If your broadband feels a little sluggish, now is a good time to hit the power button and restart your Wi-Fi
We all want faster and more reliable broadband speeds beamed around our homes and a very simple hack could give things an instant power boost. Virgin Media recently emailed customers with a top tip for improving downloads – it only takes a few minutes of your time and you don’t need to be a Wi-Fi wizard or tech expert either.
All you need to do is find your Wi-Fi router, reach around the back and tap the power button to the off position. Wait for one minute and then switch it back on again. Yes, it’s as simple as that but Virgin reckons it will fix an array of issues and could help speed your internet up.
“If you find your broadband is unusually sluggish, the first port of call should be to power cycle your Virgin Media Hub – in other words, the classic “turn it off and on again” method,” the broadband provider explained.
“It might seem simplistic, but power cycling your Hub (especially if it hasn’t been done in some time) can help to clear the Hub’s memory and CPU of older and no longer needed data and processing.”
Virgin also says that whilst the router is off, it’s a good time to check the cables and make sure they are screwed in tightly and nothing is loose or damaged.
It’s definitely worth following this advice just be warned that the full reboot can take around 10 minutes. So, make sure you don’t need the internet, are in the middle of an important download or are about to make a Zoom call to the office before tapping the off switch.
If that doesn’t have the required affect then you might also want to run a simple check that compares your Wi-Fi to a wired connection.
This will show if it’s your actual broadband that’s slow or if your wireless connectivity is being disrupted by obstacles around your home.
To check your Wi-Fi simply run a speed test – Ookla and Google both offer free broadband download checks – using your wireless connection. Write down the result then plug your laptop directly into the router using an Ethernet cable.
Run the same test again and compare the speeds – if wired is much quicker you know it’s your Wi-Fi that’s causing the headaches.
You can try moving your router to a better position, keep it clear of obstacles and also look at installing boosters.
Don’t forget that things such as fish tanks, microwaves and even wet washing drying in rooms can all affect speeds. It’s also a really bad idea to place the router in cupboards, behind TVs or anywhere where the signal gets blocked.