Is your care home WiFi feeling the pressure? Tips for better WiFi

These are some very unusual times we are living in right now – we are put putting a huge strain on the internet as a whole, but in particular, we are stressing  WiFi networks like never before. If you’re not using one of our dedicated care home WiFi systems that guarantee excellent coverage, here are some tips that might help:

Tips for Better WiFi 

•Move closer to the router for better signal and performance

•Update your router if it is old (>5 years) and/or the connection type is 11n

•Add access points to cover areas in the house that have poor coverage

•Call your ISP to increase your bandwidth if you have <20Mbps connection

•Adjust router antennas if present – position rabbit ears vertically for horizontal coverage

•Use 5Ghz channels if possible for best performance and least interference

•5GHz is channels 36 through 165, 2.4GHz is channels 1 through 14

•Select the wireless card on laptop to prefer 5GHz if this setting is available on your driver

•Be aware that microwave ovens, cordless phones, etc. may interfere with Wi-Fi

•Connect non-mobile devices (printers, TV’s) to Ethernet to avoid Wi-Fi spectrum use

•Reboot modem/router/AP if this has not been done for a long time

•Connect directly to the Ethernet on your router if all else fails

Tools for Checking Your WiFi

•Check the performance you are achieving

•Go to www.speedtest.net to check speed of connection in different rooms/areas to see where you have good/bad coverage

•Check channel and signal strength of the AP you are connected to

• Windows 10: Go to Settings – Network & Internet, click on SSID name, scroll to Properties
• Mac OS: Hit Option key + Wi-Fi symbol at the same time

•Check for interference in the area

• Download a Wi-Fi app to see what channels are strong in the area

If you’re still struggling and want some more advice or to talk about the care home WiFi systems we install for other care homes then please get in touch.