We rely on our smartphones and cell phones more than ever these days. It’s hard to get through a day without using an app or sending a text! That’s why it’s so annoying when your phone seems to stop working, especially at home or at work. The inability to send or receive calls or texts can be absolutely crippling, but what can you do about it?
You need to switch on or off of Wi-Fi or cellular service
Modern smartphones can work on either Wi-Fi (wireless internet) networks or cellular networks (which allow internet access, too, but are not the same as home or business Wi-Fi networks). This is convenient, but it’s not always ideal. You could find that you’re out doing yard work and missing things because your phone is desperately trying to rely on your distant home Wi-Fi network instead of just using cellular data. At other times, you may be sitting and home for a while before realizing that you have your phone’s Wi-Fi capabilities turned off.
So if you’re having trouble with your cell phone reception, try toggling cellular or Wi-Fi data settings on and off (let alone toggling airplane mode). If you isolate a consistent problem with one of them, consider tech upgrades that might help. A weak Wi-Fi signal can be improved with a top-notch router, while a weak cellular signal can be fixed with other solutions.
Because your home is a dead zone
If you’re spending a lot of time at home and your phone is spending a lot of time not working, the two might be related. Most of us assume that our homes are within a reasonable range of the nearest cell tower, and that any problems we’re having with connections must be the fault of our phones. The truth is that even being fairly close to a cell tower isn’t a guarantee of a clear signal. Because obstructions like tall buildings and hillsides can disrupt cellular signals, rural areas aren’t the only areas to experience cellular signal dead zones.
Check out some of the benefits of an RV cell signal booster that can come in handy at many places.
One option is to boost the cell signal. The problem most likely isn’t that you have no signal at all. The far more likely possibility is that you have a very weak signal. Getting a better signal back and forth between your cell phone and the tower may just be a matter of amplifying the signal.
Amplification is easy to do at home with a range booster. Grab a brand-name product like the ones offered by HiBoost and set it up according to the instructions (most range boosters work with all providers). If your cell phone reception suddenly gets a whole lot better, then you’ve found (and fixed) the problem.
Malware and viruses
Having phones that can surf the internet and download apps has absolutely transformed the world we live in. It has made some amazing things possible, from ordering food from restaurant to doorstep to using our phones to video chat (rather than just voice call) friends and family members. Unfortunately, it has also allowed some hackers access to some of your phone’s devices.
Smartphones are basically little computers. And, just like computers, smartphones can be vulnerable to malware and viruses. You can protect yourself by being conscious of and careful about the sites you go on and the apps that you download.
If you think it’s too late and your phone has been compromised, consider performing a factory reset to get a clean start or heading to a repair shop for diagnosis. Finally, it’s worth downloading a reputable virus detection and elimination application just to have complete peace of mind.
Image credit: Cell Phone Not Working via BOKEH STOCK/Shutterstock