Ever had that frustrating moment when your WiFi decides to play hide and seek? We've all been there. Sometimes a quick router reboot does the trick, but what if the problem's deeper? We've rounded up common WiFi woes for small businesses and how to tackle them.
We’ve probably all experienced an issue with our internet connection at some point. Sometimes we simply need to turn our router, or our devices, off and back on again to get things working. But sometimes the problem is more persistent. We’ve pulled together a list of some of the most common problems small businesses experience with their WiFi and what can cause them. And of course, we’ve given you some ways to fix them too. We like to be helpful!
If you’re a customer and you’re currently experiencing an issue with your broadband, you can visit our help and support page. During office hours you can also contact us via Live Chat at the bottom right of the screen.
Whilst WiFi routers do have a range limit, the factors most likely to be stopping WiFi reaching everywhere in your building are physical objects. WiFi uses radio frequencies to transmit data. Any barrier between the WiFi router and your device makes the signal weaker and can sometimes block it completely. Biggest culpritsi can include:
• Things made of metal. This includes radiators, TVs, metal blinds, and metal appliances.
• Walls, and the thicker they are the less likely the WiFi signal is to get through.
• Windows, tinted glass & mirrors. They can not only reflect light, but also your WiFi signal.
As you can see, if you’re in a beautiful old Victorian building with solid brick and concrete walls then your Wi-Fi signal might struggle to navigate them. And putting your router behind the pizza oven… also probably a bad idea.
1) Find the best location for your router
Think about all the places you need to access WiFi and try to place your router in the centre of that area. Putting it high up, for example on a bookcase, can help the signal reach further because it is above items that could block it. You’ll be surprised by the difference moving your router a few feet can make.
2) Try a WiFi mesh system
We call ours WiFi Reach. This uses extra units that you place around your premises. The unit connects wirelessly to your router and pushes out the WiFi signal. With clever placement you can get your WiFi to reach to exactly where you need it in your premises.
Technology has been improving at a rapid rate. If you compared the speed and functionality of a mobile from 5 years ago with a recent release, you’d notice a significant difference. The same is true for many of the devices we connect to our WiFi. Some older ones simply won’t be capable of processing your full WiFi speed. This includes devices like laptops, payment terminals, tablets and importantly, your WiFi router. Yes, that’s right. Older and consumer-grade WiFi routers can really slow things down for all your business devices.
1) It’s possible that a bit of tlc could keep things running well enough to get by for now.
Start by checking that all your devices are up to date in terms of software updates, drivers, patches, and the like. If a device is unexpectedly slow try switching it off, waiting for 30 seconds, and then switching it back on again. Sometimes a reset like this can clear issues overwhelming your device’s processor and slowing it down. You should also close apps and software when you’re not using them and delete any that you no longer use.
2) If you’ve got a very old device that’s so slow it’s hindering your efforts.
It’s time to look at investing in something more modern that might better suit your needs. Just don’t forget to wipe information off your old devices before you recycle them!
3) If your router is old and creaking, it’s time to speak to your broadband provider about whether a better one is available.
We provide our broadband customers with a business-grade WiFi 6 router. We chose this because it’s designed to provide higher connection speeds and allow more devices to easily connect at the same time. Perfect for our small business customers!
It's derived from the Japanese character "無線" (pronounced "musen"), meaning "wireless." The symbol was designed by Interbrand and has since become universally recognised as representing Wi-Fi.
You’re ready for a busy day and as people start connecting their devices to your network everything starts to slow down. And that’s frustrating for everyone. Whether you’re trying to connect to essential online software, or simply let a customer pay their bill using a payments terminal, a slowed down service can be bad for business.
Simply put, the more devices that you connect to your Wi-Fi, the slower it will go. What you’re using Wi-Fi for also has an impact. The following types of activity generally take up more bandwidth and can slow your Wi-Fi down:
• Streaming HD video – e.g. YouTube, Netflix, Disney+
• Video-calling – e.g. Facetime, Zoom, Teams
• File-sharing or cloud back-up like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud
• Uploading or downloading large files including software updates.
As mentioned earlier, older routers can also struggle to cope with connections from multiple devices, so it’s worth checking how up to date your router is. And if you have guest Wi-Fi set-up, if it’s not been set-up correctly you could find that this is slowing down other activities using Wi-Fi.
1) Firstly, take stock of what devices are connecting and what they are doing.
Don’t forget to include any smart devices you’ve got connected. This could include smart locks, cameras, lights, thermostat, speakers, displays, smoke detectors, etc. Now you have your list consider whether there’s anything that can be switched off at certain times, or any activities that can wait until quieter periods.
2) For guest Wi-Fi, best practice is to create a separate network on your router, with a separate password.
This allows you to limit how much bandwidth guest devices can use so your network isn’t overwhelmed at busy times. It’s also important for security because you can limit what websites guests can access and keep your business network free of unknown devices.
3) If your Wi-Fi is still too slow then you may need to consider upgrading your broadband speed.
This will often be the case if you have more employees connecting their devices, or you’re doing more bandwidth heavy activity (see above) than you were before. Hopefully, that’s because you’re doing really well and are growing your business! If you’re thinking about upgrading, take a look at our great value broadband bundles. Our customers are small businesses. So we’ve made our bundles to suit small business needs.
These are just a few of the common problems that could be causing your Wi-Fi to act up.
Don't let unreliable Wi-Fi slow your business down. In today’s fast-paced world, seamless connectivity is essential for productivity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. With our tailored business broadband solutions, you can ensure that your Wi-Fi is always performing at its best. Whether you're a small startup or a large enterprise, we’ve got the perfect package to meet your needs.
Find the perfect business broadband package for your Wi-Fi needs. Get a quote today
