Why Isn’t My Wi-Fi Working?
5 Reasons Your Internet Isn’t Performing—and What We Can Do to Fix It
When your workday and entertainment rely on Wi-Fi, there’s nothing more frustrating than endless loading screens and dropped Zoom calls. If you’ve been struggling for a while with unreliable home networking, it might seem like that’s what you’re stuck with.
But that’s not true—there’s always a solution to Wi-Fi woes. First, you need to determine what your issue is. Some home networking problems are easier to fix than others, but as a network installer based in the Washington, D.C. area, we can help bring seamless Wi-Fi to every corner of your home.
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1. Your Router Is Outdated
We don’t expect our phones or computers to last forever—so why do we expect that of routers, which run 24/7/365? Routers degrade in quality and can’t support new security needs. Older routers aren’t suited to handle the modern smart home with dozens of connected devices.
If you’ve restarted your router (everyone’s first step of advice) and your internet is still not running well, check to see how old your router is. Most experts agree you should replace your router every four to five years. New routers can communicate with more devices simultaneously, which prevents a slow and congested network.
2. You’re Trying to Cover Too Much Space
If your D.C. home has multiple floors or is L-shaped, you may just be trying to cover too much ground. That’s the same reason your backyard might barely reach one bar of signal.
The solution? By adding multiple wireless access points, you spread the Wi-Fi signal further in your home. An enterprise-grade network offers seamless transitions between access points, so as you walk from one end of the house to another, your laptop won’t lose connectivity.
3. Your House’s Materials Obstruct Connections
Sometimes, the materials used to construct your home are the culprits for poor Wi-Fi. If you have metal, concrete, marble, brick, or glass walls and doors throughout the property, they could be blocking Wi-Fi signals from traveling. Some historic homes have chicken wire within the walls, which will hinder connections too.
Adding wireless access points to your system can help. Another option is to hardwire the network in hard-to-reach areas. We can perform a ping test to see where interferences may be happening and assess if a wired solution can help.
4. Your Neighbors’ Wi-Fi is Interfering
Do you live in a tightly knit neighborhood, in a townhouse, or an apartment? When several Wi-Fi networks are in close proximity to one another, the network channels interfere with each other. If you live downtown or in a densely populated neighborhood, there are probably many networks around you. We can program your network to put certain devices on specific channels, staggering channels so they don’t overlap with neighbors.
5. You’re Connecting Too Many Devices
Phones, laptops, smart TVs, thermostats, video doorbells, whole-home audio…that’s a lot of technology! If there are many electronics connected to your router, each must fight for the right to communicate with it. Once there are pileups between competing devices, you’ll be stuck waiting, watching the screen, and may have to restart the router.
One solution to crowded networks is to upgrade your internet plan to increase your bandwidth. If your internet service provider can’t offer more, it may be time to switch. Another fix is to create a hybrid wired and wireless network. Wire essential technology to the network, like your desktop computer and security system, and let everything else run over Wi-Fi.
Are you in need of a home networking makeover? Our team at Innovative Audio and Video can assess your network, pinpoint the problems, and find a solution. Contact us here to get started on your new and improved Wi-Fi today.
