When it comes to many things in life – speed is of the essence. Just ask Eliud Kipchoge, the Kenyan runner who, earlier this month, ran a marathon in under 2 hours. Or the England Rugby Team, who scored a try in the opening two minutes of their semi-final match against the All Blacks (but we’re not going to go there!)

Speed is also of the essence here at Lightwire, which is why we do all we can to keep your wireless connection as fast and reliable as possible. However, we also know the strength and mobility of your internet connection can sometimes be inhibited.

So, we’ve looked at the four most common issues that could be affecting your streaming and how you can work to combat them. Why? Because, we want you to be able to stream the things you love without unnecessary interference – unruly children and spark streaming not included 😉

WAN vs. Wifi, what’s the difference?

Back before there was wifi, users had to connect to the internet through a Local-Area Network (LAN) connection, commonly known as an ethernet cable. When you’re using wifi, the Wide Area Network (WAN) port in your wifi router connects to your LAN, enabling the signal to form your wireless connection.

A wireless network is very similar to a wired network, but with one difference… devices don’t use a direct cable to connect to the router.

If your wireless router is not working, you always have the option to directly connect to the router, to ensure your connection is maintained.

Router location

When it comes to the placement of your modem, it’s like the real estate market: location matters. The position of your wireless router, affects both the coverage area of your signal and your wifi signal strength.

The ideal placement of your wireless router is in a central location. This will reduce wasted coverage, create an even circumference for the signal and eliminate any unnecessary distance between your devices.

Obstacles create signal interference

Physical objects affect the wireless communication range and speed as much as location.

When considering where to place your router , think about the materials surrounding it. For example, wood, plaster and glass have low interference levels, whereas mirrors, metal and concrete will weaken your signal strength and make it difficult to establish a connection.

There’s also technology to consider. Wireless interference can cause wifi and Bluetooth devices to disconnect or disrupt the signal. Common household items (read: electronics), such as your microwave oven, cordless phones and baby monitors, can all sabotage your online streaming.  Placing items away from, and not directly on, these items will help eliminate interference.

Prioritise your device usage

Is the whole family home and suddenly your internet is on ‘go slow’? It could be the number of devices using your connection.

Every device connected to your wireless network takes up a proportion of your bandwidth. So here’s a pro tip: your router doesn’t think in terms of priorities, it thinks in terms of capacity and where it’s being used the most.

How can you increase your speed? Disconnect a couple of devices and see if that does the trick.

Speed up your connection

Remember, if you’ve tried to use the above but are still struggling with your connection, contact our customer care team. They may not have the answer, but they can help talk you through common issues experienced by any of our 7,000 connections across the Waikato/Bay of Plenty. They’re here to help and are happy to do so.

Do you have a question? Contact our customer care team today on 0800 12 13 14.