5 Myths About WiFi Connections
Most people prioritize a WiFi connection in their homes over an ethernet one because besides great reliability, WiFi helps us with mobility. We can easily play games, communicate with loved ones, watch movies, and do more on the go. In short, WiFi’s importance cannot be undermined as it’s a key player in our daily lives.
However, a few misconceptions or myths about WiFi still linger in some people’s minds. So, in this article, I bust some major myths so you know the truth about the WiFi. Let’s start:
Myth #1: A WiFi Connection Always Offers the Best Security:
A common myth is that WiFi connections are safe and cannot be physically hacked because they’re wireless. But that’s not true.
Public WiFi networks that have open access are carriers of malware and susceptible to hackers. Even poorly configured private WiFi can invite lots of trouble from cybercriminals. So, it’s always best to opt for a WiFi provider who goes the extra mile on WiFi security measures.
A friend of mine was singing praises of Spectrum customer service the other day for giving him an all-out walkthrough of the security software that the provider has in place for its WiFi customers. He was reassured, signed up for the service easily, and enjoys secure WiFi to this day.
This goes to show that you may have to invest in WiFi security. It won’t be automatically safe to use.
Myth #2: More WiFi Bars Means More WiFi Speed:
People may believe that more WiFi bars translate to better WiFi speeds. But, little do they know that those bars indicate the WiFi signal strength and not the speeds between the router and the connected devices.
While a better signal strength should offer faster WiFi speeds, this isn’t the usual case. Other factors that influence the WiFi speeds are network congestion, ISP quality, and the number of devices connected.
Myth #3: WiFi Signals are Harmful for Health:
WiFi signals emitted from our routers travel through airwaves and reach our devices. And people may believe that like other radiations/signals, WiFi may also be harmful to human health.
WiFi radiations are non-ionizing, which means they’re low-energy packets that may not affect the human body at all. These radiations do not have the energy to ionize the molecules or atoms in the human body.
Plus, conclusive evidence in the form of research reports is available that suggests that these radiations do not cause any fertility issues, brain damage, cancer, and more to humans.
Myth #4: WiFi Signals are Highly Penetrable:
As discussed above, the radiations/signals emitting from the router are non-ionizing. But it isn’t necessary that WiFi radiation is always highly penetrable. How much radiation would pass through a material depends a lot on its nature.
For instance, it is always recommended to place your router away from heavy furniture or thick walls because internet signals may not pass through them.
Myth #5: WiFi Speeds Solely Depend on the Router Used:
Routers do play a major role in determining our internet speeds, but they’re not the sole actors here.
If you've subscribed to a low-tier internet plan, then a reliable and top-quality router alone might not make any difference. Also, the number of devices connected to a WiFi connection may also hamper your WiFi speeds.
So, it’s wrong to say that WiFi speeds are solely dependent on the routers used.
Bonus Section: Tips to Optimize Your WiFi Speed
Now that I’ve busted some most common WiFi myths, here are some easy and implementable tips on how you can optimize your WiFi speed.
· Restart or Update Your Router:
Restarting your router is one way to offload WiFi speeds. When the stored cache overloads, the router may malfunction. So, restarting your router may clear the stored cache and enable it to offer a better throughput.
Plus, updating your router frequently may bring vital software or firmware updates into play. These updates may also fix the bugs in a router that affect WiFi speeds.
· Relocate Your Router:
A hindrance in the WiFi signals may cause a speed drop in internet speeds. Try relocating your router to a different position, preferably one that’s away from heavy furniture, thick walls, or electronic devices so the interference from these objects remains low.
· Limit Unwanted Connections:
Disconnecting idle devices from the WiFi can free up significant bandwidth that may be used for other purposes. When this freed-up bandwidth is allocated to different tasks, it may optimize the WiFi speed.
