Is Your Wi-Fi Slow? Money Saving Expert Reveals Smart Trick to Check Your Broadband Speed
Martin Lewis has revealed a simple trick to help people figure out if they’re getting the broadband speeds they’re paying for.
It can be hard to tell if there is something wrong with the provider’s service or your kit.
The Importance of Checking Your Broadband Speed
This is especially the case these days when we have so many devices like phones, TVs, laptops and games consoles all connected to the Wi-Fi at once.
But the Money Saving Expert has shared a simple way to determine whether it’s the service or your router’s Wi-Fi playing up.
“When it comes to your broadband, if you’re not getting the speeds you want you have to check whether it’s what’s coming into your house that isn’t fast enough or if it’s your Wi-Fi box that’s transmitting around your house that isn’t fast enough,” the consumer champion explained on his Martin Lewis Money Show.
How to Check Your Broadband Speed
What you need to do is carry out a speed test on any device connected to your Wi-Fi. You can do a speed test on speedtest.net.
Note down what the speed comes up as. Now, plug your laptop to the router using an ethernet cable, so that your machine is accessing the internet via a wire and not Wi-Fi.
How to Troubleshoot Slow Wi-Fi
Do the speed test that way, take down the result and see whether the wired connection is much quicker.
“If that’s substantially faster, it’s your Wi-Fi box, not the cable coming into house that’s wrong,” Lewis continued.
Ofcom has voluntary rules which most big name providers have signed up to. It compels service providers to deliver the speeds you were promised when you signed up to them.
“If the problem is on their network and they can’t fix it within 30 days, they must let you leave your contract without having to pay an early exit fee,” the regulator’s website states.
Easy Fixes for Slow Wi-Fi
But if the problem is down to your router playing it, the cause may be down to a number of easily fixed mistakes. “Place your Wi-Fi box up high,” Lewis explained. “Don’t put it in a cupboard – that’s blocking the signal – and don’t have any obstacles near it. All of that could help.”
To resolve more mistakes that can disrupt your Wi-Fi signal, read below.
Little-Known Objects that Can Disrupt Your Wi-Fi
Microwaves (when they’re running)
Baby monitors
Fish tanks
Mirrors
Bluetooth devices
Cordless phones
People don’t realise how many objects around the home can impact their Wi-Fi signal and slow things down. Here are some you may have missed.