Can Items in Your Home Interfere with Your Wifi?

If you’re experiencing spotty wifi connection in your home, and notice slower performance or disconnection from wifi, there may be some ways you can easily minimize it. The first thing you need to do is recognize the interference. If you notice one of the following, you should check for interference:

• Low signal strength in the wifi menu

• A slower connection to the internet when using your wifi connection

• Slower file transfers between computers over wifi

• Inability to pair a bluetooth device like a Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad or Apple Wireless Keyboard

• Erratic or “jumpy” pointer movement when using at Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad

• Intermittent “connection lost” messages when using a bluetooth device

While dealing with poor wifi connection is annoying, there are things that are commonly found in your home that can interfere with your wifi networks and bluetooth devices if they are nearby. You can check for the following items:

• Microwave Ovens: using your microwave oven near your computer, bluetooth device, or wifi base station may cause interference

• Direct Satellite Service (DSS): The coax cable and connectors used with some types of satellite dishes can cause interference. Check the cabling for damage that could cause radio frequency interference. If you suspect interference, you can try replacing the cables.

• Power Sources: Certain external electrical sources like power lines, electrical railroad tracks, and power stations can cause interference. To avoid this, don’t locate your AirPort Base Station, AirPort Time Capsule, or wifi router near power lines in a wall, or near a breaker box.

• Wireless Speakers or RF Video: Wireless audio or video transmitters that operate in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidth can cause interference with other wireless devices or networks.

• Poorly Shielded Cabling: External hard drives or other devices with poorly shielded cabling can interfere with your wireless devices. If disconnecting or turning off the device appears to help, try replacing the cable that connects the device to your computer.

• Other Wireless Devices: Other wireless devices that operate in the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidth, such as microwave transmitters, wireless cameras, baby monitors, or a neighbor’s wireless device, can cause interference with your wifi or bluetooth connections.

If you’re looking for new, reliable, and fast internet service, Mid Century Fiber is coming to keep you connected with today’s technology. If you’d like to learn more about how you can get faster, more reliable internet, give us a call today at 309-778-8611, or visit our website to learn more.