Laptop won't turn on: checks before repair
Most dead laptops are a power, screen or stuck-state problem. Try these first, and save your files before any repair.
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Wi-Fi slow: home checks
Find out whether the problem is your plan, your router or your room, before you pay for a faster plan.
Measure first (4)
- Run a speed test beside the router, then in the slow roomBeside it fast, far away slow: it is your Wi-Fi. Slow in both: it is the line or the plan.
- Compare with the speed on your bill
- Check what you needRoughly 5 Mbps per HD stream and 15 Mbps per 4K stream, and add them up.
- Test at a busy evening hour and a quiet morning hour
Quick fixes (5)
- Turn the router off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it onIf you have a separate modem, start that first.
- Restart the slow device
- Pause cloud backups, big downloads and game updates
- Remove old devices from the network
- Change the Wi-Fi password if strangers may be using it
Router placement (3)
- Place it in the middle of the home, up high and in the open
- Keep it away from TVs, microwaves and metal cupboards
- Point any antennas straight up
Router settings (3)
- Use 5 GHz nearby and 2.4 GHz for far rooms5 GHz is faster, and 2.4 GHz reaches further through walls.
- Update the router's firmware
- Check if neighbours crowd your channel, and try auto or another one
Next steps (4)
- Plug in with an Ethernet cable for the desk or TV that never moves
- Big home or thick walls? Try a mesh system or a wired access pointCheap range extenders often halve the speed.
- Router over 5 years old? Consider a newer one
- Beside the router and still slow on a cable? Call your providerShare your test results, and ask about line faults.