Wireless keeps dropping out

Does your wireless internet connection keep dropping in and out of your laptop? Whether it is a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Android, etc.

Does it drop out and then reconnect randomly?

Try this
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Lots of modems come with a dual band option, running either or both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency at the same time. So which band is better and what range can I get?

There’s lots of info about which is better, however both have their advantages and disadvantages, so let’s ignore that bit for now and get your wireless working!

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If your modem has a 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequency option:

1. Login to your modem (the Username and Password can usually be found on the back of the modem, together with the login address)

2. Go to the Wireless settings and find where it says 2.4 and 5GHz

3. There should be separate settings for each range.

4. Make sure you set the SSID for each range to different ones (the SSID is just the name it displays as your wireless network, you know when a whole lot of wireless networks pop-up in an airport or city, those are all different SSID’s).

5. Click Apply or Save and disconnect from the network and reconnect.

That’s it!

The problem with wireless networks that drop in and out randomly is often because the SSID for 2 different frequencies are set to the same name but with different passwords. Your computer or laptop or device sees them as completely separate networks! So it then jumps between the 2 because they are the same name and it isn’t sure which one is the original one you connected to. It gets confused and keeps trying to connect to both.

PS – make sure you use completely different names rather than the same name and same passwords. While the same name and same password should technically also work, it will still jump between the 2 and take a little time to reconnect with each “jump” meaning you’ll have consistent little drop-outs.

Another fairly common mistake people make is to set the same SSID name for their home and office wireless networks. Even though they are physically separate locations with separate routers. Once again your computer will get confused which is which and you’ll have some random drop-outs.

To summarise: Keep all SSID’s and passwords different to avoid conflicts.
Your device only needs to connect successfully to a Wireless network once and it will remember on its own, so no need to try and simplify it for the device.