How to Fix the Most Common Home Network Problems

We’ve grown so used to Wi-Fi being easily accessible for everything we do, from entertainment to working and doing schoolwork. We don’t pay any attention to it unless it starts acting up. 

A loss of connection disrupts daily life, but most Wi-Fi issues are easy to repair, so you may get reconnected quickly. When your Wi-Fi goes down, you can reestablish connectivity by fixing some of these typical problems.

Slow Internet Connection

Because Wi-Fi is based on radio waves, your Wi-Fi router broadcasts in all directions from one central place. If your router is in a remote corner of your home, you are unnecessarily covering a large portion of the outside world. If possible, relocate your router to a more central area. The closer your router is to the center of your service area, the better the reception throughout your home.   Other routers in your building may be interfering with yours if you reside in an apartment complex. Free software, such as NetSpot for Mac and Windows (and Android) or Wi-Fi Analyzer for Android, can display every wireless network in the area as well as the channel they’re using. Consider switching to a less busy channel if your router overlaps with surrounding networks in specific rooms.   If none of it works, your home may be too large for a single router to handle. Consider getting a wireless repeater or configuring an old router to function as one to extend the range of your network.   If your Wi-Fi speed is consistently slow, consider plugging a laptop directly into your modem and testing your internet speed with a site like speedtest.net. If your internet connection is still slow, the issue is most likely with your internet connection rather than your router. Contact your Internet service provider.   If that isn’t the case, it’s possible that your present wireless channel is being overburdened by your devices or those of other neighboring networks. Change the channel on your router under the router settings. However, each router manufacturer does things a little differently.   If it doesn’t work, performing a factory reset on your router and resetting it may. Most routers have a Reset button that can be pressed with a paperclip. After 30 seconds, the router should be reset to factory settings.  

A Device Can’t Connect to the Wi-Fi

You may occasionally encounter a Wi-Fi problem with a certain gadget. It’s most likely just a temporary network issue. Try turning off and then re-enabling your device’s Wi-Fi. If it doesn’t work, try unplugging your router and then plugging it back in 30 seconds later.   If it doesn’t work, or if the problem reoccurs, attempt removing your current network from your device’s list of stored networks and reconnecting again.   If you’re using Windows 10, search for “wifi troubleshooting” and select Identify and Repair Network Issues from the results. This will run through a series of diagnostics, which may result in connectivity being restored.   Wireless Diagnostics is also available on MacOS. While holding down the Option key, select the AirPort (Wi-Fi) icon from the menu bar. Locate Open Wireless Diagnostics and then follow the on-screen directions.   If none of these solutions work, try rebooting the device.  

Connection Drops Randomly

Is there any kind of pattern here? Do your connections go down when you use the microwave? It may sound strange, but some routers have difficulty with this, particularly at the 2.5GHz frequency or if you’re using an older microwave with shield issues.   It’s possible that you’re getting interference from other networks or devices. If your neighbors are heavy Wi-Fi users at certain times of the day, this may be slowing you down. Changing the channel on your router may help. NetSpot for Mac and Windows, as well as Wi-Fi Analyzer for Android, can display you every wireless network in the area. If your network overlaps with neighbouring networks, changing the channel in your router settings to a less busy channel can assist.   Incorrect Windows network can also be responsible for slow Wi-Fi and connection drops. Use NetOptimizer to check your settings and apply the optimal values for your hardware and operating system – your Internet will fly once the optimizations are done.  

Wi-Fi Network Disappeared

Did your home network disappear from the list of available Wi-Fi all of a sudden? This could happen when your router loses power (check that it’s plugged in) or when your router resets itself.   Do you see an unprotected network named after your router’s make and model? That may be yours. Connect a laptop or desktop to it via an Ethernet connection, then follow our guide to setting up a wireless router to get everything back up and running.   If you don’t see one, connect your laptop to the router via Ethernet and see if you get a connection. For additional information, see our guide to locating your router’s IP address and login credentials. Also, if you don’t have a cable, read our advice on how to select the best Ethernet cable.   If nothing helps, do a factory reset on your router.