Virgin Media’s internet advice is well worth following for the next few days.
Today could be the hottest day of the year so far with the mercury expected to hit 30 degrees in some parts of the UK. After a miserable spring, the better weather will please those wanting to top up their tans or finally get the BBQ started. However, while most of us enjoy basking in the sunshine your Wi-Fi definitely does not.
Leaving your internet router in direct sunlight can cause things to go into meltdown and, if it gets too toasty, it could shut down completely. That means, until things cool back down again, you’ll have no access to the internet and all of your connected devices will stop working.
All routers suffer in the heat but Virgin Media has confirmed why you must try to keep things calm.
“Nobody wants hot Hub summer!,” Virgin explains. “Although we test our Hubs carefully at a range of temperatures, they are better off out of bright sunlight, just like your phone or laptop.
“Always keep it indoors in a cool place and out of bright sunlight to prevent it from overheating. If the Hub gets too hot, it could slow down your connection or even grind to a halt altogether.”
Now is a very good time to check your router and make sure it’s not by a window or in the hottest room in your home.
Along with the hot weather, there are plenty of other things that can mess with speeds. Try and keep your Wi-Fi box away from obstacles such as fish tanks and not shoved in a cupboard.
It’s also a good idea to move it away from other electrical items such as cordless phones, microwave ovens and baby monitors as these can all disrupt the signal.
“Some things can prevent the signal from getting out, like furniture, large electrical appliances and even big bodies of water like a fish tank,” Virgin added.
Following these tips should make sure your broadband speeds survive the summer sunshine.
