According to Internet Live Stats, there were 286,942,362 unique Internet users in the United States so far for 2016. And that is only 8.4% of the World Internet Users. No longer do we ask the question, “Do you use the Internet?” But rather, “How many devices do you have?” The phone has gone from the wall to our pockets, connecting us to the World Wide Web as well as our tablets, desktop computers, and gaming devices.
With each of these devices come possible interruptions or Wireless Troublemakers that can deteriorate your wireless connection. Great Plains Communications wants to shed some light on common wireless troublemakers that could be affecting your home connection.
Common Wireless Troublemakers:
- Microwaves – When in use, microwave ovens emit signals that are on the same frequency that wireless devices communicate on. These signals will lessen or even completely knock out your wireless signal strength due to competing for the same space. Moving your wireless router away from your microwave should reduce the effects.
- Baby monitors – As with microwaves, baby monitors use the same frequency that many wireless devices do, and they can overlap your communication between your devices and the router. Moving these devices away from your wireless router or any wireless devices should reduce the interference.
- Wireless telephones – Cordless landline telephones also operate within the same bandwidth that wireless devices do. Keeping the bases and the handsets for these phones away from your wireless devices should reduce their effect on your internet usage.
- Walls, doors, and other large objects – Wireless signals from your wireless router are not powerful enough to make it through thick walls, heavy doors, concrete floors or ceilings. For best performance, you should try to put your wireless router in an area of your home that has the least surrounding walls or the least amount of structures between your device and the wireless router.
- Distance from the AP to the end device – Wireless signal strength decreases the farther the wireless traffic needs to travel back to your wireless router. Instead of a corner or basement location, try placing your wireless router in a central location in your home to ensure no part of your house is too far away for the signal to travel.
Important Wi-Fi Terms to Get to Know
Access Point (AP): Equipment that connects wireless devices together, usually to the Internet. An example of an access point is your wireless router
SSID: Name of a wireless network, which is configured in the access point
2.4 GHz Frequency: Most commonly-used wireless frequency with excellent range; often “crowded” with wireless user traffic and “noisy” with interference from devices such as microwaves, baby monitors, and wireless phones; good for lower-bandwidth applications (e-mail, web browsing, etc.); has three non-overlapping channels (1, 6, and 11).
5 GHz Frequency: Most new APs and devices will now support this frequency. Good range and getting better; excellent bandwidth and getting better; has several non-overlapping channels (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, and 161).
The Importance of a Password-Protected Network
It is very important to keep wireless networks secure. Having an open wireless connection means anyone in the area can connect without a password or other credentials. Besides sharing service bandwidth, anything people do while connected through the service will look like it came from the owner of the open wireless network. All wireless connections, including those for guests, should have security configured.