I’m a Wi-Fi expert – ‘bird on a wire’ mistake is slowing down your router speed but it has free quick fix
A WI-FI expert has revealed a common mistake that could be slowing down your router speed.
If you’re struggling with slow internet at home, James McQuiggan, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, has some advice for you.
McQuiggan told The U.S. Sun that Wi-Fi speed is often slowed by something he calls the “bird on a wire example.”
The idea is that a large number of birds sitting on a power line wire would cause it to sag and could result in a power outage.
Although this is unlikely to happen in real life, the analogy helps describe what can happen to your Wi-Fi router at home.
McQuiggan told us: “Regarding this, I like to use the bird on a wire example.
“Too many devices connected to a network will slow it down as the amount of traffic trying to pass through the router.
“Think rush hour traffic on a one-lane road, and there’s a car accident.”
The best way to deal with this is to reduce the number of devices you have connected to your router at the same time.
Other Wi-Fi experts also recommend this as a free quick fix for your speed woes.
AT&T says on its website: “All connected devices share your home internet connection.
“Trying to do too much at the same time can slow your speed.”
Using multiple devices at the same time, streaming, gaming, and video conferencing are all activities that drain your Wi-Fi router.
Try to turn off devices that you’re not using and close streaming apps when you’re finished with them.
Save any large gaming updates for a time when you know fewer people will be relying on your home Wi-Fi.
If you have a lot of smart home devices that need to be connected at all times, extra bandwidth is something you may have to invest in.