Say goodbye to bad Wi-Fi: Solutions for smooth browsing
So, your Wi-Fi is spotty and super slow. Or maybe it’s just unreliable, depending on what room you’re in. The bad news: It could be just about anything. Signal congestion, physical location, firmware issues, hardware limitations or even your internet service provider limiting you.
The good news is you have me, your tech secret weapon, to help you detangle your internet mess.
Yeah, you need to update that
Do you remember the last time you updated your router? (I can see your blank stare from here.) Like all the rest of your tech, do this regularly to get new features, improvements and bug patches.
Take care of this through your router admin page. Try ManualsOnline to look up your model if you need help.
💡 FYI, router firmware updates require a restart. Don’t do it when someone is in the middle of work or watching a movie.
You picked the worst spot in the house
Your router needs to be in a central location, close to where you need strong connections — ideally pretty high up, on a shelf or even mounted on the wall. If your router has antennas, point them in different directions.
Cordless phones, Bluetooth speakers, microwaves and baby monitors can impact speed. This is particularly true with older routers that can only operate on the 2.4GHz frequency.
The kids are downloading games while you’re in meetings.
Too many devices on the same network can slow things to a crawl — especially if some of those devices (looking at you, Nintendo Switch) use a lot of bandwidth. Try this: Put the kids on a separate network.
Set up a different router or kick everyone else to the Guest network. Here’s how to set that up.
Mesh router pick for large homes and 150 devices: TP-Link Deco X68
Our router pick for your needs is the TP-Link Deco X68. This mesh router system covers up to 5,500 square feet at speeds up to 3600 Mbps. That means you never have to see that buffer icon ever again.
Have a few heavy streamers in your home? This setup is ideal for gadget-heavy households, offering connectivity for up to 150 devices.
A mesh router system that covers up to 4,500 square feet: Nightgear Nighthawk MK63-100NAS
According to your answers, the Nightgear Nighthawk MK63-100NAS is the best router for your needs. You get three boxes that work together to create a mesh network that extends your Wi-Fi range up to 4,500 square feet. You can also connect up to 25 devices with reliable Wi-Fi performance.