My WiFi is suddenly slow, wasn't at first

[KevinNYC]

Hi everyone,

as the title says, my WiFi has suddenly gone VERY slow. I used to get around 40/4 which is what I pay for but right now it's around 3-6/3. This only appears on the second floor while the first floor is fine, but at first my second floor was okay too. So can anyone tell me what is happening or help me figure out or something like that?

Thanks in advance, Kevin

 

[Barty1884]

Have you moved anything around? Interference can occur from all sorts of things. New microwave? Home phone? Baby monitor? etc.

Have you ensured your driver is up-to-date for your wireless chip?

 

[mjslakeridge]

It could also be someone else's WIFI network causing interference. Have you tried setting your WIFI to transmit on a different channel? For my Android devices, I downloaded a tool called WifiSpeedTest, that identifies other WIFI networks that may be causing interference.

 

[KevinNYC]

Have you moved anything around? Interference can occur from all sorts of things. New microwave? Home phone? Baby monitor? etc.

Have you ensured your driver is up-to-date for your wireless chip?

Not that I know. No new microwave, home phone is on same location.

 

[KevinNYC]

It could also be someone else's WIFI network causing interference. Have you tried setting your WIFI to transmit on a different channel? For my Android devices, I downloaded a tool called WifiSpeedTest, that identifies other WIFI networks that may be causing interference.

The channels are pretty full already, but I also have an app like that and it tells you which is the best channel to choose, and I am on that channel (6).

 

[mjslakeridge]

To rule out a problem with your device, take it down to the first floor near the router and run the speedtest. If it is still slower than before, it could be an issue with the device or it's drivers. I ended up buying a NetGear WIFI range extender because my router is at one end of the house on the second floor and I had poor WIFI coverage on the first and second floors at the far end of the house (probably 90 feet away). The range extender is near the middle of the house on the second floor, and now I have decent WIFI throughout the house. Plus, the range extender I bought has an ethernet port that I plugged a cable into for my wife's computer in that middle room. Before she just had a USB WIFI network adapter that was not very great.

This is the range extender I have:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wi-Fi-Extender-Essentials-EX2700/dp/B00L0YLRUW

I have seen it for as little as $26 at Fryes.

 

[KevinNYC]

To rule out a problem with your device, take it down to the first floor near the router and run the speedtest. If it is still slower than before, it could be an issue with the device or it's drivers. I ended up buying a NetGear WIFI range extender because my router is at one end of the house on the second floor and I had poor WIFI coverage on the first and second floors at the far end of the house (probably 90 feet away). The range extender is near the middle of the house on the second floor, and now I have decent WIFI throughout the house. Plus, the range extender I bought has an ethernet port that I plugged a cable into for my wife's computer in that middle room. Before she just had a USB WIFI network adapter that was not very great.

This is the range extender I have:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wi-Fi-Extender-Essentials-EX2700/dp/B00L0YLRUW

I have seen it for as little as $26 at Fryes.

The drivers are up to date, on first floor speeds are same as before and I don't want to solve it with an extender since it worked good at first.

 

[mjslakeridge]

Then I would guess someone else in your vicinity recently set up a WIFI signal, or changed the channel it was broadcasting on. I would suggest you try different channel, despite what your software said.

 

[KevinNYC]

Thanks for all of your help and time. I fixed the problem. I just had to reset my router and then I changed the channel again.
Right now I get my +-40/4 again. Thanks again!

 

[mjslakeridge]

Glad you got it fixed! Sometimes the simplest thing will do the trick, and we don't think to suggest/try them first.