Wi-Fi in your home

You now have fibre at home, but are not enjoying the speeds you thought you would on your phone, tablet, laptop or other wireless device… why? Without getting too technical, this is because you are accessing this super-fast connection over the wireless in your house that’s being “broadcast” from a small Router in your lounge, study or bedroom. If you were to “plug in” via a network cable, then you would experience the FULL speed that you are paying for… unfortunately wireless is a completely different beast, and you will need to understand it better, and importantly understand its limitations, so that you can have a solution in your home that you are happy with.

• “Wireless” is made up of radio waves, and the communication is a two-way street and therefore the device that is receiving the signal, is just as important as the device that is sending the signal. This means if you are connecting to a brand new router that has a fast internet connection, with a laptop or phone older than 3 years… you will still have a slow connection.
• Wireless signals are interrupted, interfered with and sometimes blocked by the following: Microwaves, baby monitors, Smart TV’s, DSTV Decoders, OTHER wifi signals (from your neighbour) and related electronic equipment
• Wireless signals “bounce” from brick and mortar, steel, steel frames, appliances and even wood, prefabricated walls and other objects. The most significant “blockers” of signal are definitely steel and thick walls however…
• Most wireless access points (AP’s) will downgrade its signal to accommodate for the slowest device connected to it. So if Mom and Dad have brand new iPhones but the kids phones are 5 years old… then your AP has decreased its speed to accommodate for the older technology.

So once you know this… think about where your router is and think about what that signal has to get through to reach your devices.