Imagup General Magazine 2024
When you sign up for a broadband deal, your service provider will offer you a free ISP router. Although most packages offer the routers for free, they could be holding you back from accessing high-speed Wi-Fi.
You should consider upgrading the ISP router to find a router that will provide an improved browsing experience, improved security and enhanced performance. To enjoy unlimited features from a router, get one from third-party manufacturers at a fee.
Best routers from third parties such as Belkin, TP-Link, and Netgear offer other additional features that free ISP routers barely offer.
Some of these features include USB and network ports, internet security, remote access, printer sharing, parental controls, and file sharing through VPN.
How do you determine what is slowing down your Wi-Fi?
Is your Wi-Fi regularly down? If yes, the first step you should take to address the issue is to figure out the cause of the slow internet speed.
Many free online services can help you determine what is wrong with your internet. You can use free services like Speedtest.net to determine the speed of your Wi-Fi and compare it with what you signed up for.
All you need to do is:
- Compare the ISP advertised rate against your average speed. To do this, first check the speed of your Wi-Fi. From here, you can compare your free ISP router’s speed with what the manufacturer states. Note that if you are using many devices to access the internet through your router, its speed will slow down. If you realize that the current speed is similar to the advertised rate, consider limiting the number of devices using Wi-Fi.
- If the speed you get is similar to the advertised speed, you may need to do a more detailed speed test. A complete speed test will include connecting an Ethernet cord to your modem and determining the Wi-Fi speed. If you find out that your device doesn’t attain the expected rate, then your ISP could be having a problem. As a result, you will need to replace the free ISP router with the best router.
How do you improve the speed of your Free ISP Router?
If you are using a free ISP router, and the speed of your Wi-Fi has reduced, here are essential troubleshooting tips that could help you increase its speed:
Consider rebooting your ISP router
If your router has some software issues, its speed will slow down, and this can be ineffective. You can improve the speed of your free ISP router using a simple reboot procedure.
To reboot most routers, you only need to unplug it and allow it to stay for a minute or two before plugging it back.
Limit the number of users
When many people access your Wi-Fi, your internet speed will reduce significantly, and it will start buffering. If your Wi-Fi is not secured, consider setting up a strong password to limit those who can access it.
You should also consider changing the password regularly since people you shared your password with may have given others access, thus increasing the number of users. Changing the password more often will limit the number of people using your Wi-Fi.
Change the free ISP router channel
ISP routers use channels that use remote access through VPN to ensure that you can connect with remote sites or other networks.
For instance, if you live in an apartment or a highly-populated area, there is the possibility that the channel you are using is shared with other users, something that might explain the slow internet speeds.
To enhance the speed of your internet, you should consider changing the channel that your wireless router is using.
Check if your free ISP router’s antenna is in good condition
Before taking any drastic measures, it is imperative that you assess your router’s antenna to establish whether it needs to be replaced. Your reduced internet speed could be due to a worn-out antenna. You should also determine the kind of antennae you are using.
It is recommended that you use an omnidirectional antenna that emits a 360-degree signal for residential use and multi-location routers. Note that single-directional antennas are recommended for single-direction routers. Taking these simple steps can help you increase the strength of your Wi-Fi signal.
Relocate your router
When using a free ISP router, your internet speed could be compromised by other devices. If your router is located close to electronic devices such as microwaves, televisions or cordless phones, you should move it away.
It should be a few feet away from electronic devices to ensure that you get a strong Wi-Fi signal and fast browsing speed.
Buy a new router
You could be experiencing low internet speed because of a weak Wi-Fi signal, and the solution to this could be buying a new router. Purchasing the best router from digitalhomemag.co.uk comes with benefits such as faster Wi-Fi speeds due to stronger signals.
What’s more, it is cheaper in the long run. If you buy a new router that offers improved browsing speed, you will enjoy faster internet speeds, and this allows you to accomplish your activities faster.
Conclusion
Although you get a free ISP router every time you sign up for a broadband deal, it might hold you back due to its low speed. In some cases, however, you could quickly get the best out of your router through basic troubleshooting.
Before you blame your router for slow internet speeds, be sure to assess the setup to determine the underlying issues and resolve them quickly. Rebooting your router can help solve some of the problems that could be holding you back in the quest for faster Wi-Fi speed.
