It’s great to chill out at home scrolling your social feeds or streaming your favourite shows. It’s even better when you’ve taken steps to ensure your surroundings are optimised for faster WiFi speeds. There is not a sure-fire way to make your WiFi fast all the time, but there are a few tips and tricks you can consider next time you’re feeling like WiFi speeds at home aren’t as fast as you’d like them. Here are 4 ways you can try to optimise conditions for faster WiFi speeds.

Modem location

Try your best to get your modem in a central location. It is also advised to keep it away from your kitchen, as microwaves can interfere with the signal. Similarly, keep it away from other Bluetooth devices and devices broadcasting WiFi as they can also disturb the frequency of your modem. If you find the only available power outlets or connection points restrict your options, then a WiFi extender could help get your WiFi signal into more places in your home.

Try another frequency

Most modems support dual band WiFi and will send WiFi signals at a frequency of 2.4GHz and 5GHz, with each having its own advantages. 2.4GHz has a good range and is a bit more effective at getting through walls while 5GHz has a larger bandwidth and reduced interference resulting in faster speeds. Most modems today are set to 2.4GHz out of the box so if you find you’re struggling with your WiFi speed, you can try choosing the 5GHz frequency to see if it has a positive effect. All you need to do is choose the hotspot name with 5GHz and connect.

How many people are sharing the connection

The busier a road gets, the more congestion there is and the harder it can be to travel at the speed you want. Similarly, if multiple devices are using your WiFi, it makes it harder to access the full bandwidth available, which can feel like slow internet speeds. Consider using WiFi when there’s low usage in your home or ensuring you only have a few devices using your WiFi at a time. In terms of the internet connection, check out our plans to see if you can upgrade and increase your bandwidth. For Vodafone nbnTM users, typical busy periods (between 7pm and 11pm) can also affect your internet speed as more people are connected to the network you’re on.

Reboot the modem

This may seem like a placebo option, but on the contrary, restarting your modem can have a positive impact on your WiFi speeds. Just like many devices, running a modem all day everyday over a long period of time can have some negative effects on its performance. Restarting the modem can help clear up memory, reset internal processes, and resynchronise your modem with your ISP so it can be in its best condition to perform.

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Luke Ellery

Copywriter

  • #tech
  • #wifi
  • #internet
  • #modem
Luke Ellery,
Copywriter

Luke is an enthusiastic writer with a background in creative writing and content marketing. He began his content journey in Auckland, managing a wedding blog. Luke considers himself a passionate grammarian and a thorough researcher; skills he undoubtedly picked up while completing his postgraduate studies in Ancient History. In his spare time, Luke peruses the specials aisle in the supermarket, and works to pay for the backyard that his future dogs deserve.

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