Welcome to Wi-Fi Troubleshooting
(also known as how to get the lead out of your Wi-Fi)
Are you tired of...
- Slow Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi drops
- Inconsistent Wi-Fi speeds
- That little twirling circle
(also known as how to get the lead out of your Wi-Fi)
Are you tired of...
OK, so let's start with the bad news first... quite often the problem of slow Wi-Fi is actually not the fault of your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Now let's quickly follow that up with the good news... usually most of the causes are fairly easy to troubleshoot and often fix - without having to call your Internet Service Provider which is often a less than satisfying experience.
Your ISP is technically only responsible for getting their service to what's called a demarcation point which is usually a box on the outside your house. If the speed you are paying for is being delivered there, then the ISP has done its job - generally speaking. So the first piece of troubleshooting is to ensure the cable run from the outside demarcation point to your cable modem is solid and hopefully without splitters. If there are splitters between the demarcation point and your modem, you'll want to temporarily remove it/them to perform the speed test at the modem. This may require using a barrel connector to replace the splitter. The next piece of troubleshooting is to check your speed at the modem. See HERE for instructions. If the speed being delivered to the modem is less than what you are paying for, then unfortunately it's time to call your ISP since there is likely very little you can do yourself to fix the issue.
If you've verified that the speed being delivered to the modem is indeed what you're paying for, next it's time to troubleshoot the speed at the router (assuming you have a separate router). See HERE for directions.
Hopefully this information has helped and your Wi-Fi experience is much more satisfying. If you find this all too overwhelming or complex, use the CONTACT form to reach out to us for help. If you live in the southern Twin Cities we may be able to provide service in person - depending on where things are at with the pandemic.
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