Internet in Minnetonka and surrounding areas
If you live in Minnetonka, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, or almost any Minneapolis suburb, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is probably either Comcast or Centurylink. You're probably renting a gateway device from them. Except for Comcast's, most gateway devices are a jack of all trades and a master of none. A gateway device acts as a modem and a wireless router, and all gateways issued by ISPs (other than Comcast's) can be pretty bad at delivering wireless signal. If you're having wireless performance problems, look at the gateway first.
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This is a Comcast (Xfinity) gateway. Gateway devices are both a modem and a wireless router. Comcast's gateway is not bad, actually. It has a default IP range of 10.x.x.x and a default login of admin and password. You may want to log in to it to change the administration password, or to do other things, such as change your wireless password. Comcast's gateway is good enough to typically not necessitate a 3rd-party router (e.g., Netgear or Linksys).
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This is a Centurylink gateway. Centurylink tends to rent lower-quality equipment. The way this manifests with Centurylink gateways is a weak wireless signal and/or the need to power-cycle the gateway too often. If you're using a Centurylink gateway and your wireless signal is problematic, I suggest using a 3rd-party router and disabling the wireless on the Centurylink gateway. The IP range with these gateways is 192.168.0.x and the default login is admin and a password that is on a sticker on the device.
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How I troubleshoot your home network:
-Test your router (or gateway) to see if it is functioning properly. -Analyze your wireless network to see if your router is in an optimal physical location. -Add a wireless repeater to eliminate dead spots. -Update firmware on your router to increase security. -Hard reset your router and then configure it so that you and guests can access the network easily. -If you have a malfunctioning gateway device, I will call your ISP (Internet Service Provider) on your behalf so that it can be repaired or replaced. |