Home WiFi networks, which give internet access to the devices in your house, are notoriously glitchy. They can stop working and then restart, or work fine in some spots but badly in others. The challenge: figuring out where the problem resides—with your device (phone, smart TV, laptop), WiFi setup (modem and/or router), or internet service provider (ISP).

Before you start troubleshooting, keep in mind that it’s best to place your router in the center of your home. Try not to hide it in a closet; that slows the signal. Metal, glass, brick, microwaves, and Bluetooth speakers can interfere too.

Try This FirstTurn off your modem and router, wait a few minutes, then turn them back on. (Any service you call is going to ask you to try that, anyway.) Still not working? Go to your ISP’s website to see if there’s an outage in your area. If your WiFi is sluggish, use an Ethernet cable to connect the modem or router directly to a laptop. If that improves the speed to the laptop, the signal coming to your house is fine; you need either a new router or help adjusting the unit’s settings.