If your router keeps disconnecting it can be a real problem when you use the internet. Do you ever stream videos, music or play online games? If so having a consistent connection is absolutely crucial for your enjoyment of these activities.
Even if you do none of these things, general internet use can still be seriously affected by having a connection that keeps cutting out. If you are struggling with these problems, take a look at some of the potential fixes found in this article.
9 Reasons Why Your Wi-Fi Router Connection Might Drop (And How To Fix it!)
1) First, Test There Are No Other Devices Having The Same Issue
This is a crucial step as it can tell you if the problem is due to the device you are using, or if it is a problem with your network.
To test this out, simply connect another PC, tablet, or basically any device with wireless functionality to your network. If you find that the second device also cuts out frequently then it is likely that the problem is with something on your network.
If on the other hand, the second device works perfectly, then it is fairly likely that the problem is with your first device.
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Issues With PC
So, if you found that the network only cuts out on one of your devices, it is time to find out what is wrong with that device. On a PC, there are a few things that could be causing your network problems.
2) Check Your Wireless Adapter
The first place to check is your wireless adapter. As this is what directly connects to your network, it is where the problem is most likely to be. There are two things that you can do to check your adapter.
First, check for any potential updates to its driver. To do this on Windows, you can go to ’Device Manager’ then ‘Network Adapters’. After this, right click on the correct adapter and select ‘Update Driver Software’. Your computer will then search for available updates and install them if necessary.
The second thing you can do is uninstall, then reinstall the adapter. To do this, follow the steps above, but instead of clicking on ‘Update Driver Software’ click on ‘Uninstall’. You will then be shown a new window to confirm your selection. Make sure the box for ‘Delete the driver software for this device’ is not ticked, and then press ‘OK’.
To reinstall the device, simply reset your computer. When you do this, your computer will see the drivers and reinstall the software.
3) Check For Viruses & Malware
One common problem can be that a virus has affected your computer. To check if this is the case, simply perform a scan using your antivirus software. If there are any viruses present on your computer, delete them and see if it makes a difference to your internet connection.
4) Check Your Wireless Adapter’s Settings
It is possible that your computer will be set to disconnect from wireless communication if it is idle for a certain amount of time. To see if this is the case, right click on your adapter as above, select ‘Properties’, ‘Power Management’ and see if there are any settings that may be affecting your device.
5) Wireless Interference
One potential problem that could be causing you to timeout is wireless interference. Interference can be caused by both physical objects and by other wireless devices.
When checking for physical objects, make sure there are as few walls between your router and computer as possible. Your router should not be in a cabinet or a similar item of furniture that may degrade performance, and if possible make sure your router is in as high a position as possible.
Interference from wireless devices can be caused by other wireless networks, or even things such as Bluetooth devices, microwaves or remote garage openers. A quick way to avoid congestion is to change the band your network uses from the 2.4GHz band to the 5GHz band if possible on your router.
This works because most wireless networks and other wireless devices use the 2.4GHz network. There are also far more channels available on the 5GHz band which means congestion is less likely. However, if your computer is far away from your router, you may have problems on the 5GHz band as its signal does not travel as far.
Alternatively, if you only have the option of using the 2.4GHz band, you can try to switch the channels you use to ones with less interference.
Ok, Onto The Router
If on the first check, you found that all your devices were timing out, it is most likely to be a problem with your network.
6) Reset Your Router
As with most fixes, the first and easiest thing to do is simply reset your router. To do this, disconnect the router from its power source, wait 30 seconds, and then turn it back on again. Your devices should automatically reconnect and you will soon be able to find out if this quick fix has made a difference or not.
7) Check Your Router Settings
Another, slightly more advanced thing to do is to check your wireless router’s settings. To do this log into your router and find the page that relates to network settings. You can then change a number of things including changing from the 5GHz band to the 2.4GHz band (or vice versa) and changing the channel you are connected to or set the router to automatically connect to the best available channel.
Please keep in mind that your router will only select the best available channel on startup so make sure to reboot your router if you want it to select a new one.
8) Problems With ISP
While the hardware you use will often get the blame for problems like this one, it isn’t necessarily the case that it is your hardware’s fault. If you have tried the solutions on this list and had no luck in terms of fixing your connection, it could be time to call your ISP.
Your ISP will be able to check your connection and tell you if there are any problems with the service they are providing. If it turns out that there is a problem, they will be able to advise you on what to do next.
9) Router Firmware Update
This is the most difficult of all the router fixes. Router firmware is often updated to solve problems or glitches in routers. As such if there is a firmware update available for your router it could be worth installing this to see if it solves your problem.
Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy to do as some of the other fixes in this article. There are a number of posts out there about how to do this, but put simply you will first have to check if there are any updates available, either on the manufacturer's website or on in the router’s settings.
If there are updates available, you will then have to download the firmware and install it onto your router. Please bear in mind that should anything go wrong during this process, you may end up rendering your router useless.
As such, and especially if you are having timeout problems, you should make sure all your connections between your router and your computer are wired during the firm grade upgrade process and not done over your faulty wireless network.
We hope our checklist of potential issues helped you out. Did they work for you? Maybe we missed something? Let us know about it below. Thanks!?