Fiber internet remains the gold standard for high-speed connectivity. Yet, many homeowners still need help with uneven Wi-Fi coverage throughout their houses. The strength of your wireless signal can vary dramatically from one end of the home to the other, leading to slower speeds and frustrating connectivity issues.
We’ve compiled a short list of some of the most common issues our technical support team runs into when helping someone troubleshoot slow Wi-Fi Speeds.
Equipment
Every piece of equipment you use impacts your Wi-Fi speed. Older or legacy devices will run slower than new ones as they process information at a slower rate of speed. In addition to being slower themselves, they also slow down everything else on the network. Only one device can ask for or receive information at a time. Usually, this happens so quickly that it appears instantaneous on several devices. But older devices run slower. They can’t pull everything up in the blink of an eye, leaving the rest of your devices waiting for their turn to send and receive information.
Physical Distance
The physical distance a signal travels decreases the signal strength. Think of it like listening to the radio on a road trip. Your local stations come in loud and clear when you embark on your journey. The further you drive, those stations start to have more static before eventually disappearing altogether. The same is true for your Wi-Fi. The further you go from your source, the weaker the connection.
Wired vs Wireless Connection
We all love our Wi-Fi. It’s super convenient but will be slower than a wired connection. The top-end speed you can expect from a wireless connection is around half of a wired one. That is why wireless connections are about 10-50% slower than their wired counterparts. But don’t worry. This will be fine in most cases. If you have our Home Gig service, the top wireless speed you can expect is 500 Mbps or half a gigabyte. Most activities require less than that speed. You can see some of the most common Wi-Fi uses and their required speeds in the chart below.
Walls and Solid Objects
The materials used in your home or office can impact your Wi-Fi signal. Wood, drywall and even a door can affect signal strength. Look at the graph below. It’s easy to see how these little things can add up.
Number of Devices
Even the world’s fastest internet connection has a maximum bandwidth capacity. Every device you connect to the internet takes a small piece of that bandwidth—think of it like a pie. Some devices, like a smart thermostat, will take small pieces, while others, like gaming consoles, will need a much larger piece. A larger internet package, like our Home Gig, gives you more bandwidth, decreasing the chances of any issues.
Other Devices
Microwaves, cordless devices and even baby monitors can affect Wi-Fi; the signals they send fight for the same space as your internet. Take a microwave, for example. The frequency it emits can interfere with Wi-Fi since both contain electromagnetic waves. They can collide and disrupt your signal.
What can I do about it?
Now that we’ve told you about some things affecting your Wi-Fi signal, you’re probably wondering what to do about it. Well, I have good news. The OEC Fiber Support App is designed to help you identify and correct these issues. It scans your network, identifies likely reasons for a slowdown and gives suggestions on how to fix them. Still needing help? No problem. Our Subscriber Support Team is standing by to help you get the most out of your Wi-Fi.
