Is your internet fast enough? How to boost your Wi-Fi speed

Between you working from home and your kids online learning, most likely from their new kitchen classroom, a fast and reliable internet connection is a definite must. A strong Wi-Fi network allows you to not only keep up with your day-to-day work tasks and meetings, but it also gives you peace of mind that your children are in the next room actively listening and learning—not staring at a blank screen because the connection keeps dropping.

At Asurion, our experts offer total tech care. From troubleshooting complex issues, to helping protect devices from cracks, spills or breaks, or by simply sharing ways to make your tech life work for you—in this case, how to boost your Wi-Fi signal.

If you feel like your home's internet connection is moving at a snail's pace, try these four tips from our experts to boost your Wi-Fi signal strength.

How to check your internet speed

What is the Wi-Fi speed in your home? Websites like Speedtest.net allow you to check your Wi-Fi speed in one easy step. Simply go to the site and click on "Go" in the middle of the screen. That's it! The site does all the work for you.

According to  Speedtest, if you have multiple people working from home, learning from home or using streaming services at the same time, a download speed of 25 Mbps or higher is the best case scenario.

After you learn your internet signal strength in one area of your house, move around to another. See where the speed is the strongest and consider setting up your child's online learning classroom there.

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How to boost Wi-Fi signal strength

"Why is my Wi-Fi so slow?" is a common question our experts hear. The easiest way to boost the Wi-Fi signal strength in your house is to find the best spot to place your router. Look for an open space in the center of your house that is away from other devices. For optimal signal boost, find an elevated spot that's off of the floor.

Another handy tip to boost Wi-Fi signal strength is to regularly reboot your router and keep its software up-to-date. Look for updates on your router admin page.

How to extend Wi-Fi range

So, you've followed the steps to boost your Wi-Fi signal strength, but it's still not quite enough. Now what? A Wi-Fi extender may be your answer. A Wi-Fi range extender, also known as a Wi-Fi repeater, boosts your network by receiving the wireless signal from the router, and then rebroadcasting it farther into your home.

Setup steps for Wi-Fi extenders vary slightly by brand, but generally speaking, they're pretty easy to set up and immediately use. Pick a spot that's near an outlet and in between your router and the device you want to connect. Sync it with your router by pressing the button labeled WPS, and you're good to go.

If you're still encountering Wi-Fi dead zones, perhaps due to your home having a unique layout or several interior brick walls, you might also consider a wireless mesh network to create a more stable connection.

How to block devices from your Wi-Fi network

There are probably enough people in your home already competing for Wi-Fi signal—the last thing you need is neighbors showing up to your Wi-Fi party uninvited. Setting up a strong password is one of the easiest ways to keep unwanted devices off your home network and ensure it's protected. A password also helps stop potential scammers and cybercriminals from intercepting any data sent or received by your laptop, computer or tablet.

How to create a strong Wi-Fi password

The default or factory-set password your Wi-Fi router comes with is usually similar to others and easier to guess than custom passwords. So, get creative with setting up your Wi-Fi password. Best practice is to include a complex series of characters, including numbers, symbols and capitalized letters that would be hard to guess. Just make sure you don't make it so complex that you can't remember it yourself. Also, don't forget to change it often to stay one step ahead. For more tips, read our guide to creating a strong password.