How to get the best out of your WiFi service

There are plenty of reasons why you might be experiencing slower than usual broadband speeds and many of them have an easy solution.

Check out our super handy hints below for more guidance on how to get the best performance out of your business broadband.

The placement of your router can make a huge impact on the performance of your broadband.

Keeping your router in a high position facing the room allows for a stronger connection. Also be sure to keep your router clear from anything that may block the signals, like a cabinet or closed shelving, or even other electrical devices - the more space around your router, the better the signal.

In deciding a location for the router, you may want to check if you have 3rd party devices - such as a credit card reader - that need or would benefit from connecting directly to the router via a Cat5 (Ethernet) cable connection.

For more configuration information about your specific router, follow this link.

A slow broadband speed doesn’t always mean there is an issue with your network.  Sometimes it can be an issue with 3rd party devices, such as credit card machines or
online takeout company machines. Where such machines offer a Cat5 (Ethernet) cabled connection option alongside WiFi, and portability is not an issue, It may be beneficial to use the cabled connection to improve stability and security.

To ensure the best performance possible, we recommend contacting these 3rd party companies to help with the setup, as well as completing the port forwarding process. Get more information on how to complete the port forwarding process for your Hitron router here.

Your router sends out a wireless signal using a specific channel in the 2.4GHz band. Sometimes, other devices nearby might be using the same channel, which can cause interference as they compete for the signal. Restarting your router now and then can act as a simple fix as it automatically selects the clearest channel, ensuring a smoother connection.

For more router tips, follow the link here.

You may have noticed you have both a 2.4 GHz and 5GHz connection. In short, the 2.4 GHz band has a longer-range coverage but a slower speed, whereas the 5GHz band offers less range but a faster speed.

For a quick fix for a faster connection, check if your device is compatible with 5GHz functionality and switch from the 2.4GHz to 5GHz.

For more router tips, follow the link here.

Depending on your package you will either have a Static or Dynamic IP. Static IP addresses are the same every time you connect to the Internet. They’re used by all major websites, email services, FTP services and so on. Dynamic IP addresses, however, may change each time you connect to the Internet and every time you send a message over the Internet.

Each one has their own benefits for different broadband uses. You may find you wish to add a Dynamic IP address to your package, which you can do with ease with our flexible package options.

Find out more about IP addresses and which ones may work best for you by following the link here.