If your modem / router starts losing signal strength

[Susan Calvin]

Does that mean it's getting ready to die?

[multigraincracker]

1. Did you unplug it and then plug it back in.

That’s the only trick I know about computer stuff.

Good luck.

[Goddessartist]

2. Place it as high as you can in the room. That really helped my signal strength.

[Susan Calvin]

13. Thanks.

It's already on top of a bookshelf that nearly reaches the ceiling. This is a new problem.

[padfun]

3. It could. Hard to say,

If it is older than say, seven years, then probably time for a new one.
Or if you upgrade your service to a higher bandwidth, then maybe get a new one.

I did have one for eight years once but when I upgraded, my speed almost doubled.

[Susan Calvin]

14. Thanks.

It's not the speed, as long as the signal is not way too weak, it's the signal strength.

[RainCaster]

4. Quite often, yes. But...

Are you in the same location for each measurement? BTW, if you changed covers on your tablet or phone, that may be the issue.

[Susan Calvin]

15. Thanks.

I haven't changed a thing, including where I measure it on my phone and where the extender that is now showing a red LED is located.

[RainCaster]

16. It's now showing a red lite where there wasn't before?

That sounds like it's got troubles. What is the brand & model?

[Susan Calvin]

17. The extender is showing a red light, yes.

It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the extender. It means it's receiving a weak signal.

[Jerry2144]

5. It could also be interference

The 2GHz band of the Wi-Fi access point is near the frequency of microwave ovens and numerous other interference. Try logging into the router and change the channel it broadcasts on.

[CloudWatcher]

6. WiFi?

Assuming you're talking about WiFi signal strength ... it's complicated.

WiFi can pick to use several different radio frequencies (think AM or FM radio where
you're using/listening on one frequency in a range of available frequencies).

Your problem(s) *might* just be too many other devices sharing the same
frequency. Moving the WiFi traffic to a different frequency (channel) might
be all that is required.

Often (not always) power cycling the router (during the busiest of times) will
kick it enough to look around and automatically pick a better frequency.

If you're brave (or have a family "admin" that can help) you can connect to the
router and poke at it's channel settings and pick a radio frequency to use, and
then rerun your tests to see if it helps.

But -- back to basics -- why do you think the signal strength is lower? Are you
seeing a number in a status report or is it just that "my internet is slower" and
you're assuming it is the fault of your WiFi/router? Often slowness has nothing
to do with your WiFi and is a problem with your ISP or even the site you're
trying to use.

And to answer your question: if your router is really old, getting a new one
*might* help if your devices are also newish (the WiFi standards improve slowly
over time). And it's *possible* you have a broken antenna wire in your router
that a new device would fix.

But my guess is that you've got enough new devices (or neighbors) all on the
same WiFi frequency and the radio channel is just getting busy.

My favorite first step is to use Ethernet (wired) to the router and see if your
performance is dramatically better. With Ethernet you're bypassing WiFi
entirely so you can narrow down the source of a problem.

[Susan Calvin]

8. I think the signal strength is lower because

My Wi-Fi speed tester says it is, and my extender is showing a red LED indicating its signal strength is not good. Neither of these things have happened before. Nothing else is new, unless it's caused by the neighbors. I did turn it off and turn it back on again. The modem/router is less than a year old. It wasn't a particularly expensive one, but it had been serving my purposes up till now.

[Susan Calvin]

10. I actually get okay speed unless the signal strength drops way too low.

It's the signal strength that is the issue.

[hunter]

7. Could be the neighbors crowding out the wifi channels.

When I first installed wifi in our house none of our neighbors had it. A few may have had AOL and a modem.

Now when I scan the wifi channels I get more than a dozen SSIDs, each wifi router serving multiple devices at any given time.

The analogy would be trying to have a conversation in a very crowded and noisy nightclub.

[Susan Calvin]

9. Thanks.

I had it on a fixed channel for a while but then I went back to automatic. Do you think I should look and see what my neighbors are using and then pick a fixed channel?

[CloudWatcher]

11. fixed vs. automatic

I suspect you'll be happier if it's on automatic. Sounds a lot like your channel is just busy.

Also check that you have both 2gig and 5gig bands enabled. The 2gig band is shared with Bluetooth and
that can cause WiFi interference.

[Susan Calvin]

12. They're both enabled

I know because I use the 5 gig on my phone, but my extender is 2.4 only.

[RainCaster]

19. Settings are important

You may have a neighbor with a new wap that is stepping on yours. It may not be signal strength but relative signal strength.
The 2.4Ghz band is cramped, so in multifamily buildings and snug neighborhoods agreeing to a few simple rules are important.
1. Only use bands 1,6 and 11
2. Only use 20Mhz bandwidth, not 40

All this can be verified with a wifi scanner app such as WiFi Analyzer. This will allow you to see all your neighbors wifi signals. This way you can see who is on what channels and how close they are. Then you can decide which of those 3 channels is best for you.

[Susan Calvin]

20. Thanks.

I looked, and there aren't that many detectable signals from other households. I live in an acreage lot neighborhood. Really, nothing changed between the time I got less than 60 DB and the time I got more than 60 DB. I fiddled with the settings this morning, but nothing made much of any difference. I guess I'll just live with it and see if the modem / router actually dies.

[RainCaster]

21. If this modem-router was supplied by your ISP

They may be willing to replace it for free. Worth your time to ask.

[Susan Calvin]

22. Oh, if it was theirs I would already have asked.

I have my own, as in the past it has turned out to be considerably cheaper than renting over the years before they died. This is the first time I've had one give me trouble anytime sooner than several years.

[RainCaster]

23. Well, since it's yours...

You can buy a new WAP and connect it to the modem. Once configured, then disable the internal access point.

[Susan Calvin]

24. Well, that would save me the trouble of registering a new modem / router with Comcast

Which is a nightmare and of itself. I'll probably do that, thanks.