September 12, 2023
Here are five common home Wifi problems and their solutions, including tips on how to extend your home Wifi range.
A fast and reliable home network is crucial for work, entertainment and staying in touch with family and friends. When your network slows down, the fix may prove as easy as learning how to extend wifi range or moving the router to a better spot.
Here are five common wifi questions to ask, along with some solutions:
1. Why Is My Wifi Slow?
One of the most frustrating WiFi issues is a sluggish connection speed that hinders streaming movies, gaming and video calling. Slow wifi can result from various factors, including distance from the router, interference or outdated equipment.
TIP: To maximize your connection speeds, start by ensuring your Cox home internet gateway is placed centrally in your home and away from obstructions and other electronic devices that emit signals on the same frequency. Additionally, make sure your router's firmware is updated and consider upgrading to a newer model with better speed capabilities. With Cox home internet, you are eligible to upgrade to a new Panoramic gateway, which is a modem and router in one device, every three years.
2. Does My House Have Dead Zones?
Dead zones are areas in your home where wifi signals are weak or nonexistent. They might result from some combination of thick walls, architectural features and/or the router's range.
TIP: You can overcome dead zones by placing wifi extenders or mesh network nodes around your home. These devices can amplify the signal and create more consistent network coverage.
3. Why Does My Wifi Signal Keep Fluctuating?
Unsteady signal strength can cause connections to drop. Signal instability may stem from interference, outdated firmware or nearby electronic devices.
TIP: Minimize interference by choosing a different channel on your wifi router. The Cox Panoramic Wifi app can test connectivity health to devices within your home and will provide troubleshooting tips if it detects poor signal strength.
4. Why Are Streaming Movies or Video Calls Dropping?
If everyone in your home is trying to stream videos, place video calls, game, download files and upload photos to the cloud at the same time, there may be a Wifi slowdown or disruption to certain activities.
TIP: With the Cox Panoramic Wifi app, you can control which devices are allowed to connect to your network, as well as when and for how long. You can use the Downtime Scheduler to pause wifi access to certain users and devices for certain amounts of time, freeing up bandwidth.
5. Are Poachers Clogging My Network?
Inadequate network security can expose your wifi network to unauthorized users and potential cyber threats. Weak passwords, unsecured devices and outdated security protocols can result in hackers or poachers taking up your bandwidth and slowing down connections.
TIP: Strengthen your network's security by setting a robust password for your wifi network, combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, and also by creating a guest network for visitors. You can also follow these steps to enable WPA3 encryption for enhanced security and regularly udpdate the router's firmware of your router.
Cox offers a range of security features and lets you monitor your connected devices with the Cox Panoramic Wifi app.
Did you know? The Cox Panoramic Wifi app is a one-stop control center for your home network, where you can organize devices, schedule downtime, kick off Wifi poachers, perform connectivity tests and adjust security settings.
