Today, fast and reliable Wi-Fi is a necessity.
We depend on the wireless Internet for work, study, entertainment, and communication with our loved ones.
However, we often encounter problems such as slow page loading, unstable connections, or weak signals in remote corners of the house.
How can you improve the situation and make your Wi-Fi at least a little faster?
In this article, we’re going to look at some simple and effective life hacks that will help you optimize your home network. The router is the heart of your Wi-Fi network, so the first and most important step is to place it properly.
Avoid placing your router in corners, behind furniture, or in closed cabinets.
The ideal place is in the central part of your house or apartment, in an open space and at some height from the floor, so that the signal is evenly distributed throughout the room.
This approach will maximize coverage and reduce interference. A little bit about reducing interference Many household appliances interfere with Wi-Fi signals.
Microwave ovens, cordless phones, baby monitors, and even some lamps can interfere with your internet connection.
Try to keep your router away from such devices. Changing the channel is the secret to interference Wi-Fi works on different channels, and if your neighbors are using the same channel as you, it can lead to interference and slower speeds.
In the router settings, find the “Channel” section (the name may be slightly different) and try switching to another, less busy channel.
You can also use special programs to analyze Wi-Fi networks and determine the best channel. Update the router firmware Routers, like any other electronic device, need to be updated.
Manufacturers often release new firmware versions that improve performance and security.
Check your router’s manufacturer’s website for new updates and install them if they are available. Secure your network An unsecured Wi-Fi network not only puts personal information at risk, but also allows neighbors to use your internet, which can slow down your network.
Be sure to set a strong password and use a modern encryption standard such as WPA3.
In our previous articles on Wi-Fi, we’ve already talked about what password combinations to use. Rebooting the router – a quick fix for problems If your Wi-Fi is slow or unstable, try rebooting the router.
You can do this by unplugging it for a few minutes and then plugging it back in.
The reboot will help clear the cache and fix some errors.
Most modern routers have an automatic reboot function that can be set to run at night when the Internet is hardly used. Use modern technology Modern routers support two frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
The 5 GHz frequency provides faster internet, but has a shorter range.
Use 5 GHz for devices that require high speeds (for example, streaming video or online gaming). For devices located far from the router, use 2.4 GHz. Signal Boosting – Simple and Effective W ays If you have “dead zones” where the Wi-Fi signal is weak or non-existent, don’t rush to buy a new router.
There are simple and affordable ways to boost the signal:

• A signal ext ender is a small device that plugs into an outlet and “picks up” the Wi-Fi signal from the router, amplifying it and expanding the coverage area.
• A mesh system is a set of several devices that work together to create a single Wi-Fi network without dead spots.
  An ideal solution for large houses or apartments with thick walls.
• Homemade reflector – if you are a bit handy, you can try making a reflector out of foil or a tin can.
  This will help direct the Wi-Fi signal in the right direction and improve its quality.

Restrict access for devices If you have many connected devices on your network, it can slow down your internet speed.
Limit Wi-Fi access to devices you don’t use often.
Some routers have a traffic prioritization feature to determine which devices or applications get the most bandwidth. Use network cables Despite all the benefits of Wi-Fi, a wired connection will always be faster and more stable.
Whenever possible, connect stationary devices (such as TVs, game consoles, or desktop computers) to your router with a network cable. Disabling unnecessary features Some of the router’s features can affect network performance.
For example, WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) or UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) features can be useful, but they also place additional stress on the router.
If you do not use these features, disable them in the router settings. Using QoS If you frequently use Wi-Fi for online gaming, video conferencing, or other tasks that require high speed and stability, consider using the QoS (Quality of Service) feature.
It allows you to prioritize different types of traffic, creating the best possible connection for the most important tasks. Installing high-gain antennas By the way, your router may have interchangeable antennas(?), and if so, replace them with high-gain antennas.
After that, you will see a significantly increased and more stable Wi-Fi signal range.
You can buy such antennas separately at electronics stores. Power saving mode Some routers have a power saving mode that can affect Wi-Fi performance.
If you have this option, try disabling it to get the fastest and most stable connection possible. Check for viruses and malware Malware can use your internet connection without your knowledge, slowing down your network speed.
Regularly scan your devices for viruses with anti-virus software.
We also talked about how viruses work and how to protect yourself from them in previous articles.
You can read the material by typing the word “virus” into the search bar directly on our TechnoVizor website. Clearing the cache and using alternative servers Sometimes problems with the Internet connection can be caused by incorrect operation of the DNS server.
The DNS (Domain Name System) converts domain names, for example, example.com, into IP addresses that are used to connect to websites.
Incorrectly cached DNS records often lead to connection errors or delays, so clearing the cache may well help resolve these issues. Below, we’ll show you how you can clear the DNS cache on different platforms:Clearing on Windows:

1. Open a command prompt as administrator. To do this, click on the Start button, type “cmd”, right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator”.
2. Next, enter the bash command, and then another ipconfig /flushdns
3. Press Enter. After executing the command, you will see a message about the successful clearing of the DNS cache.

Cleaning on macOS:

1. Open the Terminal application. You can find it through Spotlight or in the Programs folder at > Utilities.
2. Enter the following command sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
3. Press Enter and enter your administrator password, if necessary. After that, the DNS cache will be cleared.

Cleaning on the Linux platform:

1. Again, open Terminal.
2. Depending on your Linux version, enter one of the following commands:

sudo systemctl restart nscd or sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq or also, maybe bashsudo/etc/init.d/nscd restart

3. Press Enter and enter your administrator password (also, if required). After that, the DNS cache will be cleared.

Clear the cache on Android:

1. It’s a little easier here – open Settings.
2. Go to Programs or Applications.
3. Find Chrome or another browser you use.
4. Select Storage / Storage.
5. Click Clear cache.

Cleaning for iOS:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Wi-Fi.
3. Tap on your Wi-Fi network and select Forget this network. S You can do something similar on Android.
4. Next, restart the device.
5. Reconnect to your Wi-Fi network.

Please note that in addition to clearing the DNS cache, using alternative DNS servers can also significantly improve the speed and reliability of your Internet connection. The standard DNS servers provided by your Internet service provider are not always the fastest, and using alternative servers, such as Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220), will increase the speed of loading web pages and improve the overall performance of your connection. To change these servers, you need to go to the network settings and manually enter the IP addresses of alternative DNS servers. All this can be done either at the level of an individual device or at the router level, and the changes will be applied to the entire network. It’s important to understand that improving Wi-Fi quality doesn’t require sophisticated technical knowledge or significant financial investments. By following these simple tips and applying a few practical life hacks, you can significantly improve the speed and stability of your home’s Internet connection. Don’t be afraid to experiment with settings and look for new solutions to help you create the perfect network. Try different approaches and find the ones that work best for you.