Move your wifi router away from one common item to boost speed for free

Move your wifi router away from one common item to boost speed for free Ofcom has shared how to make the most of your wifi, often without shelling out more money Most people now have internet access at home whether through phones or broadband. Getting the best speed isn't always easy even with a wifi router, yet poor speeds mean users can struggle to use their devices efficiently. Ofcom has explained how to make the most of home wifi - and explained what problems can be fixed as well as those that can't. And one answer to a slower service could be down to where you have placed your router. The telecoms regulator says on its website: "The internet plays an important part in our lives. We rely on it to communicate, work, learn and have fun. Most of us use wifi to connect devices such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets to our home broadband internet connection without wires. This makes it important that our wifi meets our needs." While it says the first check it to make sure your broadband service is good enough it goes on to explain what you can do if the problem lies inside your home. It says: "There are many ways to improve your home wifi but no matter how good it is, your wifi connection will never outperform your broadband service. "If your wireless connection is slow or you have problems when many people connect at the same time, it could be your broadband service that’s the problem. Upgrading to a faster broadband service might fix this." But then is sets out one simple step that could make a massive difference to the speed of the service you are getting. It says: "Where your router is placed can affect your wifi. Wifi signals weaken as they pass through objects and some materials block the signal more than others. "For example, it is usually more difficult to get wifi throughout a house with brick internal walls than one with hollow walls. Water, metal and glass also block the signal, so it’s better to place your router away from objects like radiators and fish tanks." It also advises that as routers send wifi in all directions, the position is best in the centre of the home and off the floor - for example, on a shelf - as this will mean the wifi signal is not lost by being sent outside or into the ground. It adds: "If your router has more than one aerial, point them in different directions (for example vertically and horizontally) to maximise coverage. "Some electrical devices can interfere with the router’s signal, so place your router away from other electrical equipment, such as microwave ovens, baby monitors, fairy lights and cordless phones." What else can I do Ofcom has other suggestions of changes you can try if the signal is still inadequate. These include: - Upgrade your router to a newer model which often supports a higher number of connected devices and better coverage and speeds - Use a mesh network which connects to your existing router and creates its own wifi network by connecting boxes that are placed around the home - Wifi boosters, extenders and repeaters which will amplify your wifi signal - Optimise router settings as many have features that automatically optimise wifi performance, for example by choosing the least congested channel - Upgrade older client devices as phones, tablets and laptops that only support older wifi technologies will not take benefit from the better performance features provided by the latest ones, such as wifi 6 - Cut the number of devices connected to your wifi network as bandwidth is shared between devices, so reducing the number of devices in your network will improve data rates for those remaining If all else fails Ofcom says if wifi isn't doing the job there might be another solution. It says: "Ethernet cables often provide a better internet connection than wifi. "If your device has an Ethernet socket and you don’t need to move it around the house too much, using a cable may improve the connection. Make sure you use one that can support the speed of your broadband, or performance may be limited."