5 Common Wireless Router Problems and Fixes Explained
We’ve all been there before; some of us perhaps more than others. Some of us have accepted it as part of the online surfing life; a happening created to possibly irritate us; to prove to us our humanity.
You know what I’m talking about: the case of the router gone rotten!
You’re happily surfing the net in Firefox, one tab loading the latest Mashable article, another tab open with Facebook where you’re awaiting your friend’s reply on a message you sent him; another tab is loading a Harry Enfield Youtube clip; and then, everything suddenly comes to a halt. Harry doesn’t want to share his joke anymore; the guys at Mashable don’t care that you’re not reading their latest masterpiece; your friend seems cold and distant. You’re served with an error page when you open another tab, and then you realise: your connection to the World Wide Web has died; ceased to exist; gone to the big interwebs in the sky.
That’s when you grab your double-barrel shotgun and blast the router to oblivion, laughing madly at the gaping hole in your wall.
It needn’t end that way. With a little love and sound counsel, your relationship with your router could be restored to its former glory. We can provide the counsel. Let’s take a look at how the issue can possibly be fixed, or at the very least be made better.
Problem 1: The router is slower than my dead pet tortoise going backwards up a hill
Solution 1.1 – Tweak your router position and channels
Let’s try to explain why this could be, without making it sound like rocket science. Your router works much the same way as a radio. It picks up a signal, much like your radio, and needs to be tuned, much like your radio, to a specific frequency. The problem is that many other household items also work along the same lines. For instance, a microwave oven works on the 2.5GHz band, which is exactly the same as your router. But it’s not limited to the microwave; cordless phones, baby monitors, automatic door openers and some other electronic devices also share the same frequency, which means that the signal could become congested.
The first thing you could do is turn off any device that may interfere with the signal, or move whichever device may be interfering. Alternatively, you could move your router to a spot in your home where there is no interference, and make sure that you keep any electronic devices away from it.
If one of the above suggestions doesn’t work, there’s one more option to consider, which involves the modification of your router’s channels. You need to access the setup of the router via a browser (such as Firefox) and manually change the router’s channels from there. You’ll have to check your router manual for information pertaining to your router’s channels, and how it can be changed.
Solution 1.2 – Update your router’s firmware
Visit the website of the company that makes your router. See if they offer firmware upgrades (they should) and download the firmware related specifically to your product, IF there is an upgrade to the firmware currently on your router.
Once the new firmware upgrade file is downloaded, go to your router’s utility (or management) window in your browser, and find the window that allows for firmware upgrades. Then search for the newly downloaded firmware package, and upload it. Follow the instructions, which will probably end in you having to restart the router once the upgrade is done.
It is important to make sure that you do not do anything funny while the firmware is upgrading. Don’t turn off or restart the computer, or close the browser window. This may cause the router to crash completely.
Another solution would be to get your hands on a nifty pair of 5GHz band components, such as produced by Netgear or Linksys. This add-on offers you 23 channels, and right now not many people are using these.
Problem 2 – You ain’t got game no more
You’ve forced your kids to join you in a game of “Call of Duty”, and consequently locked them in their room upstairs. Of course their computers are also linked to the LAN, so you’re expecting a lot of action. However, things are so slow you could go and make yourself a coffee while waiting for your bullet to reach its target.
The problem could be caused by a number of things. It could simply be because there are too many players. It could also be caused by an overcrowded router, or by a router not designed to for game playing.
Solution 2.1 – Purchase a pair of 5GHz band components (as seen in solution 1.2 above)
Getting your hands on a pair of 5GHz band components may solve the problem you have with your current setup.
Solution 2.2 – Purchase a gaming router
Linksys and D-Link make some really sweet gaming routers. Much of the gaming headaches of today have been solved by using 802.11n routers. These are simply much faster than older routers, and because of this, increase gaming speeds quite dramatically. Give your kids something to cry about by getting your hands on one of these routers and showing them who’s the boss when it comes to online warfare.
Problem 3 – Your router cannot be accessed
You’ve gone and lost the passphrase you need to access the network. It’s over; throw away your computer and your router, and get rid of your TV. Life as you know it is over.
Solution 3.1 – Reset your router
Life is not quite over if you’ve forgotten your password. If you’ve lost your passphrase, simply reset your router to its factory default settings.
Your router should have a small button on the back that, if pressed for a certain amount of time, resets the router’s settings to default. Don’t look for a large button though, since it is usually not much bigger than a pin’s head, and is recessed. Here’s the problem with taking this route: you lose any modifications you may have made to the router’s settings. However, you can now once again access the router, if you remember the default username and password (which are generally “admin” and “password” respectively).
Problem 4 – Dead Wi-Fi spots
You’ve noticed that there’s a place in your home that your router’s signal cannot reach, even if you beg it with tears in your eyes.
Solution 4.1 – Switch over the 802.11n router
If you’re still on the 802.11g router, then now is the time to switch over to the meaner, stronger, better-looking older brother. Although the standards are not yet completely and finally approved, it is still a good time to make the switch.
With the 802.11g or 802.11b routers, the signal can bounce off only so many walls before retiring for the night. It gets tired! The 802.11n router’s got a lot more stamina. It bounces and reflects off a lot of surfaces, compares reflections and tries to fill in the blank spots. This means the signal is restored almost completely, or totally restored! The router is not just faster, it is also cleverer. You’ll most probably experience much more consistent Wi-Fi coverage with an 802.11n router than with an older model.
Problem 5 – Wi-Fi signal has packed up and moved to another town
You simply cannot get a Wi-Fi signal, since your router is too far from your computer. One solution is to get your hands on a CAT 5e cable that could create a connection between the two points, but for many people this is simply not a viable solution; funds are a problem, or poking holes in the wall would have your landlord up in arms.
Solution 5.1 – Get Powerline networking gear
Homeplug may have the solution for you. They’ve created something the technology of which looks like it was inspired by the beaming mechanism of the Starship Enterprise. What it comes down to is this: you purchase two adaptors from them. One is plugged into an AC outlet near the gadget you want to network with, the other is plugged into an AC outlet near the router. These two adaptors start searching for each other and end up talking. You benefit from their communications, since the signal is transferred through the existing electrical lines in your home.
Be aware though that the technology may not work too well in your home, or may not work at all. The older your electrical wiring is, the higher the chances of it not working.
There may be other issues with your router not covered in this article, but hopefully this will clear up a few issues. If all else fails, read the manufacturer’s manual, and if that fails, give the people who sold you the router a call and see if they can’t help.