Not to be confused with your 3G or 4G phone wireless carrier, Wi-Fi for your computer and home network is a technology you use at home with a computer or wireless device to talk to your network.

At home this is usually to your wireless router which is connected to the internet, and the device you connect to is referred to as your WAP – Wireless Access Point.

As wireless technology goes, you are usually able to get a decent signal within 50 feet depending on a range of other factors such as interference, distance and other devices and wall in between etc.

This post will try to discuss more about understand wireless technology and the factors which influence a good connection between points.

Other Wireless Transmitting Devices

Most problems can either be repair or replaced. The problem when we have other wireless transmitting devices interfering with our wireless connections it it might not be devices you own.

Its all well and good if one of your other computers or routers in the house is causing the conflict, but a lot of the time it could be one of your neighbours. Someone within 50 metres in every direction might have a wireless device similar to yours or something that does play nice with other causing you to have problems.

Sometimes changing your wireless channel can fix this, other times hardware needs to be replace. The biggest problem with this type of conflict is it is very time consuming and a lot of process of elimination.

Wireless Access Point/Router Positioning

It is not good having your wireless access point in your shed or under your house a long way from all the computers trying to connect to.

An ideal position is somewhere centrally located in your house or business where all connecting clients, computer, tablets and phones all have a relatively equal distance form the device.

Positioning your router next to other transmitting and receiving devices, even television or close to walls with lots of electrical wiring can cause signal degradation.

Positioning your access point in the correct location can be the most important and cheapest strategy to having and decent wireless network in your home or company.

Reboot Your Router

Like the rest of us, computer and network equipment gets tired and needs a rest. Your router will build up lists of IP addresses and ARP tables which sometimes cause it to run slow and bog down.

Sometimes a simple reboot or leaving your router off for 5 or 10 minutes to let it cool down can do wonders for both your internet connection and wireless network.

If you can keep your wireless modem or equipment in a well ventilated or cool air-conditioned place will certainly make it run at optimal performances.

Your Computer

You might not know it but your computer or another computer on the network might have some kind of Malware, virus or program which is using up all your internet in background without you knowing.

Some programs do it on purpose and others are just poorly made and susceptible to infections.

Isolating nodes on the network and checking no one else like a neighbour or someone sitting outside your house using your internet connection can be a very effective way in determining why your internet and wireless network is running slow.