If you find that you are having WiFi connectivity issues with any of the devices in your house, this guide outlines the most common issues, and how to fix them.
Common WiFi Issue Causes
Distance And Obstacles
To receive the strongest, most stable connection, your router and device should have a line-of-sight connection, and be close by.
Having all of your electronics within your router's line of sight isn't feasible, but try to avoid the following.
- Appliances, especially microwaves and Bluetooth devices
- Walls, especially concrete or thick walls
- Significant distances
In the example below, the router, top left, should be moved to a central location.
Signal Type
Most routers output a 2.4GHz signal and a 5GHz signal.
5GHz can maintain faster speeds, but does not have as much range as 2.4GHz.
Your WiFi frequency is outlined in the name:
If you cannot see anything similar to this, your internet provider will be able to provide further information.
How To Fix Common Issues
Only One Device Experiencing Issues
If you have a smartphone, you can likely use this as a mobile hotspot to test if the distance is the problem.
Once you have connected your device to your mobile hotspot:
- If you cannot connect, or have a weak connection, then your device may be faulty.
- If you are able to establish a strong connection, then it is likely the issue is with your router or its location. Try the troubleshooting outlined below, and move your router if possible.
More Than One Device Experiencing Issues
Your modem router needs to be appropriately sized for your home.
A large house, especially one with thick walls, will require a more powerful router than a small one.
If you have a large house and you are having connectivity issues, you may need to purchase a more powerful router, a WiFi extender, or a mesh network.
It is common to place your router wherever is easiest, but your router should be placed in the best spot for your house.
If you need help purchasing a suitable WiFi solution for your home, Contact Our Customer Care Team.
Troubleshooting
- If you are using a range extender, try connecting the device to your main modem router instead. Even if you have full bars on the device connected to the extender, if the connection between the extender and your main modem router isn't strong, it will affect your modem router.
- Unplug your modem router for about 5-10 minutes at the plug, whilst it is unplugged, turn it on with the power button to perform a power cycle. Restart your modem router.
- Restart the device that is having issues.
- Try moving the device closer to the source.
- If you cannot connect at all, double-check that all passwords have been entered correctly.
- If you can connect but are getting weak or slow data, try disconnecting the device from the network manually and reconnecting.
Service And Network Outages
If you are unable to access a particular service such as YouTube or Netflix, it may be temporarily down.
If you are unable to access any page on any device, your network provider may be temporarily down.
Here are a few quick links:
If you are still experiencing issues with a device's connection following this, please Contact Our Customer Care Team and let them know what troubleshooting you have tried.