1. Turn your WiFi router off and on

It’s the classic, stating-the-obvious tip but it has become a cliché for a reason. Some home WiFi issues can be fixed simply by unplugging your WiFi router, waiting a few minutes and then plugging it in again. A reboot will reset your router, may improve speeds and can iron out glitches.

2. Get to know your kit

Do you have red and green lights flashing on your router? Familiarise yourself with the device’s lights and icons so it’s easier to spot any problems. Most WiFi routers are easy to understand but each generation has a slightly different interface. Always check with your service provider to find out what they mean.

3. Put your router in the centre of things

Where you place your router can make a huge difference to WiFi coverage around your home. Prioritise the rooms where you most need a signal (your home office and your TV room, for example) and place the router in a central spot between them. If you’re living in a two-storey property and your router is on the ground floor, pop it on a high shelf to boost the signal for devices upstairs. Even if you’re in a flat, it’s always better to move your router off the floor. WiFi signals radiate vertically as well as horizontally, so you want to make sure your router can broadcast freely.

4. Give your router some space

You may want to tuck your router away to keep those surfaces clean but try to resist the tidying temptation. Your router will work best if it’s given space to breathe, away from obstructions that can cause interference or overheating. And don’t place it near devices such as a microwave or a baby monitor. Signals from many wireless electronics can mess with WiFi signals and disrupt performance. As a rule of thumb, aim for 1m of clearance on all sides.

5. Avoid walls and windows

Most building materials will let a WiFi signal through but try to avoid putting your router right next to a concrete or brick wall, because they absorb radio waves more than wood or plasterboard. Glass won’t hamper your signal but by placing your router next to a window, you’ll be flooding the outdoor space and not targeting the signal inside where you need it.

6. Keep your router upright

To give your router the best chance of broadcasting an optimum signal, keep it upright with its lights facing into the room. This way, the internal WiFi antennas will be in the best position to work most effectively.

7. Boost your coverage

If you discover that part of your home is a WiFi dead zone, there’s a simple solution: add some WiFi boosters to extend your coverage. With a Volt bundle you get up to three WiFi Pods at no extra cost to help you get the most reliable WiFi all around your home. Find out about WiFi Pods.

8. Lose the hangers-on

On a motorway, heavy traffic means slower speeds; it’s the same with your WiFi. When lots of devices are connected to it, the available bandwidth is reduced and so is the speed. Do a spring clean and make sure the devices connected to your WiFi are devices you’re currently using. Applications and services running in the background can also slow things down, so shut down or pause anything you don’t need.

9. Check your firewall settings

Your computer’s firewall is there to block harmful incoming connections so it offers important protection, but you can disable it temporarily to see if it’s hampering internet speeds. If it is, you may be able to change the settings to “performance optimised” rather than “maximum security”, for example, to get things moving more quickly.

10. Keep up to date

It’s easy to ignore those update notifications but old software can slow things down. And updates contain the latest security patches, so it’s doubly important. Make sure you’re running the latest system and software by updating whenever you receive a prompt.

Supercharge your world with Volt

When you’re with both Virgin Media and O2, you can enjoy supercharged connectivity at home with a Volt bundle, plus exclusive Volt benefits. For example, you can enjoy our WiFi Guarantee included at no extra cost, promising at least 30Mbps download speeds in every room or get £100 bill credit. It’s also backed up with up to three WiFi pods on us if you find any WiFi blackspots in your home.

You can also get a Virgin Media broadband speed boost to the next available level (if you aren’t already on the fastest speeds in your area, up to a max of 1Gbps). Not only that, you can get double the mobile data for every eligible O2 Pay Monthly plan in your household.

Find out about our Volt bundles

 Published: 6 May 2024