Whether you surf from your sofa or you’re a tech enthusiast with a connected fridge, phone and kettle, having reliable WiFi makes life so much easier. It’s an important part of moving home, too: 98% of property searches begin on Rightmove and Zoopla, so if you’re looking for your new home, being connected is a must. And if you’re lucky enough to have super-fast broadband (delivered through those fancy fibre-optic broadband cables) your home might even have extra buyer appeal.
But what if your connection is less than great? If your signal constantly disappears or your laptop only works in a certain part of the house, it’s time to take action.
Never fear – we’re here to cure your WiFi woes. We’ve put together some tips for improving your internet access (without doing anything too techy) so you can get on with searching for your new dream property. (Or streaming that Netflix show… we won’t tell.)
1. Check your tech
If your internet is inexplicably slow, your router (for the less tech-savvy, that’s the box the WiFi signal comes from) might need a software update. Check to see if your router manufacturer has released any updates; if they aren’t set to download automatically, you can easily do it from the router’s admin panel on your computer.
If your router is old, ask your internet provider whether you’re due a new one. Routers that are switched on 24/7 might slow down after a couple of years, so switch it up before it gives up the ghost.
2. Switch supplier
If the internet is slow even when you’re pressed right up against the router, you may not be getting enough connectivity for your cash.
Use a price comparison site to find the best broadband deals, and read reviews to make sure you’re choosing a good supplier. Remember, most people don’t get the highest speed they pay for (the sneaky word in the contract is ‘maximum’), but it could still be worth forking out a bit extra for a speedier service.
3. Forget the fairy lights (seriously)
You may remember this hitting the headlines a few years ago. According to Ofcom, fairy lights can interfere with your wifi signal, making it harder to browse your favourite sites at top speed.
Here’s the big ‘but’ – it’s not just fairy lights that affect WiFi signal, but most electronic devices. Basically, anything that runs on electricity generates a small electromagnetic field, and it’s this field that interferes with your signal. The more devices between you and your router, the worse the signal will be. Microwaves are the biggest culprit, but toasters and kettles aren’t great either. Who knew?
It turns out that your WiFi signal can also be interrupted by… you. Yep, humans are pretty good at absorbing WiFi (and so are pets). Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about this except to find the best spot for your router. Which brings us to…
4. Rethink your router
Changing the position of your router can really improve your wifi coverage. Your instinct might be to hide it somewhere (let’s face it, routers don’t look pretty), but the fewer obstacles between it and your devices, the better.
If you can, place your router high up – the top of a bookshelf might work. Don’t cover it up, and remember that thick walls and other obstructions will weaken the signal. If there’s one room in which you use the WiFi most (e.g. you always use your laptop in the living room), stick your router in there.
5. Boot out bandwidth bandits
The more devices using your wifi at the same time, the slower it will be for everyone. Think of your bandwidth as a cake – if five people want to share it, their slices will be smaller than if only three people want to share it.
Check all your devices to see if they automatically download updates. If multiple devices are constantly using bandwidth for updates when you’re not using them, you might experience slower speeds on the device you are using. It’s also a good idea to check the ‘data usage’ section on your devices and uninstall apps and programmes you don’t use. That game you haven’t played for six months might be eating up your speed every time it updates.
If you’re experiencing unusually slow speeds and your WiFi isn’t password protected, it’s possible that someone else is piggybacking on your network and using up your bandwidth. You can look at your WiFi provider’s administrator panel to see how many devices are connected. If it’s not yours, boot it out and change the WiFi password.
6. Strengthen your signal
Signal boosters do just what they say on the tin – they make your WiFi signal stretch further by picking up the existing signal from your router and ‘rebroadcasting’ it. The secondary signal won’t be as good as the one directly from your router, but it could help you watch Netflix in the remoter parts of your home.
The short version? If you’re having WiFi woes make sure everything’s up to date, check you’re getting the best deal for your money, and move the router to get a better signal. Now, it’s back to browsing houses!
Thinking of moving home? When you’ve fixed your WiFi head over here to book a free, no-obligation, face-to-face valuation.
