Wireless Home Networking 

 

Fix Connectivity Issues

It sounds crazy, but 95 percent of all Internet connectivity problems can be solved by power-cycling both the router and the modem. Turn them both off, and then turn the modem back on first. Once its "sync" or signal light comes on, turn on your router.

Use Encryption

You've probably heard this before, but it bears repeating: Always enable your router's wireless security! Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption is the oldest (and weakest) form of security; the newer (and stronger) Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA-2 are the best protection available today for home users.

Update Your Router's Firmware

All routers include internal read-only chips with embedded instructions that can be updated by the manufacturer. Router manufacturers generally update a product's firmware to increase performance as well as to resolve bugs and security issues, so it's wise to keep your router's firmware up-to-date. Check the manufacturer's Web site for the latest updates.

Boost Your Wireless Signal

If walls and distance are causing wireless signal degradation, you can do a few things to boost it. Move your router to higher ground—the signal radiates downward. You can also try a signal extender (or repeater), which boosts the signal. Finally, high-gain antennas will work, but they only focus the signal in one direction.

Change Admin Password

Every router has a well-known default password that's used to access the router's browser-based configuration page. Most setup wizards will make you change this password, but not all do. If not, be sure to change it yourself to prevent unwanted hangers-on from changing your network's settings.

Go Back to Factory Settings

If you've lost or forgotten your router's login credentials, you can get around this predicament by resetting the router to its factory settings. Do this by holding down the button on the back of it for 30 seconds. Next, look in the manual for the default user name and password, and then change them on your router's browser-based configuration page.
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