Wi-Fi keeps dropping? Try this first

Before you call anyone, these steps fix a surprising number of Wi-Fi problems.

1. Restart in the right order

1. Unplug the modem (the box from your internet provider) and the router
2. Wait 30 seconds
3. Plug in the modem first and wait until its lights settle
4. Then plug in the router

If your provider gave you a single box that does both, just restart that one.

2. Move the router

Wi-Fi spreads out from the router and gets weaker through walls, floors and metal. Put it up high, in the open and as central as you can. Not in a closet, not behind the TV, not on the floor, and not next to the microwave.

3. Check what it's sharing with

Lots of devices at once (phones, TVs, cameras, smart plugs) can overload an older router. Your neighbours' networks on the same channel can also get in the way. A better router, or a second access point, often fixes both.

4. Check its age

A router more than five or six years old may simply be worn out, or too slow for how you use the internet now. Look at the label: newer routers say Wi-Fi 6 (or 802.11ax) or later.

5. Bigger places need more than one

In a large home, a shop or an office with several rooms, one router rarely reaches everywhere. A mesh system or wired access points give you strong Wi-Fi in every room. For desks that need a rock-solid connection, a network cable is still best.

Still dropping? We measure where the signal fails and why, and set it up properly.

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