Five telltale signs you need to replace your Wi-Fi router – as experts warn new devices could be blocked from connecting

AN OLD Wi-Fi router often means you’re not getting the speeds you pay for – but it can also prevent new devices working properly.

Households should replace their router once every five years, at the very least.

But those who have several high-bandwidth devices and smart home items, or like to buy the latest gadgets, should get their router replaced every two to three years.

Otherwise, your shiny new electronics and smart gadgets may struggle to connect to the internet, according to experts at US broadband provider Tachus.

Sluggish speeds

A buffering, lagging Wi-Fi connection is often the first, and most obvious sign, that you’re working with an ageing modem.

These routers may have trouble supporting multiple devices simultaneously.

“You’ll need to make sure that you don’t have too many users or devices connected at the same time,” experts at Tachus broadband explained in a recent blog post.

“Both your internet connection and your Wi-Fi system can only accommodate so many users.”

If you have more devices than usual on your home network, try running a speed test both with and without all these devices connected. 

If both sets of your speed test results are slow, you’ll need to run another speed test with your computer connected directly to your modem with an ethernet cable.

If your speeds are still slow, contact your internet service provider and troubleshoot your modem. it may be time to look for a new router.

Weak connection

If you often experience your signal dropping out, frequent interruptions or even dead zones in the house, it’s clear you have a weak Wi-Fi connection.

To diagnose whether this is a result of an ageing router, or simply bad placement, test your connection by using your device right next to your router.

“If it’s not the distance or obstacles between you and your router that’s causing the problem, it might be your router itself,” experts wrote.

Malfunctioning equipment

Unresponsive buttons, broken lights, and loose inner components are three good signs your router “has started to break down”.

And experts reckon that “if more serious problems haven’t started yet, they may start soon”.

Overheating

If your router is hot to touch or making loud whirring noises, it is likely overheating.

Now, this may be a sign that your box is poorly ventilated, or that it’s time to retire.

Inspect where your router is placed to ensure it’s got enough ‘breathing space’.

You should also check that no cats are using it as a warm place to rest, as this can also cause a router to overheat.

Incompatibility with new devices

Lastly, if your devices won’t connect to the internet properly, aren’t achieving enough bandwidth and can’t reach required speeds, then your router is likely outdated.

Internet service providers produce new routers, capable of hitting newer, faster speeds, fairly regularly.

As consumer technology gets more advanced, devices are built with more advanced computer chips and internal components.

“That’s why newer devices will be most compatible with newer Wi-Fi equipment,” experts at Tachus explained.

“Something else to consider is that newer devices will place a greater demand on your router.

“Advanced devices require more speed and bandwidth, and your wireless system will need to be able to keep up.”