Finding the best Wii spot in your house may be easier than you think
We’ve all been there. You’re streaming your favourite show to your phone or laptop and the dreaded buffering kicks in. You’ve got good internet, so why is it not working properly? Well, the placement of your WiFi router is a big part of how your WiFi performs overall, so how do we go about finding the best WiFi spot in your house?
The Power of Router Location
Did you know that a router’s signal can be drastically affected by where and how you decide to place it? You may find you are limited as to where you’re able to place your router, but there are ways around that which we’ll get into later.
Placing a router too close to other objects or walls can severely dampen your signal and in some cases nullify it altogether. When choosing a location for your router, you should look for a location that is free of obstructions, and not too close to other electrical pieces of equipment that may interfere with its signal.
Try moving your router around the room it’s currently in and see how the signal performs throughout your house. It may be that the room itself is the issue, and you’ll have a better connectin if you were able to move it to another. When it comes to a strong WiFi connection, location is key.
Invest in a WiFi Extender
If you think the room your WiFi is in may be the issue, or that the signal it’s putting out is not up to par, you can invest in a WiFi extender. WiFi extenders are relatively inexpensive and work by picking up on the signal put out by the router and boosting it further into the house.
To use a WiFi extender, simply plug it into the wall in another room and follow the instructions that come with it to use it properly in conjunction with your router. You may find this solves the issue immediately, but if not, there are still plenty of other options.
Invest in a Powerline Adaptor
Still having issues? The next thing you can utilise is a powerline adaptor. Powerline adaptors use the electrical circuits in your house to connect to your internet network and are a good alternative to running cables throughout your entire house.
Powerline adaptors are again relatively inexpensive and will solve the issue quickly more often than not. The setup of powerline adaptors can vary, so it’s important to follow the instructions when installing yours.
Most powerline adaptors will come as a kit with two adaptors. Each will have a port to connect a network cable (which should come with the kit). One of the adaptors will then be plugged into a wall socket and connected to your router with a cable, and the other is then plugged into another wall socket of your choosing and connected to your internet connected device via another cable.
Find the Best WiFi Locations with Wi-Fi SweetSpots
Wi-Fi Sweetspots is a fantastic tool you can use with a mobile device to find the best WiFi spots around your house. Simply download the app onto your smartphone (works with both Apple devices and Android) and tap ‘start’.
The app will begin a WiFi speed test and you’ll see a graph appear with your WiFi speeds for the location you’re currently standing in. You can move around the house and repeat this test to find the best (and the worst) WiFi spots in your home.
Change Your DNS Settings
The final tip we have for you is to change your DNS settings. DNS stands for Domain Name Settings and plays a vital role in how your internet performs. Chances are you may not have heard of this before, but changing your DNS settings can change a weak internet connection to a strong one in the blink of an eye.
By far the easiest way to change your DNS settings is to use a program such as Google’s Namebench, which will perform a free speed test and automatically find the best DNS settings for your device. There are plenty of others that offer a similar service too, so if you’re not getting on with Namebench, simply choose another.
Changing your DNS is easier than you might think, but the process varies depending on what piece of equipment you’re using and want to change it on. Simply Google your device and ‘change DNS settings’ to find out. The process typically takes no longer than a few minutes, so you could be enjoying faster internet in no time!
