Tips to Improve Wi-Fi Speed and Connectivity: Solving Slow Internet Issues with Router Placement and Upgrades

1 of 1 Wi-Fi router — Photo: Disclosure Wi-Fi router — Photo: Disclosure

Se o streaming trava in the important scene of the series or the cell phone doesn’t connect in a specific corner of the house, the wifi router could be one of the culprits.

Experts consulted by Shopping Guide teach quick tips to solve the problem of slow Wi-Fi – which could be a router in the wrong location or an older technology that is already showing signs of needing to be replaced. See the following tips:

⚡️Make a diagnosis

When you suspect a slow internet connection, the first step is to run a network speed test. “This helps to get an idea of ​​the current performance of the connection”, says Renata Scussel, product analyst at Intelbras.

Online services like Fast.com and Speedtest.net measure speeds download (which is what you download from the internet, such as web browsing and streaming movies, for example) and upload (this is the sending of data from the cell phone or computer to the internet, such as backing up photos to the cloud) from the contracted supplier for the internet at home.

The speed quality measure must be relative to the operator’s contracted plan. If the speed sold is 300 Mbps download, for example, it should be close to that on Wi-Fi.

If the speed is very fast near the router and slow in a more distant location, you will need to take some measures – such as changing the router or opting for a model with newer technologies.

🪝See who is “hanging” on the network

Routers with older technologies may have limits on the number of devices connected to the wireless network. And this causes slowness on the network for all devices – from cell phones to televisions.

Newer equipment usually has a network management application, which allows you to see how many devices are connected to Wi-Fi.

Apps for Android and iOS such as Wi-Fi Analyzer also show this type of information.

Disabling Wi-Fi connectivity on some products – such as tablets or cell phones – that are not using the connection may resolve the problem.

🗄 Replace the router

The problem with the Wi-Fi network may be where the router is located at home, often kept in the closet or hidden behind the sofa or TV.

The location, however, can affect signal quality. “People tend to hide their router. Clearing the area helps a lot”, explains Eduardo Lima, network specialist.

📌Internet speed

With higher internet speeds offered in carriers’ broadband internet plans, the wireless router can also create a performance bottleneck.

Cheaper models use ports Fast Ethernet, with a speed of 100 megabits per second. If the operator’s internet is higher, the wireless connection will be slow.

It is recommended to have a router compatible with the standard Gigabit Ethernet. It allows for higher speeds (1 gigabit per second) – if your internet connection has a high speed (like 100 Mbps or higher). “The router needs to be suitable for the plan”, comments Renata Scussel.

This information (Fast or Gigabit Ethernet) is in the product manual.

❓I still have problems, what to do?

Migrate to newer technologies such as Wi-Fi 6 e mesh (also with Wi-Fi 6), it can solve the “chokes” of the wireless network and leave the infrastructure ready for something more modern and that will work in the coming years without needing major changes.

✴️ What is a mesh router?

Wi-fi mesh networks (“mesh” in English) use one or more modules that better “spread” the Wi-Fi signal throughout the house. They are sold in packages with 1, 2 or 3 modules to offer maximum coverage – and it is possible to buy modules additional ones from the same manufacturer, if necessary.

These modules work together to maintain signal quality throughout the environment. Thus, internet speed remains stable everywhere, meaning that streaming in 4K resolution and meetings no longer drop, even with many devices connected.

In a note, manufacturer TP-Link explains that “the mesh network makes it possible to eliminate “dead zones”, those blind spots in the house where the signal is very weak or does not reach at all”.

Depending on the equipment, up to more than 100 devices can be connected to a mesh network – from 4K TV to smart switch and light bulb.

To give an example, the smartphone “understands” that it is the same wireless network in the office, in the kitchen and in the backyard, without running out of signal (with just a traditional router).

These routers also allow for easier wireless network management. You can create Wi-Fi just for visitors and control children’s access to the internet, for example.

How many mesh modules do I need?

The more modules installed, the greater the coverage. The area varies depending on the equipment and is almost always a little smaller than the manufacturers promise, it is worth noting.

One module promises to cover a radius of more than 100 square meters. It is always good to remember that walls, doors and objects can interfere with signal quality.

“The size indication varies according to the location of the routers and according to barriers and interference in the environment”, comments Renata Scussel, from Intelbras.

She states that the application for installing mesh routers shows information about the connection level of the routers and whether it is necessary to bring them closer together.

🎮 I want to play online without losing anything, what do I do?

Some manufacturers offer specific router models for gamers.

Their differences are a higher connection speed and, due to the Wi-Fi 6 standard, lower latency when playing the game – which is the time between the action (like taking a hit in the game) and the response (seeing the enemy on the screen injured, for example).

What is Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5?

Both are dual-band wireless networking standards – which work on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies at the same time.

However, the technologies have differences – starting with the fact that Wi-Fi 6 (also called 802.11ax) is a newer technology than Wi-Fi 5 (or 802.11ac).

Wi-Fi 6 can offer faster connection speeds and lower latency (time between action and response). “Wi-Fi 6 also offers greater energy efficiency compared to Wi-Fi 5”, explains the Intelbras specialist.

In practice, a cell phone compatible with Wi-Fi 6 can use less battery accessing this network standard compared to a Wi-Fi 5 network.

Furthermore, Wi-Fi 6 allows you to connect more devices to the network, making it more suitable for use in connected homes – with up to more than 100 devices being able to use the network simultaneously.

An older cell phone or television can connect to the Wi-Fi 6 router without any problems. “But to take advantage of all the benefits, you need to have compatible devices”, adds Eduardo Lima.

Product prices ranged from R$260 to R$370 for Wi-Fi 6 routers, from R$750 to R$1,100 for mesh routers with Wi-Fi 6 and from R$1,200 to more than R$3,000 for models dedicated to gamers.

The values ​​were consulted in the last week of September in online stores.

Wi-Fi 6 routers with mesh capabilities

Intelbras Twibi Force AX 1500

Wi-Fi 6 routers for gamers

D-Link Exo Gamer DIR-X5460

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2023-09-26 10:01:14
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