Wi-Fi problems? Here’s how to diagnose your router issues

Whenever somebody sends me a query about find out how to repair their Wi-Fi, I wince. It’s not that I dislike serving to folks with their router issues. In truth, there are few geeky endeavors I discover extra rewarding than fixing Wi-Fi connection points at a buddy or member of the family’s house.

But Wi-Fi has all the time felt extra like a darkish artwork than a science, and it’s an artwork that’s onerous to conjure with out being bodily current. Potential factors of failure are in all places, and what works effectively in a single house may not in one other. Even the reviewers of networking gear can attain drastically completely different conclusions about the exact same product.

Wi-Fi is essentially at odds, then, with my need to reply questions with particular suggestions. The finest I can do is stroll your by way of how I diagnose Wi-Fi issues myself. That approach, you can also make higher choices on whether or not (and the way) to improve your individual gear.

Size up the Wi-Fi drawback

The first step to fixing Wi-Fi points is to see if the slowdown is coming out of your cable modem (which brings web service into the house) or from the router (which distributes Wi-Fi connectivity all through the house).

Start by plugging a pc instantly into your modem with an ethernet cable and working a pace check. (The simplest way is to do a Google seek for “speed test,” then hit the blue “Run Speed Test” button atop the search outcomes.) A USB-to-Ethernet adapter shall be vital for testing on computer systems that don’t have an ethernet port, but when that’s an excessive amount of bother otherwise you don’t have a correct pc in any respect, you may also attempt calling your web supplier and asking them to check your web pace remotely.

If wired connection speeds are on par together with your web supplier’s marketed speeds, the following step is to start out working pace exams all through the home. Measure speeds across the space the place connectivity feels gradual, then work your approach again to the place the router is situated, working a number of exams in every space as you go.

The aim right here is to determine the place your connection troubles are occurring. Consistently gradual speeds all through the home could also be an indication of an outdated router, whereas useless zones or vary points might require a extra highly effective router or mesh Wi-Fi system. (More on that shortly.)

Find your Wi-Fi router’s 802.11 model

To determine whether or not a router wants changing, it helps to understand how previous it’s. One approach to do that to find the router’s mannequin quantity—it’s seemingly printed on the router itself—then search the online for information about which model of Wi-Fi it helps. Here are the most important Wi-Fi variations to find out about:

• 802.11a/b/g: Extremely previous and nearly definitely the supply of all of your Wi-Fi issues.
• 802.11a/b/g/n (or simply 802.11n): Outdated at this level and a strong candidate for alternative. Many of those routers solely assist a single frequency band that’s slower and extra congestion-prone, and “dual-band” variants have restricted vary on the quicker 5 GHz frequency band.
• 802.11ac (additionally marketed as Wi-Fi 5): Not the newest commonplace, however nonetheless broadly accessible even in some high-performance routers.
• 802.11ax (or Wi-Fi 6): Routers utilizing this commonplace began transport in late 2020, so your router is probably going fairly new.
• Wi-Fi 6E: Congrats, you in all probability simply purchased a brand new router (and possibly even spent $1,200 on it).

Wi-Fi variations alone aren’t an indicator of high quality—an inexpensive Wi-Fi 6 router may be worse than a high-end mesh system with Wi-Fi 5—however every successive model has launched new options that enhance connectivity, and we’ve typically seen a push towards higher efficiency over time.

Try some smaller router fixes

Just to rehash a tip I discussed back in July, typically altering your router’s channel and bandwidth settings can work wonders for lowering Wi-Fi interference, particularly if you happen to’re seeing inconsistent speeds on units that aren’t too removed from the router. By digging into your router’s settings, you’ll be able to bypass automated channel choice and discover a channel that may be much less congested.

You also can attempt another little tweaks, like getting your router off the bottom and clearing some house round it—however I wouldn’t begin rearranging your room for the router’s sake. Chances are the enhancements shall be minimal. Of course, transferring your router to a extra central location within the house can assist, however that may seemingly require having the cable firm rewire your property web connection.

Wi-Fi extenders: a final resort

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Because changing a router is a ache, a variety of people marvel if they will simply resolve their issues with a Wi-Fi extender or repeater, which take the wi-fi sign from a router and rebroadcast it farther away. (“Extender” typically refers to a tool with a wired connection to the router, although I usually see each phrases used interchangeably.)

My expertise with Wi-Fi extenders is hit and miss. Wireless repeaters will all the time degrade no matter sign they obtain, so the advantages can cancel out if you happen to’re making an attempt to handle a useless zone or interference from different close by wi-fi units. The similar is true with powerline adapters, which ship a wired ethernet connection out of your router to a different a part of the home by way of your wall retailers. Depending on how your home is wired, this method can provide you a weak connection or not work in any respect.

I don’t inform folks to keep away from extenders outright, as a result of they will work in some eventualities, however maintain your expectations low and be ready to return the machine if it doesn’t assist.

Picking a brand new Wi-Fi router

Once you’ve concluded that it’s time to exchange your router, then what?

A mesh Wi-Fi system would be the surest strategy to resolve your Wi-Fi issues, particularly in bigger properties or ones with numerous useless zones. These programs allow you to plug in a number of entry factors all through the home, creating one huge community. They’re higher at managing connections than a router with an extender, and programs marketed as “Tri-Band” can join every entry level with out congesting the remainder of the community.

Such programs may not be vital, although. If you haven’t changed your router shortly, even a new standalone router may be sufficient to energy by way of useless zones in the event that they’re not too far-off. Standalone routers are typically cheaper than mesh programs, and a few have options that mesh programs lack, comparable to USB storage assist or numerous ethernet ports.

Ultimately, although, there’s no strategy to inform for positive if a brand new router will work with out making an attempt it your self. You can learn all kinds of critiques—PCWorld critiques each Wi-Fi mesh systems and the newest Wi-Fi 6E routers—however even one of the best recommendation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Buying a brand new router will all the time contain a leap of religion.

A be aware on modem/router combos

Finally, there’s yet another complicating issue: Although cable corporations used to distribute web modems and routers individually—the previous bringing within the web from exterior the home, and the latter to distributing Wi-Fi by way of the house—it’s more and more widespread now to get each features in a single field. That makes set up simpler for the cable firm, however makes router alternative trickier for you.

If you have got a combo field and are paying for it in rental charges, think about changing it with two units: A brand new router and a separate cable modem. But remember that some corporations—significantly fiber-optic web suppliers comparable to AT&T and Verizon—make changing the modem element tough or unattainable.

If changing the modem isn’t attainable or vital, you’ll be able to simply disable its Wi-Fi options so that they don’t intervene together with your new router. The directions for doing so can fluctuate by supplier, so count on to do some Googling of “modem mode” or “bridge mode” plus the identify of your web supplier.

And if you happen to’re nonetheless having Wi-Fi issues in any case that, send me an email and I’ll do my finest to assist. You also can check out my Advisorator newsletter—the place a model of this story first appeared—to get extra sensible tech recommendation each week.