If you got the Microsoft Store error code 0x80072F30 while trying to open Microsoft Store, then it indicates that the Store fails to connect to the internet or is not able to launch successfully for some reason. It could be that the Windows Update Service has stopped or the Windows Store cache might be corrupted or it could just be due to a poor internet connection. Whichever the cause is, you have to fix this error so that you can use Microsoft Store again and you won’t be getting the following error message every time you open the app:
“Check your connection, Microsoft Store needs to be online, It looks like you are not, error code 0x80072f30.”
The error code 0x80072F30 is related to the Windows Store which prevents it from opening properly. To resolve this problem, you can try fixing the problem with the help of the options given below. Follow each one of them carefully.
Option 1 – Check your internet connection
The first and most obvious thing you can do is to check your internet connection. This may only be a basic tip but it sure works like a charm in most cases. And if you have another internet connection available, you can also try connecting to that and see if you can pull up Microsoft Store or not.
1] Change your internet connection:
A basic tip, but sometimes works like a charm. You may want to check if your internet connection has an issue, or you can also try opening a website and see if you can open it and if possible try connecting to a different internet connection and see if the Microsoft Store opens for you. We also suggest you try changing your DNS and see if it helps.
Option 2 – Check the date and time as well as the time zone of your PC
A lot of services and apps rely on the Date, Time, and Time Zone of your PC which is why if they are not configured correctly, a request from the client machine will be rejected from the server and the same thing happens with the Microsoft Store.
First, go to Settings > Time and Language.
From there, check if it is set to Automatic or not – if it is, switch the toggle button off to set the Time and Time zone manually.
Then select the right time zone manually.
On the other hand, if the Time and Time zone is set manually, you have to switch the toggle button on to set Time and Time zone automatically.
Restart your PC and afterward try opening Microsoft Store again and check if the problem’s fixed or not.
Option 3 – Run the Network Adapter Troubleshooter
Since Windows 10 is packed with various troubleshooters – one of which is the Network Adapter Troubleshooter – you can use it to troubleshoot the problem. To use it, follow these steps:
Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.
Option 4 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache
Just like browsers, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
Next, type in the command, “exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again.
Option 5 – Check the Windows Update Service status
You might also want to check the status of the Windows Update Service since the proper functioning of this app depends on the Windows Update Service. It could be that there is some issue with the service which is why you’re getting the error code 0x80072F30 while trying to open Microsoft Store.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Services.
Next, look for Windows Update Service from the list of available services in Windows.
Once you see it, check if its status is STOP or Pause and then change the status to Automatic.
Photoviewer.dll is a shared library for SampleRes.dll and x3daudio1_1.dll in computers installed with Microsoft Windows 7, 8, Vista, and XP including 32 bit and 64 bit operating systems. Photoviewer.dll is associated with 1728000 system files.
The Photoviewer.dll error occurs when you upgrade your Windows operating system to a new version like Windows 7 or 8 on which this shared library is used. Once you upgrade the Windows and you right-click on JPG images, the Photoviewer.dll error pops up.
This error message is displayed as the following:
Photoviewer.dll missing/not found
Photovewer.dll entry point not found/application can’t initiate
Solution
Error Causes
Photoviewer.dll error can pop up due to several reasons. These include:
Modification of .dll files during Windows installation
Infection of Trojan virus
Photoviewer.dll missing /broken
Photo Gallery was earlier your default image editor before you upgraded your system
It is advisable to repair this issue timely to avoid inconvenience and serious PC threats especially if the cause of this issue is viral infection or registry damage.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Here are some of the best ways to help you resolve Photoviewer.dll error on your system:
1. Rebuild the Windows Photo Gallery
If you were previously using Vista and then you upgraded your system to Windows 7, then try this:
Go to the Start menu, click on the control panel and go to the folder options.
Then select the view tab option. Here you’ll find the Advanced setting window, select the show hidden files and folders tab.
Now click Ok to continue. Navigate to the following folder( %user% is the name of the account with the problem) C:\Usersusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Photo Gallery.
Then copy files to another location as a backup and delete them from the Windows Photo directory. Once the files have been deleted, try to start Windows Photo Gallery again. If this seems difficult, install Windows Photo Gallery application from the internet on your system.
2. Repair Broken Photoviewer.dll files and Remove Malware
Another way to fix the photoviewer.dll error is to download Restoro.
This is an advanced, user-friendly, and multi-functional PC fixer smoothly integrated with a registry cleaner. By running it on your system you can resolve all Photoviewer.dll error causes in seconds.
Restoro has an easy-to-use interface and a neat layout. It is safe, efficient, and bug-free. In addition to this, it is compatible with all Windows versions.
The registry cleaning utility is deployed with an automated algorithm that scans your entire PC and detects Photoviewer.dll file errors in seconds.
It fixes damaged, misconfigured, and broken Photoviewer.dll files, clears up disk space from unnecessary and obsolete files like the files from the uninstalled Windows programs which could be generating Photoviewer.dll error on your system.
It repairs the registry and modifies the registry keys to their correct configuration thus repairing the Photoviewer.dll error on your PC.
The powerful privacy error detector is integrated with all the properties and characteristics of an anti-virus. It scans for malware and viruses like Trojans and removes them from your system right away.
Besides these utilities, other features integrated into this repair tool include a system stability scanner and Active X and class error detector. It resolves Photoviewer.dll error while optimizing your computer’s speed and performance.
Click here to download Total System Care on your system to resolve the Photoviewer.dll file error today!
Libvlc.dll error is a type of DLL file error. Libvlc.dll is a type of Dynamic Link Library file associated with 3rd party software developed by the Videolan Team for the Windows OS.
Libvlc.dll file contains small programs similar to EXE executable files which allow multiple software programs to share the same functionality. It helps load and run certain programs developed by Videolan Team on your system.
The Libvlc.dll error pops up when the file fails to load and run your desired program. This error is usually triggered during program installation while a Libvlc.dll related software is running on the PC or during Windows start-up or shut down.
Libvlc.dll error code may appear on your Windows computer in any of the following formats:
"Libvlc.dll not found.""The file libvlc.dll is missing.""Cannot register libvlc.dll.""Cannot find C:WindowsSystem32\libvlc.dll.""Libvlc.dll Access Violation.""Cannot start Third-Party Software. A required component is missing: libvlc.dll. Please install Third-Party Software again.""This application failed to start because libvlc.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem."
Though Libvlc.dll error is not a fatal error code but nonetheless it is advisable to resolve it immediately to avoid any inconvenience.
Solution
Error Causes
Libvlc.dll error code may occur due to several reasons including but not limited to:
Corrupt Libvlc.dll registry entry
Malware infection
Hardware failure
Deleted or missing Libvlc.dll file
Another program overwrote the required version of Libvlc.dll
Further Information and Manual Repair
Here are some of the best and easy-to-work-around methods that you can try to resolve Libvlc DLL error on your system in minutes. Let’s get started:
Method 1: Re-install the Deleted Libvlc.dll file
Since DLL are shared files, sometimes the error code may pop up if it is deleted accidentally while uninstalling a program that is also run by the same file.
In such a situation, to resolve the Libvlc.dll error all you have to do is re-install the deleted file by going into the recycle bin. If you find it reinstall, but if you don’t then simply download Libvlc.dll file from a reliable DLL file website and install. Hopefully this will resolve the issue.
Alternatively, you can re-install VLC which should come with a complete copy of the libvlc.dll.
However, if the error code still persists, then try other methods given below.
Method 2: Restore Points - Undo the Recent Changes
Another way to resolve Libvlc dll error is to restore your Windows system to an earlier point.
System Restore can return your PC system files and programs back to a time when everything was working absolutely fine. This can help you avoid hours of troubleshooting headaches.
This can be easily done by going to the start menu. In the search box type System Restore and press enter. Now click System Restore and enter administrator password if prompted. Follow the steps in the Wizard to choose a restore point and then reboot to activate changes.
Method 3: Repair the Registry
The Libvlc dll error can be triggered by invalid registry entries. To resolve, simply download Restoro. This is a user-friendly and multi-functional PC Fixer embedded with a powerful registry cleaner. It removes all the invalid files, repairs the damaged DLL files, and cleans the registry in seconds.
Click here to download Restoro and resolve Libvlc dll error today!
Steam is one of if not the largest online store for the digital distribution of games on the PC platform. The game gets downloaded to your PC when you are planning to play it and its saves are synched in the Steam cloud. They get automatically downloaded when you install the game but you can also get your saves by directly downloading them from Valve's website in your browser.
If Steam isn’t automatically downloading your old save games after you install a game, ensure Steam Cloud is enabled for that game within Steam.
Locate the game in your Steam library, right-click it, and then select Properties. Click the Updates tab and ensure the Enable Steam Cloud synchronization option is checked for the game. If this option isn’t checked, Steam won’t automatically download your cloud saves.
If you don’t see a Steam Cloud option for a game here, that game doesn’t support Steam Cloud. Not all games on Steam do, it’s up to each game developer.
Download the Files in Your Web Browser
Valve lets you download your Steam cloud save files via a web browser, too. You can download just your saved files without re-downloading the entire game.
To find your saved files, visit Valve’s View Steam Cloud page in your web browser and sign in with your Steam account. You’ll see a list of games using your Steam Cloud storage. Locate the game in the list and click Show Files to see all the files for a game. Each game has a page showing all the files it’s storing in Steam Cloud, as well as the date they were modified. To download a file, click Download. Download all the save files for your game, and you’ll have a copy of its save games. This feature is especially useful for multi-platform games that don’t automatically synchronize save files between platforms.
Error Code 46 is a device driver error that occurs when Windows fails to access the connected peripheral device to the computer as Windows is in a process of shutting down.
Users experience this error on any Windows 2000 and later operating system versions and usually see a pop-up with the following message:
“Windows cannot gain access to this hardware device because the operating system is in the process of shutting down. (Code 46)”
Solution
Error Causes
Error Code 46 is caused when there is a temporary problem with windows system files which prompts that the system is undergoing a shut down when in fact is it not.
This prevents access to the connected devices. This error may also be caused by a registry issue in which case it has either become corrupted or damaged.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Unlike all other Windows error codes, code 46 is relatively easy to fix with the right knowledge and does not pose any serious threat to the well-being of your PC. Here is how you can do it.
Method 1 – Restart your PC
The simplest method to resolve Error Code 46 is to run a restart of your computer.
The error is most commonly a temporary registry glitch that prevents you from accessing the device connected to your computer. Upon restarting your computer, it will resume working properly as before.
There is no need to run a troubleshooting wizard, use system restore, or run anti-virus software to scan and remove malware or spyware. A simple restart is all that is needed.
Method 2 – Install DriverFIX
Although the error code can be resolved upon restarting the computer, there’s a possibility of damaged or corrupted Windows registry files. This can be fixed by using a program like DriverFIX.
DriverFIX, with its user-friendly approach to help you fix your PC issues, comes with an integrated database that detects which drivers you need to reconfigure within just a few seconds and downloads it automatically.
It further ensures that your drivers are installed in their entirety leaving no room for any corrupted or damaged registry.
Error Code 46 may not be much of an issue, however, to prevent any risk of a Windows system corruption can be disastrous for your computer.
DriverFIX helps you fix your PC registry and device driver problems with user-friendly software and an integrated database. The database which consists of detailed information on what device driver needs to be installed will automatically download the required device driver without you need to refer to your hardware instruction manual.
Registry problems resulting from incomplete program installations and viruses such as malware and spyware damaged registry files. This affects your PC in serious ways.
DriverFIX further has an automatic backup and restoration system that helps create system ‘checkpoints’ which allow you to roll back to a healthier state and resume operations. This can help you avert any Windows error codes in the future.
Error code 0x800704c7 occurs when Windows users attempt to update their system. It affects various Windows users including those using Windows 7, Windows 8, and 8.1 and Windows 10. It usually occurs due to poor maintenance of the system and includes common symptoms such as the following:
Inability to upgrade your Windows operating system
Message box with error code 0x800704c7
Solution
Error Causes
Error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10 can occur due to several reasons. For instance, it may be due to corrupted or missing system files. It may also result from malicious programs affecting your system or occur when a program or several programs are running in the background of one’s system while the user attempts to run the update.
To correct this issue, Windows users will need to select one or a few methods, depending on the issues affecting their PC.
Further Information and Manual Repair
Some of the best solutions for error code 0x800704c7 available to Windows users including using tools to scan for missing systems files or correct other issues inherent within your system.
These methods may include the use of Command Prompt and the performance of technical repair procedures. If you are uncertain of your skills, avoid compounding the issue or causing further damage to your PC by contacting a skilled Windows repair technician. This IT professional will be best equipped to use Windows tools and other methods to resolve error code 0x800704c7.
Method One: Scan Your System for Missing or Corrupt System Files
Using System File Checker Tool (SFC), Windows users can check their system for missing o corrupt system files. These utility tools within your Windows device will be able to replace missing files and repair corrupted ones, resulting in a more efficient system. Run this tool by following the steps below:
Step One: Go to Start and type Command Prompt or CMD.
Step Two: Run as Administrator
Step Three: Type sfc /scannow. (Be sure to place a space between “sfc” and “/scannow”).
After running these procedures, check if the error code has been resolved. Go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update. Update your Windows operating system. If error code 0x800704c7 reoccurs, you will need to try the next method below.
Method Two: Restore your System
System Restore is one of the best manual repair solutions Windows users can apply when they come across error codes like error code 0x800704c7. That’s because this method requires no technical or advanced knowledge and therefore can be performed by anyone. Simply follow the steps below to restore your system to a period of time in the past where the error was not present on your system. If done correctly, this could enable you to resolve the issue with little frustration on your part.
Step one: Type Control Panel in the search bar near the Start button
Step two: Select Control Panel, then Recovery
Step three: Select System Restore then click Next
Step four: Select a restore point before appeared on your Windows 10 system
Step five: Select Next then Finish
Note that once System Restore is enabled it will remove drivers, apps, and even updates installed after the restore point. For this reason, be careful to choose the most appropriate restore point. Also once you’ve completed this task, check to see if you are able to update your system. If the update stops before the process is complete and a message box occurs with the error code 0x800704c7, proceed to the next manual repair option below.
Method Three: Check for and Remove Malware
Viruses or other forms of malware can adversely affect your system, causing error codes and other issues to take place. To resolve error code 0x800704c7 in Windows 10, check for and remove malware using a reputable anti-malware program.
If no anti-virus software is present on your system or if you scan your device but fail to spot an issue, proceed to method four.
Method Four: Use an Automated Tool
This method involves the use of a powerful automated tool. But why is this important you might ask? A third-party tool is often the best solution when all manual repair efforts fail. Automated tools come equipped to tackle the most serious PC problems including error codes which can cause frustration and result in reduces PC performance.
The Windows 10 operating system comes with a user-friendly interface as well as better security features compared to its previous versions. One of these new features is the “Recently Opened Files” feature which displays all the files you’ve opened recently in File Explorer. Although it might seem useful, some users see this as a privacy concern especially if there are other users that use the same computer. If you are one of these users, read on as this post will guide you on how you can disable the “Recently Opened Files” feature in Windows 10.
There are three ways you can disable the “Recently Opened Files” feature. You can manually clear the recent files, or disable the feature via Control Panel. You can also do it using the Group Policy Editor.
Option 1 – Manually clear the recent files
The first thing you can do is to clear the recent files manually. Since the information about the recently opened files is stored in the form of cached data, you can locate this data and delete it manually, from time to time. To do that, follow these steps:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and copy this address in the field: %AppData%MicrosoftWindowsRecent
Next, tap the Ctrl + A keys to select all the items and then tap the Shift + Delete keys simultaneously.
After that, a prompt will appear where you have to click on Yes. This will delete all the recently opened files in the File Explorer the next time you open it.
Option 2 – Disable the feature via Control Panel
The next option you can try to disable the feature is via Control Panel. Refer to these steps to do so:
First, click on the Start Menu button and select the Settings icon.
After that, click on Personalization and then on Start located on the left pane.
Next, scroll down until you see the “Show recently opened items” in Jump Lists on the Start or the Taskbar and click on it and then toggle it off.
Option 3 – Disable the feature using the Group Policy Editor
If you are using the Windows 10 Pro version, then you have access to edit the functions in the Group Policy. The Group Policy function has the option that can disable all the default services of Windows 10. Note that in this step, you will permanently disable the “Recently Opened Files” feature. So before you proceed, make sure that you really want to disable this feature permanently and not in the meantime.
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box and type “gpedit.msc” in the field and click OK or tap Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
Next, on the left side pane, click on the “User Configuration” option and then click the “Administrative Templates” option.
After that, select the “Start Menu and Taskbar” option and select the “Don’t keep the history of recently opened documents” option in the right pane.
Now double click on this option and check the “Enabled” option and then click on Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made.
External hard drives have become essential these days as they tend to be very useful to many users. They are usually used for storing system images like system backups, Windows installation media, or for personal use. However, if you are not able to utilize your external drivers for some reason then that could be a huge problem. One of the common issues with hard drives is when your USB device or external hard drive just keeps connecting and disconnecting. This kind of issue could be caused by a faulty USB port, some issues with the USB drivers, your computer’s Power Options, corrupted or damaged system files, and many other factors.
The connecting and disconnecting issue with USB devices and external hard drives isn’t really new and has been experienced by many users for years now. Although this issue has somewhat decreased in Windows 10, there are still some users who encounter it every now and then. Worry not though for there are fixes that you can try to resolve the problem.
Refer to the following straightforward solutions to resolve the issue with your USB device or external hard drive.
Option 1 – Plug your external device on a different port
If your USB device keeps on connecting and disconnecting then the first thing you can do is to try connecting it to a different port. This will help you isolate the problem. In some cases, the port where the USB is connected can be malfunctioning or obsolete so you need to check that possibility by plugging your USB device into a different USB port.
Option 2 – Update or reinstall your USB drivers
As mentioned earlier, the problem could be due to some issues with the USB drivers. It could be that it has to be updated or you need to reinstall it. To do that, follow these steps:
First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.
Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.
You also have the option to update the motherboard and the USB driver from the manufacturer’s official website.
Option 3 – Try turning on the USB External drive
There are times when your system turns off some drives in order to conserve your computer’s power, etc. as a result, the driver that’s required to run your external hard drive properly ends up getting disabled. To fix this, you can prevent your system from turning off your external USB drive by following these steps:
You need to make sure that the external drive is connected to your system first.
Next, go to the Start Menu and type “device manager” in the field, and click on the appropriate result to open the Device Manager.
After opening the Device Manager, expand the category of the Universal Serial Bus controllers.
Then double click on your USB Mass Storage device and take note that the name might be different on your system.
Now go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the checkbox for the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option and click OK to save the changes made.
Option 4 – Turn off USB Selective Suspend
Another thing you can try is to turn off USB Selective Suspend especially when the issue has something to do with the Power Options. There are certain systems that are configured to disable USB devices after some time which could be the root cause of the problem. Thus, you need to turn off USB Selective Suspend. Here’s how you can do it:
In the Start Menu, search for “control panel” and open the related search result.
Then go to Power Options and click on the “Change plan settings” option.
Next, select “Change advanced power settings” and look for the USB settings and then expand it.
From there, you will see the USB Selective Suspend setting. Disable it and click OK.
Now restart your computer and check if it resolves the problem or not.
Option 5 – Format your drive
To get started formatting your drive, tap the Win + E keys and then go to the access page of the drive.
Next, right-click on the drive and select Format.
After that, uncheck the “Quick Format” option and then format your drive properly.
Now once the formatting process is finished, unplug the drive and plug it back in afterward.
Check if the error is already fixed. If the drive is not initialized, tap the Win + R keys and hit Enter.
After opening the Run dialog box, type “diskmgmt.msc” and hit Enter to open Disk Management.
From there, right-click on the drive volume and select initialize disk.
Next, select the correct partition type and proceed.
High Dynamic Range or HDR is a technique that’s used to create lifelike videos which have improved and better dynamic range, especially when it comes to details. And as you know, Windows 10 supports the steaming of HDR videos as long as the display supports it and it comes with the option to enable the HDR Playback for Windows 10 Video Streaming apps. However, before you can get the best viewing experience, you need to calibrate the display further for HDR video on your Windows 10 PC.
Take note that even when you have the HDR Playback feature enabled on your computer, you still need a display that supports it. To make sure that your display supports this feature, you can use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to have the display correctly wired and have the latest WDDM 2.4 drivers installed as well as set the other settings properly.
Once you’ve made sure that your computer’s display really supports HDR and you’ve already enabled the HDR Playback feature, now it’s time for you to calibrate. Remember that when you calibrate the display, you should make an external monitor your primary display if you are using it for HDR and then adjust the settings to your liking. And if you are calibrating for primary display, you need to disconnect all other displays.
Follow the given steps below to calibrate the display of your PC.
Step 1: You need to open the Video Playback first. To do so, navigate to Settings > Apps > Video Playback.
Step 2: Under the Video Playback settings, uncheck the “Don’t increase display brightness when watching HDR video on battery” checkbox or plug in your PC.
Step 3: Next, click the “Change calibration settings for HDR video on my built-in display” link located on the right side.
Step 4: After that, click on the Play button located on the left side to play the video. Then move the sliders to the left or right so you can start to calibrate. Once you see that the quality of the image is to your preference, stop.
Note: Just a tip when calibrating – you just have to find the right balance between the details in the darker parts of a scene. For instance, you have Mountains in the background and buildings in the front – you need to drag the slider to the right to add more details to the snow on the mountain or drag the slider to the left to add more details to the buildings. After that, you can pause the video and exit the full-screen mode. Keep in mind that the quality of HDR depends on you as it is a personal choice. Some users might like a brighter shade while other ones want the darker shade so it really depends on your taste. If you are not satisfied with how your HDR turned out, you can just try calibrating the display again. Simply go back to the default HDR video calibration and click or tap the Reset calibration button.
Another thing to remember. First, you can only see HDR content on the full screen and if you’re using a laptop, you need to make sure to watch videos when plugged in and check that the battery settings won't’ lower the brightness.
Windows 11 has brought us a new and revamped settings application that will cover most personalization and overall settings for your operating system. But as much as the new settings app is tweaked and modified there are still some things that can be modified only inside Control Panel.
Since the Control Panel icon itself is somewhat not right away once clicked on the start button we are presenting you a couple of ways to open it so you can change each detail you want.
Via Start menu
The most straightforward and easiest way to reach and open the control panel is via the Start menu. In order to do it just click on the Start menu and type in the control panel. Then click on Control Panel Icon in the results.
Pin Control panel icon to the taskbar
In order to actually pin the control panel to Taskbar, you will need to open it first. Use the previous simple and fast steps in order to quickly open it then in the taskbar right-click on its icon. Choose Pin to Taskbar and close control panel. Now you can open the control panel quickly just by clicking it on its icon in the Taskbar.
Add Desktop icon
If you liked the idea to have an icon that you can click in order to fast open the control panel but you are not very fond of the icon being located in your Taskbar then let's place it on Desktop instead. In order to place a special control panel icon on the desktop, we will use Windows setting app. Open settings app with ⊞ WINDOWS + I and go to Personalization tab. Inside the personalization tab, go to Themes and click on Desktop Icon Settings. Check the box beside Control Panel and click on OK. The Control Panel icon will appear now on your Desktop and you can double click on it to launch it.
Run Control Panel from the Run dialog box
Same as in the previous version of Windows you can also open the Control Panel via Windows built-in run menu. This is mostly the preferred way to gain access to it by system administrators. Press ⊞ WINDOWS + R to open the run dialog. Inside dialog type in control and press ENTER. Control Panel will open right away.
A surprisingly large amount of things present at your home can and do interfere with your wi-fi signal making it weak so devices are dropping it, having trouble connecting, or being slow.
Hello and welcome to our latest article where we will take a look at all things that are present in a lot of homes but are very bad for your WI-Fi signal.
Bad router placement
Having a router in a bad position can have some really large effects on WI-Fi signal strength and its availability. Usually, we do not give great attention to where we are placing our router but it has been proved over and over again that being close to certain objects does indeed have a great influence on the wireless signal strength and performance.
So, what are these objects and bad positions where we could place the router and effectively kill his Wi-Fi capabilities?
Fish Tanks
Water will block all radio waves including Wi-FI signals and waves themselves, so having a router next to the aquarium or any large source of water is a bad idea. You should always look at water as something bad for your Wi-Fi and move your router away from it as far as possible.
Bookshelves
Paper is another story and example of the dampening effect on radio waves. Did you know that various patterns of paper are used in silent rooms and recording studios in order to eliminate sound reflection from surfaces? Well besides absorbing sound waves, the paper also absorbs Wi-Fi signals and if you have a large bookshelf with a lot of books packed one beside another you just have a great wall of signal absorbing.
Mirrors
The problem with mirrors is in their coating that goes over the glass in order to turn it into the mirror, that coating is metal and as such, it is absorbing signals in large amounts. If you have an old or high-quality mirror that has a silver coating things are even worse since silver will absorb even more waves than modern cheap ones.
TV
Yup, TV is also on this list and for a similar reason as a mirror, although TV does not have coatings of metal, they have something even worse: a large metal plating on the back. Metal plating is there to produce structural integrity of the TV set and provide it with shielding from electromagnetic waves and as such it will prevent Wi-Fi waves as well. Do not place the router behind your TV.
Things that influence signals in homes
Any kind of metal decoration
Now when we covered mirrors and TV because of the metal they have, we must take a look at the metal itself. Any kind of metal stuff that you might have like baskets, figures, statues, frames, etc will effectively block your signal.
Kitchen appliances and Home utilities
Kitchen appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, ovens, stoves, etc. along with home appliances and utilities like dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, etc are large metal objects enclosed in a metal cage that will block signals from spreading further and it is no secret that most kitchens have weaker Wi-Fi because of this reason.
Home gyms
This is a logical conclusion as to everything explained so far if you have a workout room or small gym at home it is probably filled with weights that are metal and have mirrors inside, all of that will interfere and block signals.
Things blocking your Wi-Fi that you have no easy control over
Walls
Thick walls will dampen signals, thick walls from bricks will dampen even more and concrete walls will kill it almost completely. Any kind of metal reinforcement wiring inside walls will reduce and kill signals as well.
Floors and ceiling
This is somewhat important if you have a floor beneath or under the room where is your router located, but for the same reason how walls are blocking your signal floor and ceiling can do it as well, especially since most of the time they are made of some stronger material like concrete with metal fence inside.
Heating systems
If you have a heating system that is composed of metal radiators with water inside, then in terms of Wi-Fi signal strength you have an aquarium but in a metal box, and as such it will greatly reduce signal strength.