Are you facing connectivity issues with the Wi-Fi Routers? Even though being at home, you are not able to receive a proper Wi-Fi signal?
It means that either the Wi-Fi router is wrongly configured, or there are service provider issues or the device could be faulty. These are the few things that come to mind.
However, you also need to consider a few unknown or uncommon issues that the general public is not usually aware of.
Today, we will talk about the uncommon issues that a short-range Wi-Fi router faces. And, what would be the best way to counter it, other than upgrading to long-range.
But, before I proceed with the uncommon issues, you need to ask yourself these few questions. By doing so, you could determine the root cause of the connectivity or technical issues arising from your short-range router.
- Are you facing constant connection loss?
- Are you facing any IP address conflicts?
- Do you have to restart the router on a frequent basis?
These are very common questions that arise with short-range Wi-Fi routers and all these issues can be solved with a minimum working knowledge of the router.
However, there are certain issues which you might not know or understand that would cause connectivity loss or low connectivity. Some things which you are not aware of or might cause the connectivity loss will certainly surprise you as well.
Interference – Type 1
The reason I mentioned type 1 here is that there are 3 types of Wi-Fi signal interference that you are not aware of.
You need to know how to reduce or avoid (if possible) these interruptions for a better network connectivity and range.
Short range Wi-Fi Routers are excellent for home use or even a small office, depending on the usage of the network. The first major interference that you need to be aware of would be the walls and floors.
It does sound weird, but yes, they do block the Wi-Fi signals to a certain extent, thereby reducing the overall performance of the router.
You are good with wood and glass for an uninterrupted speed and range. However, denser materials like concrete, brick, and metal will have an adverse effect on the signal strength and range.
Due to this very reason, a room farthest to the device will have low or no connectivity at all. Some of the things that you need to know, which usually block or affect the performance of the router are:
- Cabinets and drawers
- Metal objects
- Thick walls and ceiling
- Aquarium (surprisingly yes)
Interference – Type 2
The second type of interference would be other Wi-Fi networks. Yes, this is an issue which the public is not really aware of.
A densely populated area with a lot of networks through Wi-Fi will cause a network congestion which hinders the performance.
Another reason would be multiple devices trying to connect or being connected to a single router.
Here, you have an option to change the channel similar to your Television by changing the frequency of the router. And, you have a total 11 frequencies to choose from.
Unauthorized access to your Wi-Fi network also will cause congestion, so you need to know who is accessed to your network at all times.
Interference – Type 3
Not only other Wi-Fi networks but various other devices that work with the concept of radio technology will have an adverse effect on your Wi-Fi signal.
These devices generate something called radio frequency noise, which will certainly disrupt the router signals from the Wi-Fi device.
A strong signal can completely mask the signal of a short-range router, resulting in network loss or low connectivity.
The best possible solution, in this case, would be to upgrade your modem to a long range with a stronger signal router.
Also, you could reduce this noise in the radio frequency by not using devices which aren’t needed at all times.
Some of the devices that come under this category of interruption would be:
- Wireless Cameras or security systems
- Microwave ovens
- Cordless Telephones
- Bluetooth Devices
- Wireless Baby monitors
Outdated Equipment
You have a very good router which has been working at top-notch until recently, but it is no longer serving that purpose.
Why do you think this happened? The service provider may have upgraded their network and signals to a newer technology and your equipment is not able to handle this.
So, the router just causes trouble with constant restarts or network drop as such. This is the time to upgrade your equipment after consulting your Internet Service Provider for a more compatible device.
Security
Everyone thinks that their Wi-Fi is secure since you already have a password to access it and you think that no-one else could do it.
However, you are under the wrong impression of a secure network. It is easy to hack a Wi-Fi network and steal information sent over the network.
So, you need to have additional security measures set up to protect your Wi-Fi network.
Upgrade to Long Range
We have already discussed a few uncommon issues with short-range routers and how all these issues can be resolved with a long-range router.
Long Range wireless routers will usually have the stronger signal strength and other Wi-Fi signals will not be able to interfere with them.
Due to the increased range, the possibility of getting blocked by the denser material is nullified, since there are multiple ways the frequency can be transmitted.
Long Range routers are usually compatible with most of the current, and a few future, technologies that are yet to be implemented on a large scale.
This will certainly decrease the possibility of replacing the router with a newer one and will also be cost effective.
Longer range routers will also support more devices since all these routers will have more than one antenna, which helps with the congestion issue.
Conclusion
Short-range and long-range routers have their own advantages and disadvantages. You need to make a well-informed and smart choice here while choosing the router.
Depending on the location, usage and purpose; you could choose either of them. This article has been crafted to help you decide better what to do and what to avoid while using and choosing the best Wi-Fi router.
