If your router’s network light is on but the Wi-Fi lights
aren’t, you may need to press the Wi-Fi button on the
VLGHRUUHHQDEOH:L)LIURPLWVFRQ¿JXUDWLRQPHQX
&KHFNWKHGRFXPHQWDWLRQIRU\RXUPRGHPDQGRU
router to diagnose what these lights are telling you.
WHO ELSE IS USING THE INTERNET?
Everything could be working properly, but a program
RQ\RXU3&²RUVRPHRQHHOVHLQWKHKRXVH²LVXVLQJXS
all your bandwidth. On Windows, open up the Task
0DQDJHUE\SUHVVLQJ&WUO6KLIW(VFDQGFOLFNRQWKH
Network column to sort by network usage. On a Mac,
SUHVV&RPPDQG6SDFHWRRSHQ6SRWOLJKWW\SH³$FWLYLW\
Monitor,” and head to Activity Monitor’s Network tab.
If a certain app is using a lot of bandwidth—say, if
\RX¶UHGRZQORDGLQJDELJ¿OH²\RXPD\QHHGWRZDLW
XQWLOWKDWSURFHVVLV¿QLVKHGRUFDQFHOLWWRJHW\RXU
internet up to speed again. If you don’t see any obvious
FXOSULWV¿QGRXWZKHWKHUVRPHRQHHOVHLQWKHKRXVHLV
GRZQORDGLQJDODUJH¿OHRQWKHLUPDFKLQHDQGWHOOWKHP
WRNQRFNLWRII<RXPLJKWHYHQKDYHDQHLJKERUVWHDOLQJ
your Wi-Fi.
GET A BETTER SIGNAL
When you’re using Wi-Fi, plenty of problems can slow
down your connection. Try connecting your computer
directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. If that
solves the problem, then your Wi-Fi signal is poor
HQRXJKWRGHJUDGH\RXULQWHUQHWVSHHG&KHFNWKH:L)L
icon on your computer: How many bars do you have?
When you’re low on bars, you may need to move your
router to a more central location in your house or buy a
:L)LH[WHQGHU ,I\RXDOUHDG\KDYHD:L)LH[WHQGHULW
may be poor quality—a mesh system will probably do a
better job.)
Find out
whether
someone else
in the house is
downloading a
large file, and
tell them to
knock it off.