In the last few years Wifi has become an integral part of our lives. Much of activity has converged down to our PC’s. People don’t watch TV like they used to. Likewise, students don’t have the time to raid libraries when they can easily find a lecture online. But streaming videos online is not always a pleasant experience, and certainly a nerve-raking one when a video takes endless buffer time. If you regularly watch videos online you should definitely try these 5 hacks next time your Wifi streaming is in a slump.
1. Restart your router
While some people might think that restarting your router is a last resort to fix WiFi, in most cases it actually works. Sometimes, the connection between your device and the router or the router and your ISP can get ‘hung up’. The best thing to do in this scenario is to restart your router. If your router has a reset button, hold it down for a few seconds. Or you could unplug it and switch it back in after a minute.
Another important thing to get the most benefit out of your router is to place it at a strategic location where it is almost equidistant from all the users. Also, try to keep the antenna in a vertical position to get a better signal throw.
2. Clear your recent history
Some people have a bad habit of not shutting down their PC. While this is also bad for your PC’s security (improper shutdown leads to a halt in Windows updates which can make your computer vulnerable to viruses), this also kills your browsers ability to stream videos properly. When we close a browser, all the temporary files that were downloaded to display webpages are also deleted. If you don’t shutdown properly or shutdown in a haste, these temporary files continue to accumulate and weigh down your browsers ability to do its job properly. So close your PC properly and before you start streaming clear out your recent history; this deletes the temporary cache.
3. Check if someone is torrenting on your router
Anyone found torrenting or streaming is probably the target of everyone else’s wrath. While downloading heavy files does sufficiently slow down the Internet for rest of the users, there is a tip you can try next time. If two people are torrenting or streaming but are both positioned close to the router they may not experience slow Wifi.
4. Get a signal extender
Large, multi-story houses will definitely experience slow Internet. While Wifi signals have the ability to travel long distances, walls and floors can considerably cut short that distance. In such a case it is often better to install a Wifi signal extender in your house. A signal extender will be your saving grace and re-transmit signals to distant corners of your house. Signal extenders are easily available in gadget shops or online.
5. Switch to a different Wifi channel
Sometimes when you experience sluggish Wifi, it is possible that the Wifi channel assigned to you is overcrowded. Luckily there is an Android app called Wifi Analyzer that automatically detects and tells you which Wifi channel is better suited for you. To change your channel type your router’s IP address into the browser (the IP address is printed on the back of your router). After entering your username and password, go to Wifi settings and select the channel the Wifi Analyzer app indicated best for you.
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