Wi-Fi troubleshooting: How to fix common Wi-Fi problems

Troubleshooting Wi-Fi problems

A weak signal, slow speeds or constant dropouts can be caused by your router, the layout of your home, interference from other devices, one particularly troublesome gadget, or the broadband connection itself.

The good news is that you can usually narrow down the problem pretty quickly.

In this article, we’ll talk you through some common Wi-Fi problems and how to fix them.

Wi-Fi not working? Try these first.

Before getting into the technical stuff, try these six simple checks:

1. Restart your router and give it a few minutes to reconnect.
2. Check whether the problem affects one device or every device in your home.
3. Move closer to the router and see whether your connection improves.
4. Check that your router isn’t hidden behind furniture or surrounded by other electronics.
5. Run a speed test to see what your connection is actually doing.
6. If possible, connect a device to your router using an Ethernet cable. This helps you work out whether the problem is Wi-Fi or your broadband connection.

Still having trouble? Let’s narrow it down.

First, is it your Wi-Fi or your broadband?

This is an important distinction.

Wi-Fi is the wireless connection between your device and your router. Broadband is the internet connection coming into your home.

That means you can have perfectly good broadband but rubbish Wi-Fi in the spare bedroom.

If your internet works normally when you’re connected directly to your router with an Ethernet cable, but your Wi-Fi is slow or unreliable, the problem is likely to be your Wi-Fi rather than the broadband connection itself.

If your connection is slow over both Wi-Fi and Ethernet, there’s more reason to investigate the broadband connection.

Why is my Wi-Fi slow?

Slow Wi-Fi can have several causes, including:

• You’re too far from the router.
• Walls, floors or furniture are blocking the signal.
• Other devices are causing interference.
• Lots of devices are using the network at once.
• Your router or device is outdated.
• There’s a problem with your broadband connection.

Start by moving closer to the router. If your connection improves significantly, you’re probably looking at a Wi-Fi coverage issue rather than a broadband speed issue, which can be improved using a Wi-Fi extender.

Can other devices interfere with Wi-Fi?

Yes, they can.

Some household electronics such as microwaves, cordless phones and baby monitors can interfere with Wi-Fi. This is because they can operate on the same frequency as Wi-Fi networks (particularly on the 2.4GHz band). Other wireless networks nearby can also contribute to congestion.

Try:

• Decluttering your router: If your Wi-Fi is unreliable, try moving other electronics away from your router to minimise disruption.

• Optimising your router position: Make sure you choose a position for your router on installation that is away from sources of interference and centrally located. Your fibre install engineer can usually advise on the best place for this.

• Using a dual band wireless router: There are different radio bands that a router can use to provide a wireless network. Often the router will configure itself automatically, but you may need to change these channels manually to reduce interference.

• Upgrading your devices: Ensure that any devices you connect support dual-band frequencies and are using up-to-date Wi-Fi standards.
  

Is your router in the right place?

The farther you are from your router, the weaker the Wi-Fi signal will be. Wi-Fi has to travel through your home to reach your devices. Walls, floors, furniture and other solid objects can all weaken the signal.

Making sure the router is in the right place for you can make a surprisingly big difference.

Try:

• Optimising your router position: Ensure your router is positioned in a central location in your home on installation. The more central and open, the better.

• Add a mesh system or extender: If your router isn’t in the best position for your property, these devices can help improve your Wi-Fi coverage and extend your connection into the Wi-Fi dead zones. Find out more.

• Limit obstacles: Keep the path between your device and the router as clear as possible and keep an eye on any new large metallic or otherwise solid objects in your home. Even your big fish tank can have an impact. Sorry, fish.
  

Why does my Wi-Fi keep dropping out?

If your Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, start by checking whether the problem affects one device or everything connected to your network.

If it’s just one device, try:

• Restarting the device.
• Turning Wi-Fi off and back on.
• Forgetting the network and reconnect.
• Checking for operating system or driver updates.
• Connecting the device to another Wi-Fi network.

If every device keeps dropping out, restart your router and check its cables and connections.

It’s also worth checking whether the router needs a firmware update. Many modern routers update automatically, but this depends on the equipment and provider. At Grain, your router upgrades happen automatically.

If the problem continues across multiple devices, there may be an issue with the router or broadband connection.

Why is my Wi-Fi signal weak?

Wi-Fi gets weaker as it travels further from your router, and walls and floors can make the problem worse.

This is why you might get brilliant Wi-Fi in the room with the router but struggle to connect upstairs or at the far end of the property.

Try:

• Moving closer to the router.
• Moving the router to a more central, open position.
• Keeping large objects and electronics away from the router.
• Using a Wi-Fi extender if you need better coverage.

If your broadband connection is working well but your Wi-Fi doesn’t reach every room, improving your Wi-Fi coverage may be more useful than simply buying a faster broadband package.

What if lots of devices are using my Wi-Fi?

Modern homes can have a surprising number of connected devices.

Phones, laptops, TVs, tablets, games consoles, smart speakers, appliances and whatever else you’ve connected to the Wi-Fi can all be using your network.

Most of the time, that’s perfectly fine.

But if several devices are downloading, streaming, gaming or uploading large amounts of data at the same time, your network can become busy.

Try:

• Identifying what is using the most bandwidth and see whether your connection improves when those devices aren’t active.
• Using a Wi-Fi analyser to see which channels are the most crowded, and switch to a less crowded channel if needed.
• Checking how many people and devices are online at the same time. It may be that your broadband package isn’t suitable for how you use it. If you’re not sure, get in touch and our broadband experts can help you find the right Grain Full Fibre package for your needs.

My Wi-Fi is connected but there’s no internet

This is a confusing one.

Your device can be connected to your router over Wi-Fi while the router itself has lost its connection to the internet.

Try:

1. Checking another device to see whether it can get online.
2. Restarting your router.
3. Checking the cables connecting your router and any other network equipment.
4. Checking your provider’s service status for any known outage (See Grain’s service status, here).
5. Contacting your broadband provider, if multiple devices are offline and the problem continues.

If only one device can’t access the internet, the problem is more likely to be with that device.

For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our FAQ article ‘My Wi-Fi coverage is poor what can I do?‘ or take a look at this guide produced by Microsoft titled Fix Wi-Fi issues in Windows.

Need better broadband?

If your broadband connection is the problem rather than your Wi-Fi, Full Fibre could make a difference.

Grain provides dedicated Full Fibre broadband, with packages offering speeds up to 2Gig, symmetrical upload and download speeds and unlimited data, subject to availability.

We also don’t increase your price during your contract. Ever. Check your postcode to see if you can get Grain Full Fibre broadband, today.

See also:

• Not all fibre is equal
• What is Full Fibre? And why does it matter?
• What broadband speed do you need for working from home?