Prevent Electrical Damage to IT Assets
This week in our tech solutions series where we answer common tech questions, we’re here to solve the age old problem of a faulty router. How many times have you noticed your WiFi slowing, unplugged the router and plugged it back in, only for it to work perfectly. Not a difficult solution, unless you find yourself repeating the process multiple times a week. Why does this really happen? We’re here with possible answers, and some possible solutions that may help fix your router issues.
Problem: Router issues can occur for many reasons. It might be overheating, or getting bogged down from too many connections happening at once. Your internet service provider may be changing your IP address frequently, resulting in the router having trouble catching on. It could also be that the router is just bad, but the first step is to make sure your router is the issue and not the modem or your internet service provider. Plug your computer directly into the modem to check for a stable connection. If the connection fails, it’s not your router, but if the connection holds, the problem lies with your router. Fortunately, there are several other things to try to fix any router issues.
Solution: First, make sure you are waiting the full ten seconds when unplugging the router and plugging it back in. Another thing to be aware of is overheating. Keeping your router in a small, enclosed space can cause it to heat too quickly. Moving it up higher or somewhere with more airflow, perhaps near or in front of a fan, should cool it off and improve connection. Checking for firmware updates is another possible solution. Keeping any type of electronic device updated almost always improves device performance, and routers are no different. However, the problem may be that the manufacturer’s firmware isn’t very good. In this case, try flashing a third-party firmware.
Possibly the most common issue is too much traffic coming through the router. If you’re someone who downloads a lot at high speeds, limiting your download speed in your computer settings may relieve the router of being bogged down and fix any router issues. Another common issue is that the router is simply old and poor quality. If a new router is out of the question, or perhaps out of budget, there is one more thing you can try: plugging the router into an outlet timer. Any outlet timer should do the trick. Setting the timer to reboot the router on a daily basis during a low-traffic period might help solve a number of issues, and prevent the need for a manual reboot.
If no other solution resolves the issue, it may be time for a new router. In that case, proper disposal is extremely important. IT asset disposition enterprises like HOBI International collect old, retired or broken IT assets and ensure that they are responsibly disposed of via electronic recycling. Consider reaching out to your local ITAD facility, finding an electronics drop-off location, or checking out smartphone apps that help with properly disposing of e-waste.
For more information about our ITAD services call 817-814-2620, or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.
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