There are a number of factors that can slow down your internet connection. We always recommend you plug all non portable devices such as your smart TV or games console into the modem for superior performance. The following are some tips and tricks to get the best out of your WiFi.
Interference from external sources: If you are in an urban area such as housing estate or apartment building, you may experience wireless interference from your neighbors WiFi access point. In most cases if you reboot your modem the modem will automatically select the least interfered WiFi channel for your router. To do this unplug your modem; leave it for 10 seconds and plug it back in. Your modem may take up to 5 minutes to fully reload and this allows the modem to select the least interfered WiFi channel for you. You can also watch our helpful video on rebooting your modem.
2.4G WiFi is more susceptible to interference than 5G WiFi.
You can log into your modem with the following link to see what WiFi channel in your area is least congested. Look at our section on logging into your modem.
Location: Wireless signal can be affected by walls, including in wall metallic foil insulation, or other solid objects such as metal objects, furniture or a large mirror for example, so it is best to position your modem out in the open and not behind your metallic TV screen and in a central location in your home so as to ensure optimum operation.
Range: To increase your WiFi range to bad WiFi areas, we recommend you use a Powerline adapter. This technology uses your in wall electrical copper power cables to carry your broadband to a remote position in your home. Power Line adapters are ideal for supplying wired and Wifi to locations that are not performing as you would like.
WiFi signals cannot traverse through metal. Some other things that can prevent your Wifi getting around you home are metallic insulation in your walls, metallic underlay under your timber floors and metallic foil on the back of your ceiling or wall plasterboard. Also too many walls between main router and where you want to use the WiFi can also reduce you WiFi signal strength hence reducing the speed of your WiFi. Additionally if you are in a built up area with many other access points near your router, these other WiFi access points can interfere with your WiFi access point (5Ghz WiFi is less susceptible than 2.5Ghz WiFi to interference). Watch our video 5 on power line adapters. Remember if your bad WiFi is due to too many access points in your neighborhood this video 5 may not help your WiFi situation.
Tip, when buying a Powerline adapter don’t go for the cheapest one, look for a Powerline adapter that supports the new faster WiFi band of 5Ghz, these are slightly more expensive but the benefits of faster 5Ghz WiFi are definitely worth having. One such model that supports 5Ghz WiFi is the TP-Link TL-PA8033P Powerline adapter. Lastly be cautious that you purchase the superior Powerline adapter technology and not the inferior WiFi repeaters technology which look very similar.
Position: We recommend that your modem is NOT positioned directly on the floor as solid surfaces can absorb a high percentage of your WiFi signal reducing its range. For optimum operation we recommend you position your modem between .5 meter and 1.5 meters off the ground, in an upright position facing out into the room with no obstructions in front of the modem and in view of where you use your WiFi most. Do not position the modem behind the TV as the metalic in the TV will impede your WiFi signal.
Other devices in your home: Other items in your home or your neighbors home such as neighboring WiFi access points, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, microwave ovens and cordless phones can all affect your WiFi signal quality. Try where possible not to have your modem in close proximity to these other interfering devices.
So as to get a superior connection from your broadband, we always recommend that non portable devices such as your Smart TV’s and games consoles are connect using an Ethernet cable wired connection rather than connecting by WiFi . When your streaming video or gaming this is a constant high bandwidth connection which the Cablecomm network is optomised for carrying. One second of interruption of a WiFi connection when you are on Facebook or surfing the web will not be noticeable…..but when streaming video, this could cause your video stream to stop. Always connect with a Ethernet cable for superior video and gaming performance.