Common Router problems and their solutions
The internet is becoming a basic need nowadays as most smart devices, online gaming platforms, and streaming video services require a strong internet connection.
Having a bad router can really ruin someone's day especially if you're working from home and most people end up contacting their Internet Service Provider to solve the issue without doing basic checks on their router. We've listed down a few common router problems and solutions to help you.
Here are some of the common router problems and their solutions:
Your internet is slow
If you’re using an ISP-provided router, then your buggered. It's time to reboot and reconnect to your router. Most of the routers provided by ISP’s are buggy and require frequent restarts.
Run your speed test to see if the speed is as expected. If after your restarts, you still have no luck, it's time to delve into the deep ends and take a look under the hood at your router configuration. It's not really that scary.
Your pages take too long to load
On shared DSL and cable you are effectively sharing the same bandwidth with your subscribers. Network congestion may be the cause of your slow internet.
You should check your speeds throughout the day to see if your ISP is oversubscribed.
You’ve forgotten your router’s password
If you have changed the password or forgotten the password, use the routers reset button on the back to reset the password back to factory defaults.
Most ISP routers will retain your original DSL details and revert the passwords back to the defaults on the back of the router.
Sometimes your internet disconnects
Surprisingly bad weather can also cause your internet service to become interrupted. It may be cabling running to your house or some outage at the service provider. You should do a ping test and see if it's a common issue.
Your ISP will be able to help by doing a line test and adjusting any signal levels. On a network level, you should check if the connection is dropping or if it's a local issue.
Your neighbors are stealing your wireless signal
If you think your neighbor is stealing your internet you can change your password. Most ISP-supplied and recent routers on the market offer at least WPA2-PSK and that is still the strongest wifi standard.
You can log in to your router using the settings password on the back of the router and change your wifi password.
You don't get a wireless signal in your kitchen/garden/shed
Although these funky routers are great for most homes, occasionally you will run into a blind spot or not have enough signals.
For a permanent solution, you should get yourself an access point. I recommend the Unifi Access points. They are a great way to extend wireless seamlessly.
Your ping times are high and your have lag
Be sure to check nothing is stealing the valuable bandwidth. Where else could your bandwidth be used? Think of the devices that you have connected around your house. your TV, your DVR, speakers, computer, phone, laptop, CCTV – These could be using some bandwidth, or if they’ve compromised, like the recent Mirai IoT Botnet which created record DDOS traffic you could be a bot sitting in the middle of a Warfield.
In conclusion, there are some easy quick-fix solutions that don't require you to look for tech support. If none of these solutions work for you, try updating the router's firmware else it may be time to switch to a different internet service provider.
Not sure how to keep your network secure?
Call us at +65 6262 0402 or email us at care@acebizservices.com to get the information details on your needs.