Where to put your Wi-Fi router
One of the most common pieces of equipment (and often the only one needed) to get you connected to the internet is a WiFi router. Routers are boxes that connect to your phone line and send internet signals around your home, allowing everything in your home to connect to the internet wirelessly. Here are a few things you can try to make sure your WiFi connection is as strong as possible.
Place your router in a location that is central to your home
Putting your router in a place that is centrally located in your home will help the WiFi signals reach as much of your home as possible. Many people instinctively put their router in their lounge room, however, it may be better suited to have it in a different room that is more central.
Do not keep your router in a cupboard or a cabinet
Think about when you are listening to music: if you put the speaker in a cupboard, the sound is harder to hear. The same goes for the WiFi signals coming from your router. If you put it in a cupboard or a cabinet, it is harder for your devices to pick up the signals your router is sending out.
Large appliances such as fridges can stop signals passing through
Large objects such as fridges and other appliances can prevent WiFi signals from passing through them and can make it difficult for devices located behind these appliances to pick up signals. Very thick walls can also weaken WiFi signals, so try not to place your router in a room surrounded by these.
Consider using WiFi extenders if you have a big house
If you cannot move your router or find that the signal is still not reaching all of your rooms, you might want to consider using WiFi extenders to boost the signal in different parts of your home.
Which network to connect to?
Most modern routers come with two networks to connect to, 2.4GHz or 5GHz (GHz is short for gigahertz). When you are looking for your Wi-Fi network on your devices, you might see something like the following in your list of networks:
MyInternetPlus106782_2.4GHz
MyInternetPlus106782_5GHz
2.4GHz
This is an older type of network that was created when Wi-Fi was first introduced. This network reaches further than 5GHz, but it has a slower connection speed. You would only connect your devices to this network if they are too far away to connect to the 5GHz network. After all, a slower Wi-Fi connection is better than none at all!
5GHz
This network gives you a much faster Wi-Fi connection, but it does not reach as far as 2.4GHz networks. This is the network you should use if you can see it on your device.
Some older devices cannot connect to 5GHz networks, so you might only see one option.
Problems with your Wi-Fi connection
If you find that your internet connection is either not working at all or is running slowly, there are a few things you can try to fix the problem:
- Contact your ISP (internet service provider)
- Turn your Wi-Fi router off and on again
- Check the Wi-Fi router lights are on and the cables are plugged in
- Run a speed test
- Try connecting your device to your Wi-Fi router with an ethernet cable
If you would like to learn more about how to handle problems that might occur with your internet connection, there is a course available on the Be Connected Learning Portal. You will find this under the “Home Networks” topic in the topic library.
Smart homes
You might have heard the term “smart home” before, which basically means that household objects are connected to the internet and can be controlled by you. This is normally done by using either a phone, a tablet, or a home assistant (such as Alexa or Google Home). There are many devices or objects that can be made “smart” in your home. Some examples of things you can automate or control away from home are:
- Turning your lights on and off
- Seeing who is at your door
- Making a coffee or opening the blinds
- Controlling your air conditioning
- Automating your sprinkler system
If you would like to know more about smart homes and home assistants, head to the Be Connected Learning Portal to find a variety of courses to complete for free. You will find them in the “Introduction to Smart Homes” topic in the topic library.