Common Router Problems and their Solutions

Currently, home internet runs most of the smart devices, online gaming platforms and streaming video services, making the need for a strong intent connection, a basic need. However, problems with your router can sour up your day, especially if you work from home and more often than not, most households end up contacting their Internet Service Providers to solve the issue, without carrying out the basic checks on their router.

1. Network Congestion On shared DSL and cable you are effectively sharing the same bandwidth with your subscribers. Network congestion may be the cause of your slow internet. Be sure to restart your equipment
2. Environmental Factors Suprisingly bad weather can also cause the your internet service to become interrupted. It may be cabling running to your house or some outage at the service provider
3. Wireless Problems Wireless signals are the cause of most internet users complaints. Most reported problems are failure to connect with the network, signal strength and slow speed. It would be better to diagnose ISP problems connecting directly to your network with a cable by eliminating wireless first.
4. Stolen Bandwidth If your wireless has no encryption or using an old encryption scheme (WEP), anyone with a bit of knowledge can connect and use your bandwidth, slowing your internet connection down. The result; slower browsing experience for you, the risk doing illegal activities using your Internet account, your address and your name or even throwing a virus or malware onto your system without your knowledge.
5. Other Devices in your home Where else could your bandwidth be used? Think of the devices that you have connected around your house. Your Satellite STB, your TV, your DVR, speakers, computer, phone, laptop – These could be using some bandwidth or if they’ve compromised, like the recent Mirai IOT Botnet which created record DDOS traffic you could be a bot sitting in the middle of a warfield.

1. 1. Restart the router. Check that the power cable, network cable and DSL cable are securely inserted into the router.
   2. Check router Wifi Channels. Unless your router utilizes dual-band wireless, some items in your home for example wireless cameras and speakers operating on the same wireless band, can interrupt your signal strength. On your router’s settings, change your channel’s wireless connection and cycle it to your home’s network.
   3. Eliminate Wireless. If you are using a wireless, disable the wireless connection and use a LAN cable to connect the internet to your PC. Should it be working, proceed to check a fault on the wireless configurations of the router.
   4. Reset your Router. Check your Router settings and reset your router using the hardware reset switch on the back. This will restore your router to factory defaults and eliminate any problems caused by corruption or bad settings.
   5. Update Router Firmware. Check the manufacturer’s website for firmware updates to your router. Updates make an incredible difference in performance especially if you are using older router models. However, update process varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but all of them have a place to accommodate router settings upgrade. Some routers can check for an update automatically and some you have to manually choose a file. After updating firmware be sure to restart your devices.
   6. Contact your Service Provider Normally, this is the last resort especially after trying everything, but if you are still experiencing Internet connection issues contact your service provider to check your service status as there could be a problem from their end.

UK ISP Broadband Support Contact Numbers;

• BT (Residential) : 0800 111 4567  or  0330 123 4567
• BT (Business) : 0800 800 154
• Virgin- Tel: 08000643836.
• Sky Broadband- Tel: 0800 031 6608.
• Talk Talk Business- Tel: 0800 083 3003
• Plusnet Residential : 0800 432 0200 or 0345 140 0200
• Plusnet Business: 0800 028 0282 0330 123 912