Routers are ugly-looking things, so your inclination may be to hide them. That’s a bad idea because routers are susceptible to overheating and need good airflow.

The first thing you can do is to simply relocate your router to a more central location. A router broadcasts Wi-Fi signals in very much the same way as a light bulb shines light across the room. In order to efficiently light the room up, you have to put the bulb in a central location. It is the same with routers.

Generally speaking, the router should be placed in the center of the area that you want Wi-Fi coverage. Additionally, try not to position it near any obstructions like walls, glass, mirrors, or any electronic or metallic objects. These can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal. Also, don’t put it on the floor. Instead, try to put it in an elevated position preferably on a desk, side table, or console table.

Changing the position of your router aside, there are a couple of other things that you can do to improve the performance of your router for free. One of the first things you should do is to ensure that your router is running on the latest firmware. Router manufacturers often make software tweaks to improve the performance and security of their routers, so it is important to make sure that your router is running on the absolute latest software.

If you live in a densely populated place, chances are, there are lots of other Wi-Fi networks being broadcasted apart from yours. This can cause interference and result in signal degradation. The important thing to note is that Wi-Fi networks operate on different channels, so what you want to do is to use a channel that is not used by the other Wi-Fi networks in your area, or at least a channel that’s not heavily congested.

Fix this by selecting a different channel for your router (consult your router’s manual to see how to do this).

To determine what Wi-Fi channels are free, use an app like Wi-Fi Analyzer (for Android, for iOS), which shows all the Wi-Fi networks in your area and the channels being used. Other excellent tools are as follows:-

• Windows OS based systems: Acrylic WiFi Home scanner
• Mac OS based systems: WiFi Explorer
• Singtel too has a handy browser-based tool to help out for Windows and Mac OS based systems.

You can change your own Wi-Fi network’s channel simply by going into your router’s management system.

Additionally, if you have a dual- or tri-band router, it is worth spending the time and effort to manually manage your Wi-Fi networks. Dual-band routers mean they’re sending data over two network signals: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 5GHz network is often far less crowded and offers more channels to hook onto.

To speed up your connection, our recommendation is to turn off band steering, which automatically assigns client devices, and manually assign performance-critical devices to one of the 5GHz networks and then everything else to the other 5GHz network or even the 2.4GHz network. This way, you ensure that performance-critical devices get the best possible performance.

For instance, activate both networks and connect mobile devices to 2.4GHz, while laptops and desktops should be on 5GHz.

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If your network password is too simple, there could be more people tapping into it than you expected. There are easy ways to find out if someone is stealing your Wi-Fi, but the best thing to do is just lock them out with better security.

Some routers come pre-programmed on their “power-saving” or “eco-modes”, which while great for the environment, also reduces your bandwidth disproportionately. If you value bandwidth over minimal power saving, switch these default modes off.

Other routers aren’t the only thing that can cause interference. Cordless phones, microwaves, and other appliances can mess with your signal as well. Try moving your router further away from interfering appliances or buy a dual-band router to stop the problem from rearing its ugly head once and for all.

If someone in your house regularly video chats, plays online games, torrents files, or uses services like Netflix, they may be making the internet slower for everyone else. Set time limits for these types of applications, so they don’t clash with your work-from-home hours. It’s all about compromise!

Yes, the old “Did you try turning it off and on again?” tip you’ve probably heard from your office’s IT department. Well, sometimes that’s all it takes, really. So if your connection is sluggish, try rebooting your router every so often so it doesn’t drop out. You can run a few tests to make sure the problem isn’t caused by heat, old firmware, or excess downloading first.

An easy way to solve the problem is to automatically reboot it once a day or so using an outlet timer.

One of the best ways to make sure your network is as fast and reliable as possible is to use up-to-date equipment. There are a few different ways you can do this:

Use an ethernet cable

Trying to change the position of your router is sometimes easier said than done. One of the biggest challenges in doing so is that for most people, the fiber terminal point and optical modem is usually positioned near the entrance of the house, which is often not in the center of the home. One way to get around this problem is to position the router centrally and then connect it to the optical modem using a long Ethernet cable. Admittedly, this is not the most elegant solution, but it is the most cost-effective and efficient.

Use a range extender

Range extenders are perhaps the most affordable way of expanding Wi-Fi coverage. However, be warned range extenders are really only signal boosters. As a result, expect performance to suffer some degradation, even if Wi-Fi coverage is expanded. Nevertheless, their affordability makes them attractive options. Some Wi-Fi is better than no Wi-Fi at all, right?

Mesh networking system

If you have stubborn Wi-Fi dead spots at home, a mesh networking system might be a worthwhile investment. Unlike range extenders which simply amplify existing Wi-Fi signals, mesh networking systems use Wi-Fi technology to extend the coverage of your Wi-Fi network. This means better range and performance. The only downside is that they typically cost quite a bit more than range extenders. Check out this mesh networking guide to know more.

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Text: Kenny Yeo/Hardware Zone, Additional reporting: Atika Lim and Elizabeth Liew

This post was first published on November 28, 2016, and updated on April 16, 2020.