You know the routine. You fire up your browser or TV and start the next episode of your favorite show on Netflix. The video starts to buffer and you think, “great, here we go again.”

The internet is strained like never before with millions of people at home and off their higher-speed office networks. You and your neighbors are competing for speed.

There are a few factors that determine how reliable your Wi-Fi ought to be. Router speeds and range are important, as well as security settings that can prevent hackers and cyber criminals from meddling with your network.

But even the fastest, most secure network is nothing without good coverage. Believe it or not, you don’t actually need to buy a thousand dollar router to get better service throughout your home. Here are some basic steps you can take to improve your signal and keep your favorite devices running seamlessly together.

Check your wires

Firmware is everything

Location, location, location

Set up dual-band Wi-Fi for optimal speed

Use Windows to channel-surf and find the best signal to use

Quality of Service Wi-Fi: What is it