Why your Wi-Fi keeps dropping
Wi-Fi can drop because of weak signal, thick walls, interference, old equipment, overheating or too many devices.
Start by separating the broadband line from home Wi-Fi. Test near the router and, if possible, over Ethernet.
What to test first
- Run a LinkSpeed test and note download, upload, ping and jitter.
- Repeat close to the router.
- Use Ethernet if possible.
- Check whether the issue happens at certain times.
- Compare against your expected package.
Common causes
- Weak Wi-Fi signal or interference.
- Router overload.
- Large downloads, cloud backups or uploads.
- Provider congestion or a local fault.
- High latency, jitter, packet loss or bufferbloat.
How to improve it
Move the router into an open position, test close to it, update firmware and consider mesh Wi-Fi.
If the problem remains over Ethernet, keep a note of your results and contact your provider with the figures.