Is there anything more infuriating than having slow or unstable WiFi at home? After a hard day’s work, you kick back in your favorite chair and fire up Netflix to watch the latest show, only for the dreaded buffering circle to continually spin around and ruin your relaxation time.

Having slow or patching WiFi is far from ideal, especially when many of us have several devices connected to our routers. We do not only stream television shows, sports, and movies to several televisions but have smart doorbells, Alexa-type devices, and computer and video game consoles, all relying on a robust and stable connection. You can take a few simple steps to improve the speed and quality of your WiFi connection; best of all, most are cheap or even free!

Move Your Router to a Central Location

Your router’s location significantly influences the strength of your WiFi signal throughout your home. WiFi is essentially a radio signal that your router emits in a fan-like pattern. The signal has to pass through objects before it reaches your device, with each thing slowing it down. If you have your computer set up at the opposite side of the house from where your router is located and are finding the mybookie online sportsbook review is painfully slow, it could be that your WiFi signal is struggling to reach you.

Many other household appliances can interfere with your WiFi. Cordless phones, microwaves, and baby monitors are prime candidates for interference. As are high-voltage appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioning units. Try to place your router so it is not in close proximity to these items.

Moving your router to a more central location can massively improve the WiFi speeds your devices enjoy. Keep your router off the floor, and avoid placing it near mirrors and lots of glass, if possible, because these can reflect the signal and slow it down.

Switch to a Different Frequency or Channel

Most modern routers broadcast on two frequencies: 2.4 Ghz and 5 GHz. By default, many WiFi-enabled devices use the 2.4 GHz frequency, which can lead to congestion if you have several devices fighting for the same bandwidth. Think of it in the same way as heading down the busy freeway. If there was an empty lane, you’d switch to it, wouldn’t you? You can change the WiFi frequency in your router’s settings or via the WiFi adaptor settings on your computer or device.

WiFi signals broadcast across several channels, too. Again, they tend to default to one predetermined channel. You can download apps for your mobile phone or computer that scan for the channels used in your locale. Do not be surprised to find one or two of the channels being severely congested. Switching your router to a less busy channel can increase speeds exponentially.

Consider an Extender

There are dozens of WiFi range extenders that are easy to install and do not cost the Earth. These small devices plug into power outlets around your home and boost the signal from your router, acting as a relay. Although they cannot physically speed up the signal, nor can they increase the signal’s strength, but they do extend its range. This makes them great for people that cannot relocate their router to a more central location.

Powerline adapters are another cool gadget worth considering. These devices also plug into power outlets, but instead of boosting a WiFi signal, they pass the internet signal through the electrical wiring in your home before broadcasting it as WiFi or through an Ethernet cable to your device. They are handy for connecting computers, laptops, and consoles in areas of your home where the WiFi signal struggles to be effective.