WiFi keeps dropping or is slow: router, channel and placement

The two problems look the same on screen but need different fixes. TP-Link writes that if WiFi devices keep dropping while devices on a cable stay connected, the problem is specific to the wireless network. If wired devices have trouble too, the source is the modem or the internet service.

TP-Link's test: connect a computer straight to the modem with an Ethernet cable and test the connection. Then reconnect the router, connect the computer to the router with a cable, and test again. Microsoft adds a simpler test: try another laptop or phone on the same network. If the other device works fine, the problem is likely your device.

Microsoft writes that restarting the modem and router creates a new connection to the internet service provider. Every device connected to the WiFi drops off for a moment. The order:

1. Unplug the router's power cable from the outlet.
2. Unplug the modem's power cable. Some modems have a backup battery; if the lights stay on after unplugging, remove the battery.
3. Wait at least 30 seconds or so.
4. Plug the modem back in and wait for its lights to stop blinking.
5. Plug the router back in, then wait a few minutes until both are fully on.
6. Reconnect your laptop or phone.

Many internet providers in Indonesia install a single box that combines the fiber modem (ONT) and the WiFi router. For a combined device like that, Microsoft says you only need to follow the steps for one device. Also watch the ONT status lights; TP-Link suggests checking them when you test the connection from the provider.

Where the router sits determines the signal strength in each room. TP-Link's guides repeat a few rules:

• Put the router somewhere high and central in the home, not on the floor, and away from obstacles.
• Every wall and ceiling weakens the WiFi signal, especially those containing metal or dense materials.
• Keep the router away from the microwave, the refrigerator, the oven, Bluetooth devices, cordless phones, electric motors and photocopiers.
• Do not place a phone or laptop right underneath the router, because the antenna signal is weakest at its base.
• Reduce the number of devices connected at the same time if the connection keeps dropping.

Indonesian homes are mostly built with brick and concrete walls, and many routers sit downstairs near where the internet cable comes in. If upstairs rooms always have trouble, the antenna position matters. TP-Link suggests upright antennas for a single floor and antennas angled at 30 degrees for a multi-story home. If one router really cannot reach every room, TP-Link names a range extender or a mesh system as options.

Most home routers broadcast two bands, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, which show up as two separate networks in the WiFi list. According to TP-Link, the 5 GHz band is faster and has fewer interference sources, but its range is shorter and it is more sensitive to obstacles. The 2.4 GHz band reaches farther but is more crowded.

If the signal is strong but the connection still drops, TP-Link suggests trying the 5 GHz network. Microsoft also suggests trying the other band as a troubleshooting step. For rooms far from the router, the 2.4 GHz band is usually steadier because of its range.

TP-Link also suggests giving each band its own network name (SSID), so you know which band a device is on. If your device uses a power saving mode for WiFi, try turning it off for a while and see whether the connection improves.

In crowded housing complexes or apartment buildings, many WiFi networks use the same channel and interfere with each other. The channel settings are on the router's management page, which you open in a browser. On a TP-Link router, for example, it is under Advanced, Wireless, then Wireless Settings; the layout differs between models and brands.

1. The default channel is Auto. With heavy interference, TP-Link suggests channel 1, 6 or 11 for 2.4 GHz, because those three do not overlap, and channels 36 to 48 for 5 GHz.
2. For a connection that keeps dropping, TP-Link suggests a channel width of 20MHz for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
3. Update the router firmware to the latest version. TP-Link writes that outdated firmware can make the wireless connection unstable.
4. If you have tried everything else, TP-Link suggests turning off Smart Connect, which can cause problems with certain devices.

Note the old settings before you change anything, so you can restore them if things get worse. Routers installed by an internet provider are sometimes locked; for those, ask the provider for help.

If only the laptop has trouble, Microsoft gives this order for Windows:

1. Make sure WiFi is on and Airplane mode is off, through the network icon on the taskbar or Settings, Network & internet, Airplane mode.
2. Forget and reconnect the network: Settings, Network & internet, Wi-Fi, Manage known networks, select the network, then Forget. After that, connect again with the password.
3. On Windows 11, run the Network and Internet troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
4. Run the network commands in Command Prompt as administrator, in order: netsh winsock reset, netsh int ip reset, ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew, ipconfig /flushdns.
5. If the problem started after an update, uninstall the network adapter driver in Device Manager, then restart the laptop so Windows installs it again. Before you do, download a backup copy of the driver from the laptop maker's website.

Microsoft also describes a ping test to the router. Type ipconfig in Command Prompt, note the Default gateway address, then ping that address. If the router does not reply, the problem is in the connection to the router.

Call your internet service provider if:

• a computer connected by cable straight to the modem also keeps dropping, which TP-Link says means the problem is the modem or the internet service;
• the modem or ONT status lights look abnormal, for example off or red;
• the router or modem was installed and locked by the provider, so you cannot change the channel or the firmware.

Take a router you own to its brand's authorized service center if it gets very hot or its adapter is damaged. Do the same if it still drops every device after a restart, a channel change and a firmware update. On a laptop, if the WiFi still fails with the right driver while other devices work fine, have the authorized service center for the laptop brand check the WiFi card inside. Do not open the router or laptop case yourself to look for the fault.