3 tips to get the most out of your Wi-Fi at home

(WJBK) - Slow internet is undoubtedly one of the most annoying things in today's modern world, especially for those who work from home. Take Hajj Flemings for example.

"I hate when I see the little thing spinning. Once I see that spinning, I know it could be awhile. I might need to go get something to drink and come back downstairs because I know I could be in for a long night," he laughs.

And while his home may be more connected than most, it's a pretty normal family of three these days. In his three-person household, there's more than a dozen devices connected to the Wi-Fi. (Think laptops, tablets, phones, printers and maybe even TVs.)

With everything connected at once, speeds can drop. So FOX 2's Derek Kevra went to Comcast to get some tips to grease the gears.

Tip #1: Avoid putting the router near dense materials

Don't put your router near dense surfaces, like a granite countertop or a stucco walls.

"Density of material reflects signal," explains William Babbitt, Comcast Technical Operations Supervisor. "Are there mirrors on the wall? Do you have a large fish tank? All that stuff either reflects or absorbs signal and causes you to have what we call "cold spots" in the house where you have no wireless signal at all."

Tip #2: Upgrade your router

Old, outdated routers can't keep up with today's faster speeds.

"You have an older device, older hardware, older processor, hooked to a cable modem that you've upgraded - we run into this a lot - let's use 100 meg down. Customers think that with that older router, they're going to get 100 meg down," says Babbitt.

If your router is more than 7 years old it may be time to consider upgrading.

Tip #3: Reset your router once a month

Finally, the easiest, and cheapest option -- simply turn it off and then back on every once in a while.

"It's always a good idea, just as routine maintenance, and I do it once a month. I'll unplug that wireless router, give it 10 seconds, plug it back in and it reboots and everything is back to normal like it's fresh out of the box," Babbitt says.

Every megabit matters.