7 Wireless Router Problems And How To Solve Them

An adapter like this WGA600N from Lynksys might speed things up.
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Alternately, you can add a 5GHz band component, such as Netgear's WNHDEB111 networking kit or Linksys's WGA600N to your present router. There are 23 channels available at 5GHz, and almost no one is using them right now. Switching to adapters is the most cost-efficient method because you'll basically still be using your original router, but adding a 5GHz pipe to it through which you'll funneling your Wi-Fi devices.

You'll need a pair of adapters. One is attached to a network switch to which you've also attached several of your PCs or other networked devices. The other is attached to your router. As far as your network is concerned, the devices on the switch are hardwired to the router. Practically speaking, they communicate through the 5GHz adapters and it's the adapters that handle the transition down to 2.5GHz at the two end points -- all the while communicating between each other across the 5GHz band.

Don't overlook 2.5GHz/5GHz routers themselves (you'll want at least simultaneous dual-band models, those that can work on both 2.5GH and 5GHz at the same time, not either/or devices). This is a major investment because you've basically put yourself on the full upgrade path for your network and it's not going to be cheap. All of the major router manufacturers have such products. You can read about dual-band models from SMC, Apple, DLink, Linksys, and Netgear here.

Upgrade Your Firmware

Finally, try upgrading your firmware. This is last in the pile because it's a task that will probably make you nervous. The usual procedure is to:

1. Go to your router's or adapter's website and find and download a firmware upgrade if available. (If you use the setup utility that was installed with your router or adapter, you'll be able to tell what firmware version you currently have. Just compare that to the "new" version.)
2. Once the new firmware is downloaded onto your PC, go back into the router's or adapter's setup through its utility software or your browser, find the management section, locate the firmware upgrade section in there, and just follow along.

It is that easy, but you may freak out thinking of all the possible things that might go wrong (like if you lose power during the upgrade…).