We all have internet access at home in one form or another—after all, you're reading this article online. We've all experienced internet stability issues at the worst possible times, like when family is visiting, or you're hosting a gathering and you open up the Wi-Fi for everyone to use. No one wants to deal with internet issues during a busy event. In this article, I’ll explain what causes these problems and what you can do to prevent them.  Before we dive into how to fix these issues, it’s helpful to understand the equipment your internet service provider (ISP) uses to connect you to the internet and how it works.

Understanding how these two devices work together can help you troubleshoot issues when your internet connection slows down or drops.  When you get internet service at your house, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) typically uses two devices to connect you:

• A modem: This device provides access to the ISP’s network. For example, with cable internet, the coaxial cable connects to the back of the modem. The modem helps identify your connection to the ISP, allowing you to send and receive data over their network.
• A router (often with a built-in wireless access point): This device allows multiple devices in your home to connect to the internet by managing their access through the router. Devices inside your home don’t have "real" public IP addresses; instead, the router assigns private IP addresses and handles communication between your devices and the internet.

These two devices are often combined into one unit by your ISP, which can make the setup easy but customization and troubleshooting difficult.

If you read about the router should be able to handle 255 connections which for one thing is really 254 connections, but most consumer routers will not handle anywhere near this many devices effectively due to hardware and software limitations. But you will never get close to that number with any of them so it's probably not worth talking about the why IP addressing at this point.

While your internet may go down from time to time due to provider issues this is extremely rare and you would be able to tell by looking at your modem or modem lights.  If you have issues with your internet connection frequently you may want to look for a different provider and you could check if the provider offers refunds or credits for prolonged downtime.

Routers can become overwhelmed when there are too many devices connected, especially if they are low-end consumer models. However, crashing is not guaranteed in all cases—it depends on the router's processing power and how much bandwidth each device is consuming.  Many entry-level consumer routers provided by ISPs can start to degrade in performance when handling 15-25 devices simultaneously, especially if many of those devices are using bandwidth-intensive applications like streaming, gaming, or video conferencing.

Currently, there are 3 wifi frequencies commonly used

2.4 GHz (802.11b/g/n/ax): This band uses 11 channels (some of which overlap), offering the longest transmission range but with slower speeds and more interference from other devices like Bluetooth and microwaves. Only channels 1, 6, and 11 are non-overlapping.

5.0 GHz (802.11a/n/ac/ax): This band offers up to 24-25 channels in the U.S., providing higher speeds and less interference, but with shorter transmission range compared to 2.4 GHz. The exact number of channels depends on region and may require DFS to avoid radar interference.

6.0 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E / 802.11ax): This new band supports up to 59 channels with very fast speeds and low latency, though the transmission range is shorter. Wi-Fi 6E is not yet adopted globally but is available in the U.S., Canada, parts of Europe, and other regions.

Now that we know how your modem and router connect your home to the internet, let's talk about one common issue: routers can become overwhelmed by too many connected devices.  In its most basic form, Wi-Fi uses radio frequencies to transmit and receive data, and both your router and connected devices act as transmitters and receivers. Wi-Fi communications can be intercepted by anyone within range, but encryption protocols (like WPA2 or WPA3) ensure that only authorized devices can decrypt and access the data. Wi-Fi works by sending and receiving data in turns to avoid collisions, and each transmission is confirmed to ensure accuracy.

Encryption adds an additional layer of complexity, as the router must track and manage encryption keys for each connected device. Handling multiple connections requires memory and processing power, and this is where many routers can run into issues. If the router is overwhelmed by too many devices or too much data, it may overheat or run out of resources, leading to crashes.

Another issue with Wi-Fi performance is radio interference. As mentioned earlier, the 2.4 GHz band (used by Wi-Fi standards like 802.11b/g/n/ax) has overlapping channels. This means there are only 3 independent channels—1, 6, and 11—that do not interfere with each other. In crowded environments, like apartments or townhomes, many Wi-Fi networks may be operating on the same or overlapping channels, leading to interference.

When multiple networks use the same channel, this increases packet loss and reduces performance, as devices need to wait their turn to transmit data, similar to two people talking over each other. You can use apps like NetSpot or Wi-Fi Analyzer to check which channels are in use and choose one that has less interference. Choosing non-overlapping channels helps minimize interference and improves connection stability

Are you doomed to bad internet access? Not at all! There are solutions, and one of the best is using a mesh router system. Mesh routers support a higher number of connections—typically around 30 devices per node—but they may not function well with your current router.

To get the best performance, it's important to set up a wired backhaul (an Ethernet connection between the mesh units). Without a backhaul, your mesh network may only achieve about half the expected performance.

Here are a few key things to keep in mind:

• Don’t connect the backhaul to your ISP’s router; this can cause an issue known as looping. Instead, connect one mesh unit directly to your router.
• It’s a good idea to disable the Wi-Fi on your ISP’s router to prevent interference and improve performance.
• If you have more than two mesh units, your backhaul should go through an Ethernet switch with gigabit speeds (or at least 10/100/1000).
• Important: Don’t plug the switch directly into the back of the router, as this could cause network issues.

What if you don't want to buy another device? Here are some other steps you can take:

1. Place the Wi-Fi router in a central location in your home to ensure even signal distribution.
2. Keep the router in a well-ventilated area to avoid overheating and maintain performance.
3. Minimize Wi-Fi connections where possible by using Ethernet cables for high-demand devices like TVs or gaming consoles.

1. Make sure your Wi-Fi is on an uncrowded channel—use channels 1, 6, or 11 for 2.4 GHz, or an available channel for 5 GHz, to reduce interference.
2. Create a guest network for visitors, and if possible, move IoT or smart devices to a separate, secure network or VLAN.
3. Limit guest access to your network by using the guest network and keeping the number of connected devices manageable to prevent overloading the router.