There are many potential reasons you’ll notice Wi-Fi performance issues: signal congestion, router location, firmware issues, hardware limitations or even the physical size of your office. The reality is, there’s nothing more annoying than your Wi-Fi connection dropping when you’re in the middle of an important client conference call or just doing your everyday expected work as efficiently as possible.

Luckily there are things you can do to help solve some of these issues. Here we will go into more depth on the causes for a dropped wireless connection and what you can do about them.

Your Router Is Overburdened By Heavy Network Use

Some of you may be experiencing a Wi-Fi blackout when your network is being heavily utilised (simultaneous streaming, downloading, large file transferring, online gaming, etc.) which can cause router to temporarily fail. It may be working fine but is just not up to the rigours of modern networking demand, especially if it’s the free one you got from your ISP 12 years ago. Wireless standards have moved on, so don’t limit your internet use because your router can’t handle it – pick a router that can accommodate all of your connected devices and networking demands. We would suggest today to go for at least a wireless AC1200.

Your Wi-Fi Signal Is Weak or Doesn’t Extend Far Enough

Wi-Fi connections can easily drop when the connected device is located near the edge of your network’s wireless signal range. The further away you get, the more unstable a Wi-Fi connection can get. Relocating your devices closer to your router kind of defeats the purpose of a wireless connection, so as per the previous example a new router upgrade would be a solution. If however you live in a big house with a lot of walls or have 3 storeys for instances, looking at adding in a MESH system to your network is a good idea. A mesh network will boost your wireless range/strength massively, some up to 6,000 square feet! Most are also compatible with any make of router.

You’ve Got Too Much Wireless Interference

Your router isn’t the only device in your office emitting a signal. Several items like Bluetooth devices, are pumping out radio signals that can interfere with your Wi-Fi network signal when they are in use. Moving your router away from devices like these is an easy solution but if for some reason you have to put your router next to the microwave in your office, we suggest changing some of your devices Wi-Fi radio settings. Upgrading to a dual band router or one with smart MESH technology gives you the ability to connect your devices to the standard 2.4GHz or the less crowded 5GHz band (if compatible) which can decrease much of the interference.

Your Firmware or Drivers Need An Update

Computers connect to a Wi-Fi network using a device driver and your router creates a Wi-Fi signal based on its firmware. Network drivers and firmware can occasionally affect your network connection if either/both requires an update. Check your computer for any driver updates and install new firmware for your router from the product page on the manufacturer’s website.

4G redundancy

What do you do if your internet connection does go down fully? Internet connectivity becomes more essential for your business every day and losing it can cause problems. No Internet means no email, no web browsing and in many cases, no work. At home it means no Netflix, YouTube, online shopping or video games. The best solution is to look at purchasing a 4G router is a great backup network when your broadband internet goes down, so you can keep using the internet without interruptions. They run on a standard sim card and allow multiple users to share the connection, keeping either your home or business fully functional.

We hope these tips were helpful to you (assuming your Wi-Fi didn’t drop while you were reading) and that you were able to use our suggestions to guarantee a strong, steady wireless signal for your home network. Keep checking in for more tips and tricks!

Shout out to Paul Routledge, Head of D-Link UK for sending this through!