Easy fixes for wireless router issues

Can't connect to the Internet, or you can't get on in some areas of your home? How frustrating. Before you call in an expert there are a number of things you can try  to get back on line.

If you cannot connect your laptop or tablet to your home Wi-Fi network in some rooms of the house, or if your Wi-Fi connection regularly drops off, relocating the Wi-Fi base station may help. The base station needs to be connected to both your home's phone socket and a power source, so this may not be possible.

• Site the base station upstairs or high up on a piece of furniture. Keep it away from possible sources of radio interference, such as cordless phones, microwave ovens and halogen bulbs.
• Change the radio channel on which your Wi-Fi operates to avoid interference from your neighbours' Wi-Fi network. You can do this through your router's interface.
• Wireless routers work best when positioned close to the receiver — your computer.

• Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL, is a type of high-speed Internet connection that works via normal telephone lines. It allows your Internet access to be permanently on, and also lets you use your phone line for voice calls while your computer is connected to the Internet.
• ADSL is a variant of DSL used in many homes; the "A" stands for "assymetric," meaning that data can be downloaded to your computer at a faster speed than it can be uploaded.
• Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be carried on a connection in a given amount of time is called bandwidth. It is usually expressed in terms of Mb of data per second. DSL connections can range from as little as 1Mb per second to more than 40Mb if you're lucky enough to have a fibre optic, rather than a conventional wire-based, connection to your home.