If your Wi-Fi router & modem are providing you with a steady internet connection, you don’t often think about boosting its performance. However, if you have purchased a state-of-the-art router & modem (like the one offered by Spectrum Internet), you would love to boost its performance and get the most out of your bucks. If not set up properly, your router & modem won’t be able to work its full potential. Consequently, you may have to deal with poor Wi-Fi speeds leading you to think about what went wrong.

If you are struggling with the performance of your router & modem and want to optimize it, here are 5 easy ways to achieve this goal.

1. Automate the Periodic Reboot
What do we do when our computer can’t seem to handle a lot of processes at the same time or when our smartphone gives us a frozen screen to stare at? We often reboot it. Similarly, when your router isn’t set up properly or for some other reason it is giving a poor Wi-Fi signal, one way to boost its performance instantly is by rebooting it.

Although most of the latest routers & modems don’t need reboot that often, it is better to do it regularly anyway. Routers & modems that use either the Tomato firmware or the DD-WRT operating system allow you to make rebooting an easier task. Using either of the firmware you can automate the rebooting to whatever time that suits you. For example, you can set it to reboot at a time while you are sleeping so it won’t disrupt your activities.

2. Location Matters
A vast majority of people are unfamiliar with the concept of a router’s optimal location. They often overlook the placement of their router & modem while setting it up. It is rapidly becoming a known fact that a router & modem should be placed in the center of a house to get the best Wi-Fi signals across the residence.

Unfortunately, the performance of your router & modem may get impaired by the simplest of things such as furniture, thick walls or doors, stacks of books, a microwave, and so on. To prevent that from happening, make sure to place your router & modem at a higher location and away from electronics or any obstructions.

3. Change Antenna Position
Most routers & modems have either 2 or maybe 3 antennas. Those antennas can actually help you improve the signal strength of your internet connection. The best output is usually gained by keeping them at a perpendicular position (at the angle of 90 degrees) which means one antenna should be up straight (in the vertical position) while the other should be facing the side (in a horizontal position).

4. Set Up a Strong Password
Hypothetically speaking, all routers & modems are supposed to broadcast a wide-ranging Wi-Fi signal. Therefore, any device in its range can access its network. This means, if you keep your Wi-Fi open access and don’t set up a password, any Wi-Fi leech looking for free internet would get access to your network and use your data.

Make sure to set up a good strong password to secure your router & modem. If you didn’t do that at the time of its set-up, you can still set up a password by following these simple steps.

1. Open your web browser

2. Enter the IP address of your router & modem (mentioned at the bottom of your router)

3. After you come to a log in page, enter the username and password (also given at the bottom of your router). In case you can’t seem to find a password, you can access the default login information from the internet.

4. Once logged in, you can follow the instructions to set up or change your password.

Be sure to select the WPA2 for encryption and set up a password that is hard to guess.

5. Upgrade the Old Router or Modem

In case you are one of those people who are still using a decade-old router & modem with the reason that ‘it still works’, let me tell you that it does not. Technology advancement is rapid and the old routers & modems aren’t equipped to handle the fast internet connection simply because they use outdated tech. Want to enjoy Spectrum TV to the fullest and stream that favorite show in HD quality without disruptions? Then upgrade your router & modem to get the best performance from your internet connection as your old router can’t handle the high-speed internet service you’ve been spending your bucks on.