Check your Wi-Fi router now - UK heatwave could break your broadband this week

05 September 2023 , 06:30

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This week's heatwave could wreak havoc on our WiFi

Thousands of Brits could face temporary Internet outages this week—if they don't take care of their Wi-Fi routers. The UK is set for a late summer heatwave this week which could make it tricky to stay online. Met Office reports suggest that temperatures could skyrocket to as high as 32C on Wednesday and Thursday, with overnight temperatures set to remain above 20C.

READ MORE: Exact date heatwave will end announced by Met Office as 32C temperatures expected

It won't just be you who gets hot and bothered during the heatwave, however. Scorching temperatures can wreak havoc with all electrical equipment and that includes Wi-Fi routers, which can malfunction or even shut down if they overheat. One of the worst things you can do is leave that flashing black box on a window ledge in direct sight of the sun. If you've done exactly that, move it to somewhere shady before the weather starts hotting up later today.

If all else fails, try restarting your WiFi router or hub

It's important to take a couple of precautionary steps that will stop your router from packing it in once things heat up.

• Keep your router or WiFi hub in a shaded spot, away from bright sunlight or any windows
• Place your router on a hard, flat surface where air can easily circulate to its air vents. Never place your router on fabric as this will cause it to overheat
• Turn off the router whenever you're not using it, as this will ensure the components aren't unnecessarily exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time

There are a few other steps you can take, such as placing your router near a fan or even investing in a laptop cooling pad from Amazon. But just be aware that, no matter what gadgets you use, your router could still overheat if the building it's in can't stay cool.

If your router does overheat, just remember that you can always restart it by unplugging the mains power cord, waiting 30 seconds, then plugging it back in again.

This should usually fix most connectivity problems. If you have any further issues staying online, contact your broadband provider for advice.

Along with routers, it's also wise to keep phones, tablets and laptops out of the sunshine as these gadgets won't thank you if they overheat.

Ciaran Daly