- Wi-Fi is supposed to be easy. Punch in a password, hit connect and boom you're online. But there are many ways in which Wi-Fi can give you problems. So we're gonna be running you through some common Wi-Fi traps and how to avoid them. Let's start out with something basic, where to place your router. Wi-Fi signals tends to emanate out from the antennas in a big donut shape with the signal being a little bit better below them than above them. So you'll often see wireless access points mounted on ceilings in business settings. Of course, this might not be an option for you at your home, but it is good practice for you to try to get your router as high off the ground as possible in a central area that is relatively close to your gadgets while still being away from obstructions. Sticking your router in one corner of your house behind a bunch of desk clutter might be stealthy, but it's generally a bad idea unless you're in a small apartment where frankly it might not matter anyway. Once you've put your router in the center of your home, are you still having issues with range? Well, you might be able to fix these by simply connecting devices that are farther away to the NUMBER_TOKEN gigahertz band. You see most wireless routers these days create two networks, one at a frequency of NUMBER_TOKEN gigahertz and the other at a frequency of five gigahertz. The five gigahertz band will typically get you better speeds so it can be better for things like streaming online video. But it has shorter range and less ability to penetrate through walls or other obstacles. And even though NUMBER_TOKEN doesn't have the same kind of top speed, you probably don't need that extra speed if you're connecting something like a surveillance camera, a smart home bridge or a Wi-Fi connected toaster. These kinds of devices simply don't need that much bandwidth, so try putting all of them on the NUMBER_TOKEN gigahertz network so they'll have a strong connection. But let's say you're not getting the speeds you want despite having enough range. Well, we'll tell you what to do about that right after we think Autonomous for sponsoring this video. Autonomous recently launched the pod, a multi-purpose prefabricated space that can be installed in your backyard in less than a day. Normally the process of hiring contractors and onsite construction can be very time consuming and expensive, but the Autonomous pod is a quick and easy solution to expanding your living space. Take advantage of this Black Friday and save up to $NUMBER_TOKEN off the original price. You can learn more about the Autonomous pod at the link in the video description. So one possible reason for slow speeds is congestion caused by many other networks using the same channel as your own network. You see, you can adjust your Wi-Fi frequency by choosing which channel to place it on in your router settings. Now, typically routers will do this for you automatically, but they don't always do a good job. The good news is it's super easy to download an app to see if a channel is particularly clogged up with lots of other nearby networks. Then just manually move your network over to a less crowded one. Another possible reason is that your router and your gadgets might not support the same version of Wi-Fi.
START_SPONSOR_TOKEN Well, we'll tell you what to do about that right after we think Autonomous for sponsoring this video. Autonomous recently launched the pod, a multi-purpose prefabricated space that can be installed in your backyard in less than a day. Normally the process of hiring contractors and onsite construction can be very time consuming and expensive, but the Autonomous pod is a quick and easy solution to expanding your living space. Take advantage of this Black Friday and save up to $NUMBER_TOKEN off the original price. You can learn more about the Autonomous pod at the link in the video description. END_SPONSOR_TOKEN