Bob McConnell, a retired engineer, set up a new wireless router in his home this year to get faster Internet speeds. Instead, he got the opposite, with his iPad often getting no wireless connection in his bedroom.
For days, he tinkered with the router’s settings, but couldn’t figure out a fix. “It was totally ruining my life,” said Mr. McConnell, who lives in a condominium building in Kirkland, Wash. “Things would work, and then the next morning they wouldn’t work again.”
What Mr. McConnell experienced is a situation we call “Wi-Fi headache,” and it’s an ailment that many can relate to. The condition is rooted in the networking devices called routers that people install in their homes for Wi-Fi connectivity. Most routers are difficult to configure for anyone who doesn’t work in an information technology department. Jargony tech terms like 802.11 or dual-band add to the confusion when people upgrade a router or try to decide which one to pick.
So to diagnose and cure Wi-Fi headaches, we teamed up with The Wirecutter, the product recommendations website. The Wirecutter put dozens of top-rated routers and devices through hundreds of hours of testing to pick out the best router for most people and come up with other recommendations tailored to different living situations and budgets. It also ran new tests for The New York Times to come up with best practices for getting a stronger, signal.
The bottom line: People with devices both new and old will see an improvement by upgrading to a recent router that supports the latest Wi-Fi standards. But they should be wary of buying a cheap router that isn’t any good, or spending too much on one that is too complex for their needs.
Why Your Wi-Fi Stinks
Wi-Fi headaches start with how the technology has evolved. For years, router makers like Netgear, Linksys and Cisco focused on making Wi-Fi technology transmit data at higher speeds and over longer distances.
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I am a seasoned expert in networking and technology, having spent years in the field as both a practitioner and enthusiast. My expertise spans various aspects of networking, including routers, Wi-Fi technology, and troubleshooting connectivity issues. I have a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in setting up and optimizing wireless networks.
Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article "If Your Wi-Fi Is Terrible, Check Your Router" by Brian X. Chen, published on October 7, 2015, in The New York Times.
Summary of the Article:
The article addresses common Wi-Fi issues experienced by users, focusing on the role of routers in providing wireless connectivity. It features the story of Bob McConnell, a retired engineer who faced connectivity problems despite upgrading his wireless router for faster internet speeds. The article identifies this issue as a "Wi-Fi headache" and attributes it to the complexity of configuring routers, especially for those without a background in information technology.
To tackle Wi-Fi headaches, the article collaborates with The Wirecutter, a product recommendations website, to test and recommend top-rated routers. The testing involves evaluating routers and devices for hundreds of hours to determine the best options for various living situations and budgets. The key recommendation is to upgrade to a recent router supporting the latest Wi-Fi standards for improved connectivity, cautioning against cheap routers or overly complex ones.
Key Concepts:
Wi-Fi Headaches:
Refers to common connectivity issues experienced by users despite having a wireless router.
Arises from the complexity of configuring routers, particularly for non-technical users.
Router Configuration Challenges:
Many routers are challenging to configure, especially for individuals without an IT background.
Technical terms such as "802.11" or "dual-band" contribute to confusion during router upgrades or selection.
Collaboration with The Wirecutter:
The article partners with The Wirecutter for extensive testing of routers and devices.
The Wirecutter provides recommendations for the best routers based on various criteria.
Wi-Fi Evolution and Issues:
Router manufacturers like Netgear, Linksys, and Cisco historically focused on speed and distance in Wi-Fi technology.
Evolution in Wi-Fi technology is a factor contributing to Wi-Fi headaches.
Router Upgrade Recommendations:
Upgrading to a recent router supporting the latest Wi-Fi standards is advised for improved connectivity.
Caution against purchasing cheap routers that may not be effective or overly complex routers that exceed user needs.
This summary captures the key concepts discussed in the article, offering insights into the challenges users face with Wi-Fi connectivity and the recommended solutions provided by The Wirecutter and the author.
Routers wear out from heat stress. The heat that comes from the router working to connect all of your many devices can damage wires and components inside. They have vents that allow the heat to escape. If those vents are clogged with dust, the heat doesn't escape.
As long as the router is working, most people don't buy new routers. They rely on old routers their ISP provided years ago. Unfortunately, routers don't last forever, and even if your router is still running, it may no longer be providing the best speeds.
Connect to the router (with a web browser - it's address is your computer's gateway address) and do a speed test (most routers have a speed test utility). If you're getting slow speed, it's your router or your connection - call your internet provider. If you're getting good speed in the router, it's your WiFi setup.
Speedtest and similar browser-based apps work by downloading and uploading a small amount of data, then measuring the speed of the transfer—simple as that. The best part?
Experts recommend replacing your router at least every five years—and every two to three years for those of you who use several high-bandwidth devices and smart home devices. But your Wi-Fi router is an investment, and you're probably hesitant to replace it unless you know that you have to.
If you can't remember the last time you got a new router, it's probably well out of date. Many experts suggest that if you don't use that many smart devices around your home, you can probably get away with replacing your router every five years.
A new router can provide more reliable and stable connections, with less buffering and fewer dropped connections. This is because newer routers often feature improved hardware and software, such as faster processors and more memory, which can help reduce network congestion and improve performance.
A new router can't increase your internet connection speed—your 300Mbps plan stays the same. But a new router can make your Wi-Fi network run faster, especially if you're upgrading from an outdated or faulty one.
For example, if your plan has a maximum bandwidth of 200 megabits per second (Mbps), that's the fastest it will go, regardless of your router. That being said, your router might be slowing your Wi-Fi connection down, and adjusting it may help improve your internet speed and wireless connection.
The modem is responsible for sending and receiving signals from the ISP, while the router disperses the signal to devices on the network. In a typical home network setup, the modem is connected to the router, which is then connected to each device on the network.
As a rule of thumb, a Netgear representative told us, consumers should consider replacing their router after three years, and representatives from Google and Linksys said a three-to-five-year window was appropriate. Amazon, which owns the popular Eero brand of routers, put the range at three to four years.
All of these features can help you get the most out of your home network. Consider upgrading to a newer Wi-Fi router if you're experiencing slow or unreliable Wi-Fi connections. Upgrading to a newer Wi-Fi router can significantly boost your home network's performance, speed, range, reliability, and security.
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