Does your Wi-Fi automatically disconnect at seemingly random times? It’s frustrating when you try to load a website, download a file or even upload a file, only to discover that your computer is no longer connected to the Wi-Fi. While restarting your computer may offer a temporary solution, it doesn’t solve the underlying problem. So, how do you keep your computer connected to the Wi-Fi?
Check Signal Strength
First and foremost, you should check the strength of your Wi-Fi signal. In Windows 10, as well as earlier iterations of Microsoft’s flagship operating system, you can check Wi-Fi signal strength by hovering your cursor over the taskbar in the bottom-right corner. Once connected to the Wi-Fi, drag your cursor to the taskbar and hover over the Wi-Fi icon, at which point you should see a graph indicating the signal strength.
Update Wi-Fi Adapter Driver
If you haven’t done so already, consider updating the driver for your computer’s Wi-Fi adapter. The Wi-Fi adapter, of course, is the hardware-based card or component that’s responsible for connecting your computer to the Wi-Fi. Like most components, it requires the use of software, which is colloquially known as a driver, to perform its intended operations. If you’re currently using an outdated driver — or if you’re using the wrong driver — you may experience frequent drops.
To update your Wi-Fi driver, launch Device Manager in Windows and click the option for “Network adapters. Next, right-click your computer’s Wi-Fi adapter and choose “Update driver.” You can then select the option for Windows to search for and install the latest driver for your computer’s Wi-Fi adapter.
Move Computer Closer to Router
Assuming you have a poor Wi-Fi signal strength, try moving your computer closer to the router — or modem for that matter — to which it’s connected. The physical distance between your computer and the router will affect the performance of its Wi-Fi. Generally speaking, the closer your computer is it to the router, the faster and more reliable the Wi-Fi will be. By moving your computer a little closer, you should experience fewer and less-frequent drops.
Scan for Malware
Don’t forget to scan your computer for malware. Certain types of malware can cause performance issues with Wi-Fi. If the malware is designed to intercept your data, for instance, it may cause slower Wi-Fi speeds as well as more frequent drops. Scanning your computer for malware allows you to identify, as well as remove, problematic infections such as this.
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