Setting up your wireless router incorrectly or using wrong equipment can cause slow broadband speeds. Here are some common mistakes to try avoid.
- Your master socket: Always make sure your wireless router is plugged into your Master phone socket rather than extension sockets. (Extension sockets connect to your master socket using wiring that isn't built for sending broadband signals so you won’t get the best possible speeds)
Your master phone socket can usually be found in your hallway or near your front door and will be bigger than any other socket in your house.
- Micro-filters: Make sure your micro filters are installed properly – these filter your phone line and let your broadband and phone work at the same time. If you don't use them, your Wi-Fi connection may start dropping or feel slow.
If your master phone socket has 2 ports (see below) this means it’s a pre-filtered master socket so your line is already split between your phone and broadband connection. You can just plug your phone and wireless router straight into this socket without using any micro-filters.
- Extension cables: If your wireless router is far away from your master socket and connected by an extension cable, make sure you aren’t using a standard telephone cable. These aren’t designed to carry broadband signals and will likely cause slow speeds. We recommend using getting a longer Ethernet cable or using an ADSL extension cable instead.