Are your Christmas lights slowing down your Wi-Fi? It’s quite possible, according to a new Ofcom report that shows more than five million UK homes suffer from reduced broadband speeds, often due to Wi-Fi interference. The Verge report that this is often a seasonal affair, with complaints spiking around Christmas thanks to the sudden saturation of fairy lights.
How to improve Wi-Fi reception and broadband speed
There are plenty of ways to avoid the interference caused by Christmas lights and other electrical equipment. The most effective is setting your Wi-Fi to use the cleaner 5GHz band instead of the older 2.4GHz frequency — although this might necessitate upgrading your router to a newer model. Wi-Fi boosters like these from TP-Link or Belkin are another good option.
You can also switch channels on your Wi-Fi, or just move the offending equipment away from your router. Apart from Christmas lights, common Wi-Fi antagonists are “microwave ovens, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices”, but pretty much anything that uses a wireless link can cause issues.
Check your Wi-Fi with an app
If you’d like to check Wi-Fi performance at your own home or business, you can use Ofcom’s new Wi-Fi Checker app, which was released today on iOS and Android. As well rating Wi-Fi networks for signal strength and reliability, the app also offers helpful hints on how to improve reception — so the app is certainly worth checking out. Another good alternative is the Wi-Fi analyzer app on Android.
Of course, Christmas lights and technology don’t always have to clash. For a happier intersection of the two, see our recent article on controlling your Christmas lights from your smartphone.
We hope you found the article helpful and informative — let us know what you think in the comments below and enjoy the holiday season!