A state-of-the-art router isn’t enough to guarantee great performance. You should take advantage of certain features and adjustments to optimize its performance and boost your Wi-Fi signal.
Location, Location, Location
Even the best routers will struggle to provide coverage throughout the home if not placed correctly. Perhaps the most important adjustment you can make to optimize router performance is to place the router in a central location. Placing it at either end of the home or in the attic or basement will reduce its signal.
Instead, place it in the center of the home where it’s visible from most rooms, make sure it’s not on the ground, and keep it away from materials and other electronics that could block or interfere with its signal. As for the antennas, make sure they face different directions, as this will help them reach different areas of the home; receivers work best when parallel to the antennas. For this reason, you should make sure at least one of the antennas is positioned horizontally.
Change the defaults
Just because your router has default settings and it’s working fine doesn’t mean it should stay that way. You should change your default password and SSID (network name) immediately.
Unfortunately, default router login credentials are easy to find on the web. If someone wants to take control of your router, the first thing they’ll do is input your router’s default credentials. Your default SSID name gives hackers information about your network, so you should change it to something obscure that isn’t associated with your address, name, or router brand.
I also recommend disabling WPS, UPnP, and Nat-PMP. These are all default settings that, if compromised, can be used to gain access to your router even without a password.
Choose your Wi-Fi band
Most new routers automatically switch between the 2.4, 5.0, and 6.0GHz Wi-Fi bands. If you have a newer router, it should already be configured to do this; if not, you’ll need to change it to automatically switch between bands.
Some routers can create a single SSID with two or more bands. However, others require you to create an SSID for each band. If it does, your device may not automatically switch between bands. Change channels Each Wi-Fi band operates on its own channel: 2.4 GHz has 14 channels, 5.0 GHz has 34, and 6.0 GHz has 59.
If you live in a densely populated area, you may be sharing the same channel with another router, which can interfere with the signal and slow down your connection. Newer routers should automatically use channels with fewer users to ensure faster speeds.
However, if your router doesn’t, you can use a Wi-Fi analyzer tool to determine which Wi-Fi channel is best for you. Quality of Service (QoS) Configuration Not all devices are created equal. Therefore, some devices should be prioritized over others. You can prioritize internet speeds for specified devices using QoS configuration. If you use resource-heavy devices like a gaming computer or TV for streaming, you’ll want to make sure these devices are lag-free.
Encryption Levels
Most routers use WPA2, WPA3, or a combination of both by default. WEP and WPA encryption levels are also available; however, they are no longer considered secure. Just make sure WPA2 or WPA3 is enabled and that you don’t accidentally change the encryption level to WEP or WPA.
Firmware Updates
Router firmware updates are usually done to improve the security of the router. Even if you bought a new router, it may not be up to date on the latest firmware. Some routers check for firmware updates automatically, but not all. To check and update the router firmware, use the router’s web interface or application.