A quality Wi-Fi network is essential during this period of confinement against the Covid-19. Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that your internet network encounters malfunctions or slowness. If this is your case, we invite you to try these 10 tips to improve the quality of your network and avoid nervous breakdowns!
For the past few days, the French, and most Europeans, have been confined to their homes to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. To kill time, they are turning to the latest news from the Netflix catalog or from games and applications in the Play Store or the App Store . Others are forced to telecommute. In these conditions, it is essential to be able to count on a good Wi-Fi network. If you have difficulty accessing your Facebook news feed, watching a series on Netflix or responding to your colleagues on Skype, you could question the performance of your internet network. If so, don’t panic: many solutions exist to help you fix the problem.SUMMARY
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Move your internet box to the center of your home
You could be tempted to camouflage your box behind a television, in a piece of furniture or in a storage room in order to save space and not to spoil your interior decoration. Be aware, however, that the ideal place to place an internet box is in the center of your home so that its network is best spread throughout the rooms. It is also advisable to bring the modem closer to your devices , or to the usual place where you use your terminals, in order to maximize its range.
Restart your internet modem
This tip seems obvious and yet some users completely neglect the idea of a good old restart of their internet box. Always remember to switch your modem off and then on again in the event of a faulty Wi-Fi network . In many situations, this simple maneuver can boost your internet connection in better settings.
Check all the parameters of your Internet box
Before you start to panic and consider drastic solutions, be sure to check your modem connection settings . These are obviously available on the web page for managing your box communicated by your access provider. In the Wi-FI sections, check that each box – status, terminal activation, SSID broadcast – is checked.
Limit the bandwidth of certain applications
You can optimize your network’s capabilities by distributing most of your Wi-Fi power to the applications that need it most. You can therefore limit the power of the available bandwidth and reserve your best speed for your computer or smartphone while downloading a game from the Playstation Store will temporarily have to settle for a lower speed. In short, it is to do according to your needs at the time. On Windows, software like NetLimiter will do the job.
Get a Wi-Fi repeater (amplifier)
If your surface area to be covered by your Wi-Fi network is particularly dense, you would be well advised to invest in a Wi-Fi repeater. These devices will, as their name suggests, extend the network coverage and allow you to reach the ends of your house. Practical, if you want to surf at the bottom of your garden or in the bottom of your cellar. And if you are on your smartphone, you can also switch to your mobile connection.
Good news, a Wi-fi amplifier is not too expensive: its price varies between 15 and 100 euros , for the most powerful models. By putting fifty euros in its purchase, you can effectively improve your network. We advise you to opt for a model with two or even three antennas in order to obtain better network coverage. In the same vein, you could also consider the purchase of Google Wi-Fi, which you can discover our full test.
Choose the best network: 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz
On the new internet boxes, you have access to two Wi-Fi networks: one at 5 GHz and another at 2.4 GHz. The 5 GHz network avoids a lot of interference with other electronic devices and benefits from a higher speed, but note that this one has a much shorter range than 2.4 GHz . It is therefore more useful to use it when you are close to your internet box.
Make sure you are alone on your network
If you live in a city or in a busy neighborhood, you must secure your network with a password. This will reduce the chances of your internet connection being stolen by profiteers. Once you are finally alone on your network, you should notice an improvement in your network. Via the connection portal for your modem and your account with your operator, you can also obtain the list of devices currently online on your Wi-Fi network. Some hackers may have stolen your password. It is therefore important to check if there is any unwanted presence on the network .
Change the channel of your Wi-Fi network
Each Wi-Fi network occupies a specific frequency band. This band can already be occupied by other electronic devices such as a microwave oven, your neighbors’ box, a baby phone, etc. Under these conditions, you could therefore improve the quality of your network by changing the channel by modifying the one -this in the configuration and parameters of your modem . Each operator has a specific process but this manipulation is generally quite simple.
Turn off the Wi-Fi of some of your devices
Many users leave their tablets or smartphones connected to Wi-Fi while they are in another occupied room on a laptop or desktop computer. This bad habit also tends to slow down the quality of the Wi-Fi network. The more terminals are connected at the same time to the same internet network, the more it will have the annoying tendency to slow down and deliver poorer performance. Likewise, the further these devices are from your box , the more the network will try to spread to the maximum and will disperse its efforts. Do not hesitate to use the famous airplane mode .
To avoid network problems when many devices are connected, a new standard has been developed: WiFi 6 . This new standard promises to boost the performance of home networks that supply many connected objects or devices. Several modems currently on the market are already compatible with WiFi 6, including the latest fiber Bbox from Bouygues Télécom .
Take care of your internet box
An internet box is a device stuffed with electronics. It is therefore sensitive to temperature variations and other short circuits. We therefore advise you to take great care of it during periods of heat waves for example. Likewise, in the event of a thunderstorm, it is not uncommon to see modems perish as a result of a short circuit. This is why we advise you to protect your internet box well against lightning . Well protected, your box will provide you with a better quality internet connection.
We hope these tips will allow you to surf serenely at home during confinement. If you have other ideas on the subject, or if an error has crept in this file, we invite you to let us know in the comments.