What the Tech: Battling slow Wi-Fi after the holidays

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Everyone would like faster internet Wi-Fi in their home. For some, internet speeds have hit a snag.

It’s typical for Wi-Fi speeds to slow down in the days and weeks after Christmas.

Everyone loves the electronic device they got for Christmas. But if your internet has slowed down some since Christmas morning, those new devices are likely to blame.

Every new electronic that connects to Wi-Fi takes up a bit of bandwidth. And if you added a lot to your connection, your router may not be able to handle them all.

The most straightforward fix is a new Wi-Fi 6 router that can handle those devices. But before you buy one, they’re expensive, there are a few things to try.

First, unplug the router you have for 10 seconds and plug it back in. That’ll load updates and refresh its connection. For bandwidth hogs like smart TVs and computers, try to connect to the main router using an Ethernet cable. It’ll still draw power from the router but free up the wireless transmitter.

Where is the router?

It should be close to the center of the house. The installer may have put it in a spot most convenient to them. Make sure it isn’t surrounded by wires that can cause interference and devices won’t connect to it as easily.

If everyone’s phone is connecting to Wi-Fi and you suddenly have streaming issues on the TV, disconnect the phones from Wi-Fi and connect to 4G or LTE. Considering people spend more time in the house, you’ll have wireless data to spare. If you’re using a streaming device, shut it down when you turn off the TV. If they’re playing something on Netflix or another streaming service, they’ll still be connected even after you turn off the TV.

Use the FCC’s Speed Test app to see what download speeds you’re getting, and if you’re not getting the speed you’re paying for, contact your internet provider and ask them, why not?

If you try those things and are still having issues, it’s probably time to upgrade your router.

The FCC is asking people to submit reports of their internet speed through its app. It wants to use that information to add high-speed internet to parts of the country with slow connections.

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