The British should prepare themselves bask in a four-day heatwave with temperatures set at 30ºC. With the mercury set to rise this week, the Met Office has issued a heat health warning from today (June 24). The yellow notice – which applies to every region in England, column one – started at 8am and will last until Thursday afternoon.
And now experts have warned of another side effect of rising temperatures in the UK – broadband blackouts. Telecom expert Simrat Sharma told GB News that warmer temperatures can have a detrimental effect on home devices like your Wi-Fi router.
If your Wi-Fi router overheats and goes offline, you will lose internet access on all your devices. Whether you work or study from home, stream music, listen to internet radio or watch TV via Sky Stream or a streaming service like Netflix, Disney+or Prime Video — losing Wi-Fi and cable broadband can be a huge inconvenience.
Temperatures look set to soar over the coming days, reaching almost 30C in many parts of the UK
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Those who were switched from a traditional landline to a Digital Voice handset they will also lose the ability to make or receive calls to a landline. Critical personal alarms may also be affected.
Ms Sharma, who works for broadband comparison service uSwitch, warned that you need to watch out for devices overheating whenever temperatures climb to around 30C. And those who have a busy household or many devices connected to the Internet should be especially careful.
“The more devices connected to your router, the harder it has to work to keep them all online, making it more likely to slow down or shut down,” Ms Sharma told GB News.
A telecoms expert has three simple, easy-to-understand tips to help you avoid any broadband outages due to overheating Wi-Fi routers – or damage to any of your other equipment during the summer heat.
- Beware of hot spots | Place the router in the coolest room in your home, out of direct sunlight. A central location in the home usually works best for a decent Wi-Fi connection everywhere and cooler environment for its operation. Keep the router out of a sunny location such as a windowsill
- Ensure proper ventilation| Wi-Fi routers need airflow to prevent overheating. Place the router on a stable, flat surface – preferably one that will stay cool. This ensures proper ventilation around the device, especially underneath it. Never place the Wi-Fi router on a carpet that could block air flow
- Work outside | If you’re lucky enough to be able to work from your garden, it’s important to keep your gadgets out of direct sunlight where they can overheat. Don’t be tempted to put your router outside in the sunlight – consider Wi-Fi extension instead if needed
While this may seem like a good idea, experts warn against turning off your Wi-Fi router, especially overnight. That’s because broadband companies typically release critical security and performance updates overnight, as it’s the least disruptive time to make adjustments.
If your Wi-Fi router is not connected to the Internet, you may miss these important firmware updates. This means that a simple restart – also known as a power cycle – can improve your Wi-Fi router’s performance every now and then, as it gives the components a chance to reset.
Of course, the heat wave promises to impact more than just your Wi-Fi router. Ms Sharma has some expert advice for those worried about their smartphone during the sweltering temperatures.
- Pay attention to the heat load | Most phones are designed to work up to 35ºC and keep cool. However, direct sunlight increases the load on your device, so make sure to keep the phone out of direct sunlight
- Give your phone a rest | If you feel like your phone is starting to get really hot, start by giving it a helping hand by closing unused apps or features like Bluetooth connectivity and app updates. All of your phone’s functions require the processor to generate heat, so closing them can add up
- Avoid cold reception | A drawer or glove box is usually the best place to keep your device cool. Never put your phone in the fridge or freezer to lower the temperature
- Check the charger | Unofficial chargers, especially cheaper replacements, can often overload your smartphone while charging, which can be a more serious problem when your phone is already struggling with heat.
Simrat Sharma warns: “We’re all happy that summer has finally arrived in the UK, but of course your technology doesn’t always feel the same and there’s a real risk that your mobile phone or router could suffer long-term damage.
“Cell phones and routers have built-in hardware to help keep them cool, but there are a few things you can do to help. In general, direct sunlight can often have a detrimental effect on your equipment.
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“All electronic devices rely on ventilation to keep them cool. That means they need space around them to let out the hot air caused by all the processing they need to do. If your router is surrounded by a lot of other stuff, it can’t ventilate properly and could overheating For your cell phone, the case can have the same effect.
“The more devices connected to your router, the harder it has to work to keep them all online, making it more likely to slow down or shut down. The same goes for your mobile device — if it has too many apps running.” this will force the processor to work harder and generate more heat.
“If your phone has overheated – never put it in the fridge or freezer to cool down, as a rapid change in temperature can do more harm than good. Instead, turn off the power and let it cool down in a well-ventilated area.” from the sun.”