another course of action. You can start by quitting bandwidth using applications. Many apps use Internet actively to offer their services in real time. You need to monitor Internet usage by turning such apps off. In addition, you have to ensure Windows is not downloading any updates in the background because they use much bandwidth as well.

In Windows, it is the Task manager that sees processes that may be using bandwidth. You have to press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the task manager and proceed to the "Processes" tab. You need to find all the application processes here. Just click on the one you don't require or one that you are not using. Next, click "End process" button to shut it. 

If a number of devices are connected to the same WiFi it may imply that the connection is being over used which may result in marring the overall Internet speed. Disconnect all the devices from the network and use a single device. Check on that single device if the connection is working OK.

Step 12. Update Network Driver

An old network driver may cause Internet to slow down you need to press Windows + R keys and type "devmgmt.msc" in the "Run" dialog to open the "Device Manager" in order to fix your slow Wifi. Now right-click on your network driver and choose "Update driver software". Click on "Search automatically for updated driver software" in the next window. Windows will search and download the suitable driver.

If you face slow down at certain times there could be an issue at your Internet service Provider's end. You can just call your ISP and inform them about it.

These steps will helpful to fix your slow WiFi speed and feel you relax.