The most common Wi-Fi problems and how to fix them – CNET

Josh Miller/CNET

Internet speeds and Wi-Fi have both improved significantly over the last several years. Data speeds are faster across the board and wireless connections are more reliable than ever.

However, Wi-Fi isn’t without issue. Hang out at a Starbucks long enough and you can experience it firsthand.

Once you’ve set up your home network, here are some very common issues you may run into with Wi-Fi and how to correct them.

Slow connection

Despite faster speeds reaching most homes around the globe, wireless (and often wired) networks can get bogged down. If your Internet connection is still working but the speeds are slower than normal, there is usually a logical explanation that can usually be fixed.

Cause: The most obvious problem with Wi-Fi speeds slowing down is being too far from the router. The further you are from the router, the more unreliable the connection and its throughput will become.

Fix: To fix this, just get a little closer. If the router is located in a different room, try going into the room where the router is located and see if that fixes the issue. If this is a consistent issue, try to position your router higher (up on a shelf), away from other devices, which can interfere with it, and in a central location in your home.

If that doesn’t work, consider purchasing a second router and a set of powerline network adapters to extend your network.

Cause: Another cause for slowdowns is a lack of bandwidth. If everyone is home and using their computers, phones and televisions for data-hungry applications, your typically speedy Internet is being spread thin and shared across multiple devices.

Fix: Disconnect any devices that you aren’t actively using. If multiple people are trying to stream videos from, say, YouTube and Netflix, while someone else is trying to game online, you can try connecting one or more of the devices directly to the router using a Cat-5 ethernet cable to free up some of the wireless bandwidth. But the problem may be that you just don’t have fast enough Internet speeds to support everything at once.

There is also the possibility that someone nearby is leeching off your Internet. To prevent this from happening, be sure to setup security for your network and give out the password sparingly.

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Cause: Interference can be a real issue, especially in crowded areas. When most people first get their Internet set up, they leave settings unchanged, which means default wireless frequency channels — like 1, 6 and 11 — become very crowded.

Fix: Fortunately, many newer model routers are capable of automatically selecting the least crowded frequencies upon rebooting. Perform a power cycle on your router or, log in to the admin panel and manually select a different channel.

Additionally, if you have a dual-band router, try enabling both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Keep the 5GHz channel open for your most important connections.

Cause: During peak hours, Internet speeds can slow for everyone, especially in crowded, urban areas.

Fix: All you can really do when this is the case, if possible, is try to schedule your usage outside peak hours to get the best speeds.

Cause: Wireless technology has changed quite a bit over the last 10 years. New wireless standards have been put in place, speeds are faster than ever, fiber is being offered in more areas and devices you never thought would require an Internet connection need Wi-Fi — televisions, speakers, refrigerator, printers, lights and more. The problem could easily be an outdated router.

Fix: If you think the limitation lies with your router, it may be time to start saving up for a new one. Upgrading your router every two years or so is good practice and can help you avoid certain issues altogether.

No Internet connection

Cause: Periodically, something glitches and the router or modem (or combination) just stop communicating. There isn’t always an explanation. It just happens.

Fix: The best place to start is pulling the plug. Disconnect the modem and router from power and wait at least 30 seconds before restoring power to both.

Cause: For me, one of the most common problems that occurs with my Internet is the connection dropping completely — not due to a hardware issue on my end, but rather a massive service outage.

Fix: Not much you can do here. You can go to the nearest coffee shop or get on the phone with your Internet service provider (ISP) and let them know you’re affected. Sadly, this usually won’t do much to speed up the recovery time, but it can help the ISP know more about which areas are affected by an outage.

Why hiding your router is a terrible idea – CNET

If you hide your router in a book it may overheat.

Alina Bradford

Do-it-yourself blogs and Pinterest users love sharing the idea of hiding Wi-Fi routers in hollowed-out books or pretty boxes, wrapping them in gift wrap, or putting them in drawers.

Here’s why that’s a terrible idea.

Take a look at your router. You’ll notice the enclosure has vents on the sides, which allow hot air to flow out of the router and cool air to flow in. Those vents prevent overheating the delicate circuitry inside.

A pretty box, a hollowed out book, a drawer or a basket can prevents hot air from circulating out of the router, raising the temperature of the device. Ultimately, it could cause your router to overheat.

Even if your router doesn’t overheat, tucking it away may slow down your connection. Obstructions around your box can make the signal weaker or spotty throughout your home.

A better way to blend your router in with the decor is to place it behind a picture frame, or set it on a bookshelf. Just make sure that the modem or router has at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) of clearance on each side to give it good air flow.

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What is a bot? Here’s everything you need to know – CNET

You’ve probably heard about bots a lot lately, how they are here to make our lives easier and replace apps. Bots made a splash at Facebook’s developer conference in April and now, despite being around since the beginnings of the Internet, they are getting their time in the spotlight.

Let this primer take you through everything you need to know about bots and why they matter now.

So, what is a bot exactly?

Imagine texting a number to order pizza and having it delivered without ever talking to a real human — that’s what bots are all about. Specifically, a bot is an application that performs an automated task, such as setting an alarm, telling you the weather or searching online.

Siri and Cortana are bots, as was Microsoft’s Clippy and AOL Instant Messenger’s SmarterChild. And who can forget Tay, the teenage chatbot designed by Microsoft who wound up tweeting racist and offensive messages?

Bots are everywhere in technology, ranging from malicious bots that come with a virus to search engine spiders that crawl the Internet looking for new Web pages to add. In this context, we’re talking about chatbots, which can hold a conversation with you to accomplish a task.

What can bots do?

Today’s bots can help us order food, shop for clothes, save money and find restaurants. For example, Digit helps you manage your money by showing your bank balance, upcoming bills and helping you save money through text messages. The Hi Poncho chatbot available in Facebook Messenger tells you the weather around you.

Many bots are programmed to act like humans when you talk to them so it feels like asking a person for help instead of just typing in a search engine.

How smart are these bots?

Not very smart at this point. While artificial intelligence keeps getting better, we all know how frustrating it can be to ask Siri or Cortana something only to have them not understand. Chatbots aren’t doing too much better either, as my colleague Sean Hollister found while testing some of them on Facebook Messenger.

Where can I find bots?

You can find chatbots on many messaging apps, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Kik, and Telegram. Even the more work-focused service Slack has its own built-in bot that helps you set reminders and jot down notes. Twitter has bots too which will reply to you, but usually not offer any assistance. I’ve rounded up some of the top chatbots on each platform in the list below.

Facebook Messenger

• CNN — Shows top news headlines
• Uber —
• 1-800-Flowers.com — Order flowers
• HealthTap — Get health advice from real doctors

Enlarge Image

Facebook’s CNN chatbot.

Screenshot by Sean Hollister/CNET

SMS

• Digit — Automatically save money and get your bank balance with a text
• Magic — Order (almost) anything and it gets delivered to your door
• Cloe — Find restaurants, shops and services around you
• Assist — Order food, message a business, mail a letter, find hotels and other tasks (also available on other platforms)
• Invisible Boyfriend/Invisible Girlfriend — Fake a relationship with a bot

Kik

• H&M — Get outfit ideas and shop looks from the store
• Vine — See Vine videos based on keyword (like kittens or funny)
• TheScore — Real-time sports scores and updates
• Sensay — Connect to real humans to get advice

Telegram

• National Geographic Bot — Sends you photos from Nat Geo photographers.
• Amazon Bot — Search for products on Amazon
• MyPokerBot — Play Texas Holdem poker in a chat

Are bots the future?

Yes and no. Some developers and companies believe that people are tired of apps and would rather use bots. Instead of having many different apps on your phone, you could have one with multiple bots that can help with different tasks, like ordering food or checking sports scores.

It’s a good argument, but apps aren’t going anywhere soon. What we’re more likely to see in the future are smarter bots at home (like Amazon’s Alexa), on our phones and in our car that will help automate our lives. But anyone who’s been fed up with Siri when looking up something knows we’re just not there yet.