Getting good internet speeds is not on the cards for most rural homes. But even if you’re lucky enough to live in one of the rural areas that’s already been connected with full-fibre, ultrafast internet, your Wi-Fi can still let you down.
The thing is, even though your router is capable of uploading and downloading at gigabit speeds, the quirky layout and thick stone walls of old country homes mean traditional Wi-Fi, which is essentially radio signal, will either bounce back or get absorbed.
How to improve Wi-Fi signal in older properties
But there are a few ways to address your poor-performing Wi-Fi and, hopefully, improve it. Here are our top three tips for improving Wi Fi
1. Check your device settings: make sure you’re not slowing your system down with unnecessary automatic downloads or too many connected devices.
2. Move your router: don’t stuff it down between the Chesterfield and the Cotswold stone – put it somewhere central and as open as possible. And don’t forget to think three dimensionally – if your router is on the ground floor and you want to browse the web upstairs, put it on a bookshelf or somewhere higher up. Don’t leave it on the floor!
3. Upgrade to a ‘mesh’ router: There are routers out there designed specifically for traditional country homes, such as the Gigaclear powered by Linksys router. Mesh Wi-Fi works by extending the signal, like a bubble, over your entire property so that the connection is equally strong in every room of the house. This is the simplest option.
Ultimately, whether your house has walls as thick as an underground bunker or is so deep in the English countryside that your nearest neighbour is a 40km away, you shouldn’t have to choose between where you want to live and workable Wi-Fi. Luckily, you may not have to! To find out more about Gigaclear’s Smart Wi-Fi packages with mesh networks, visit www.gigaclear.com
