Sick of your internet dropping out? Follow these tips

Home & Business Internet Blog | MATE | 6 February 2018

Isn’t it frustrating when your internet drops out for no apparent reason?

With over 85% of the Australian population using the internet, and a global internet speed ranking of 55, it’s no wonder that everyday Aussies experience connectivity issues from time to time.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to improve the performance of your internet connection and reduce the chance of it dropping out.

Here are some troubleshooting tips to help:

tip #1: check for wifi radio interference

Your WiFi may be dropping out because of the radio signals that come from different consumer electronic products in your house. For example, if you have Bluetooth devices turned on and are currently using them, you may want to turn them off first if the connection becomes problematic.

Other devices that may affect the signal include your cordless phone, microwave, and even your garage door opener.

If you don’t want to turn off these devices, you can move your router to a spot where they will not interfere with the signal. At least three feet away from the home appliances can help solve this issue, especially if the gadgets are in the same frequency range. Remember, devices transmitting in 2.4 GHz frequency can generate interference with your WiFi.

Another solution is to change the radio settings for your WiFi. Typically, the default channel is 6, which you can change if there are other devices in the vicinity of your router.

tip #2: check the range and power of your wifi network

If there are no appliances that interfere with your WiFi, one possible cause of your internet dropping out is that you are near the edge of the wireless signal range. Surprisingly, it can happen even when your device is close to your home router. The best solution is to relocate your device.

Another method is to upgrade your antenna. You can also use a signal amplifier or booster, which you will attach to the WiFi client or router access point and extend its range.

tip #3: make sure there is no issue with network overload

Let’s say you are connected to the wireless network and so is your whole family. You may even have your friends over, and they are also using your WiFi. When too many devices are on the same network, it can be difficult for it to accommodate everyone. The available bandwidth for the connected devices may be limited.

As a result, videos stop playing and sites will not load. It can cause your device to disconnect and keep trying to reconnect so you don’t lose the WiFi signal.

The solution is simple: take a few devices off the network. For instance, if your TV is connected and is streaming movies, while someone is playing games, have either of them take a break for a while.

If you or anyone on the network is downloading files, use a piece of software that has bandwidth control. This will prevent other people connected to the WiFi from dropping out.

tip #4: only connect to a secure wifi network

LTE infrastructure in Australia has reached almost 96% of the population. However, if you and your neighbours are running an unsecure WiFi connection with the same SSID or name, you could connect to the wrong network. What is worse is that you may have no knowledge that you have connected by mistake.

Interference, as well as range problems, can occur as a result of the above situation. Aside from that, this scenario will cause you to lose your connection when your neighbour decides to turn off the router – even if your real or preferred network is still on.

The best strategy here is to simply take the proper security measures so that your computers or devices will only connect to the right network. Have a unique SSID and use a password.

tip #5: upgrade your network driver or firmware

Device drivers are essential in every piece of software connected to WiFi. Meanwhile, network routers have firmware, which is technically the same. When they are obsolete or corrupted, network drops can happen.

To solve this issue, just update the driver of your device. For instance, if you are using a Windows computer and it keeps disconnecting, see if updating the network drivers can help. You can also upgrade the firmware of your router, which typically prevents the problem from happening again.

wrapping up

When you know what is wrong with your connection, it becomes easier to detect the problem and find a solution for it. Try these methods and see how you go!