How to optimise your home Wi-Fi network

Let’s face it — staying indoors for an undetermined amount of time isn’t easy. As tough as it can be, we’re all encouraged to stay home — and for a good reason.

We have a limited number of things to keep us busy, and the internet is one of them. Without realising, there are a variety of elements around your home that can affect your network signal, and along the way inflict an infuriating experience.

A lot of us are relying on the internet to keep ourselves entertained and even work, so now seems like a good time to optimise your connection to avoid things like dropouts and slow speeds.

Welcome to your technical support training!

Starting with the basics — What is Wi-Fi?

Just like radio, TV, and mobiles, your Wi-Fi network runs on radio waves. Like a two-way radio communication, the Wi-Fi signal reaches our device and responds to the radio waves activity in a similar way.

Wi-Fi modem (router)

The most vital piece of your whole Wi-Fi setup is the modem, otherwise known as a router, as it can impact the way you experience the Internet.

It’s usually easiest if you use your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) modem. Most modems are easy to navigate and provide all the equipment you need to set up your Wi-Fi at home.

When you have Wi-Fi woes, your ISP (us!) will usually run through some steps with you to try and pinpoint what’s causing the issue. Sometimes there are different troubleshooting steps for ADSL and nbn.

What’s affecting my modem's performance?

A lot of things in your home can affect your Wi-Fi by absorbing its strength — objects like microwaves, cordless phones, and Bluetooth devices like speakers. Even some building structures like brick walls can deteriorate the Wi-Fi signals.

If you live in an area where there’s a lot of Wi-Fi signals close by (like an apartment building) sometimes they can all interfere with each other.

The number of devices connected to a Wi-Fi network can also slow down the speeds dramatically. To optimise your speeds, you can either change the Wi-Fi channel or disconnect some of the devices. For services with nbn, you can find the steps to change the channel here, or for ADSL services, you can find these here.

Distance is also a significant factor in determining your Wi-Fi strength. The further away the modem is from your devices can create a weak signal. Putting the modem in your cupboard or basement might hide it away, but it’s probably at the cost of the quality of your connection!

Modem positioning

It may come to a shock to many of you about all the different things in your home that can affect your Wi-Fi. But it’s real life. These interferences can suck up your Wi-Fi signal kind of like Superman and Kryptonite, which means that your internet runs slow, videos buffer or can even stop working.

So, it’s essential to consider the right place to leave your modem as it’s the broadcast point of your Wi-Fi network.

It’s best to avoid places like being on the ground where it’s easily interfered with, or locked away in a cupboard, where it’s rarely interfered with. Metallic surfaces like mirrors or fridge doors are also not recommended as they can potentially impact the signal.

Experts say the modem should have a direct line of sight to the devices linked to access to a stronger connection. If you place the modem in the centre of your home, this should be a good mutual spot if you’re moving around with different devices using the Wi-Fi.

2.4 GHz or 5GHz

The two most common Wi-Fi network frequency choices are either 2.5GHz (802.11b or g) or 5GHz (802.11a).

The 2.4GHz frequency is an all-rounders choice as its strength can pass through most walls and offers an extensive range. 5GHz is more accessible and can offer a much faster connection to a device, however, the 2.4GHz is stronger in sending signals through walls.

Network cards have created a dual-band with both 5GHz and 2.4GHz within laptops so switching between networks is as easy as choosing which Wi-Fi you want to join. You can experiment with changing the frequency of your Belong modem here.

Choosing the right channel

As we mentioned before, if you’re living in close proximity to a lot of other network signals, your Wi-Fi’s super strength, can become overwhelmed or hindered. Usually, your modem will scan all the radio waves and adjust its settings automatically to get away from the chaos.

You might also find that you are not alone on your Wi-Fi’s channel, there could be a few devices crashing your party. So there’s the option to manually optimise your W-iFi by changing the wireless channel where your connection is currently sitting to another one with less interference.

If you’re a Belong customer, you can do this by logging into the Belong Gateway. Once you’re in, you can choose to scan the wireless environment for new channels available. It depends on the model of your modem, so be sure to check further instructions here.

Secure your Wi-Fi

If you’ve suddenly started experiencing a decrease in your internet, be sure to check how many devices are linked up to your Wi-Fi. The more devices connected can implement speed degradation, impacting the maximum speeds from your network, regardless of the quality of your internet connection. Devices downloading large files, streaming or online video games are the ones to look out for as they’re absorbing most of the Wi-Fi.

Keep your password secured by changing it frequently and checking who’s using your network. If you’re with Belong, you can check this here.

Extending the signal all over

As a wireless signal spreads itself into different parts of a home, the signal gets weaker as it goes through walls and floors and distances itself from the modem. We can’t really change the structure of the building to enhance your Wi-Fi, so it might be a good idea to consider a range extender.

A range extender, Wi-Fi booster or Wi-Fi extender acts like a bridge between the Wi-Fi modem, and the devices connected that are outside modems range. Sometimes placing the modem in the centre of the house won’t work, especially if you have wired devices connected that can’t be moved from its original location. These might be a Network Termination Device (NTD) or an nbn Connection Device (NCD) where your modem is connected in a specific spot.

They’re a reliable purchase if you’ve always had troubles despite the internet plan, or provider you’re with. You can get them delivered to your home from most electronic or computer stores.

Basic troubleshooting tips

If you still don’t have connectivity — there are few basic troubleshooting that can be helpful:

· Reboot the modem and nbn modem — most modems have a reset button or pinprick you can hold down to reset and start all over. Doing this can solve 90% of your connectivity issues.

· Plugging an ethernet cable into your computer and the modem can improve speeds, and identify the problems occurring.

· Running a speed test can help the support team with identifying a speed issue. If you run a speed test with the ethernet cable plugged into the modem and the computer, again it can help eliminate where the issue is coming from.

· Reduce the number of devices that are connected to your Wi-Fi channel, this can improve speed and connection stability.

· Change your Wi-Fi channel, and password regularly in case any neighbours are using your service.

For additional information on troubleshooting and other enquires you can find out more here, or for additional support on COVID 19.

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