Slow Wi-Fi may disrupt Zoom meetings, create havoc in online worlds, and halt your video feed as it buffers. When your environment is based on near-instant connections, these minor irritants soon mount up and become annoying impediments to work, education, and life in general.
That’s something no one wants, so we’ll guide you through ten simple ways to achieve quicker Wi-Fi connections.
Determine your internet speed
Run our internet speed test before you begin. It’s not on our official list of 10 things, but it’s helpful in context. Use your initial speed test result as a baseline and compare the results as you progress through the steps to see whether it’s helping.
You might also compare the findings to the claimed maximum speed for your internet subscription. That way, you’ll know if your speeds are genuinely slowing down or whether it’s just time to switch to a faster plan.
Remember that many ISPs only promise speeds over a connected Ethernet connection. It’s quite fine, and even anticipated, to have a lower number than your declared maximum speed, especially when using Wi-Fi. What matters is that you have a pleasant browsing experience.
If your speeds are close to what they should be but you still have slow internet, you’re definitely overburdening your existing connection and need better internet service.
1. Turn everything off and on again
Let’s start by power cycling everything to see if your Wi-Fi speed increases.
Reboot your modem
Unplug your modem or wifi gateway for 30 seconds, then reconnect it. This procedure allows the modem’s virtual head to be cleared.
Your modem is responsible for converting internet signals between your home network and your internet service provider. If your internet is not working properly, a power cycle is a smart place to start troubleshooting because it frequently resolves connection difficulties. However, you may require the assistance of a customer service representative to remotely reset your modem and ensure that it is correctly calibrated to interpret the signals from your internet connection.
Reboot your router
If you have a solitary router, repeat the process. A power cycle, like a modem, clears your router’s memory and offers it a fresh start on duties that were done before clogging it up.
Finally, disable Wi-Fi on all of your wireless devices. Wait a few seconds before turning Wi-Fi back on. Allow these devices to rejoin and test your connection to see if it improves.
A power cycle may appear simple, but turning your home networking equipment off and on again may provide a significant boost to your network. We recommend that you reboot your equipment on a regular basis—at least once every several months. However, bear in mind that doing so will disconnect you from the internet for a few minutes, so plan to restart your equipment when no one requires an internet connection.
2. Relocate your router to a more convenient position
Wi-Fi signals may only go so far before being disrupted or obstructed by walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, appliances, and, in general, any major physical object. Radio waves from other devices, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, and Bluetooth speakers, can potentially disrupt these signals.
As a result, if you install your router in a corner, you may experience Wi-Fi troubles at the opposite end of your property. The optimal position for your router is central and elevated, close to where you use the internet the most. Don’t hide your router in a cellar or a closet—you’ll just cause problems with connectivity.
3. Change the frequency band of your Wi-Fi
Modern routers generally operate on two radio frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The band you pick for your connections might have an impact on your connection speeds and quality at varying distances from your router.
Whatever frequency band you’re on may be suffering some temporary interference, so try moving to the other band. It will appear on your device as a distinct Wi-Fi network, generally with a label in the network name indicating whether the network is 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
The 2.4 GHz frequency is the most widely used Wi-Fi band. Because it is used for many other wireless communications besides Wi-Fi, the airwaves at this frequency might get congested. This band sacrifices speed for range, which means it can travel through walls and other obstacles better than 5 GHz, which has faster speeds but a lower range.
The two frequency bands are frequently represented as two different Wi-Fi networks. Log out of the erroneous band and reconnect to the proper one on each device to restructure your connections.
4. Adjust the antenna on your router
Many routers and wireless gateways have internal antennas—meaning they’re located within the device, and you can’t modify them. If this is the case for you, you may skip this step.
However, if your router has adjustable antennae, try reconfiguring them. Router antennas are typically omnidirectional, meaning that they broadcast signals in all directions perpendicular to the antenna. A vertical antenna, for example, transmits Wi-Fi signals horizontally and vice versa.
Adjusting an antenna to sit horizontally to distribute Wi-Fi signals up and down might assist if you need to expand your Wi-Fi signals to many levels.
5. Expand your Wi-Fi network
If your router is in the greatest possible location but you’re still experiencing speed or connectivity difficulties in particular sections of your house, you may need to install a device that can extend the range of your network.
There are several devices you may use to extend the coverage of your network:
- Wi-Fi boosters sit between your network and the dead zone, boosting or redistributing current Wi-Fi signals into the new region.
- Similar to a Wi-Fi booster, wired access points connect to your router through an Ethernet connection and can broadcast Wi-Fi and LAN signals as an extension of your network. Many devices, including outdated routers, may be utilized as access points.
- Powerline extender kits have two devices: one that connects to your router through Ethernet and the other that plugs into an outlet. The second one is plugged in where you want stronger Wi-Fi, and the internet signals are routed through your electrical wire.
- Mesh Wi-Fi systems replace your router with one or more devices that collaborate to create a single Wi-Fi network that covers your entire house from numerous locations.
While all of them function to extend your Wi-Fi range, the optimal one for your network is determined by the layout of your home. If you only have one obstinate dead zone, a booster would most likely be a suitable fit. If your home is very large or has a difficult layout, mesh systems are preferable for full-house coverage. And utilizing an access point would be excellent if your house is equipped with Ethernet.
6. Remove any superfluous connections
If your bandwidth is running low, you should unplug any unneeded devices. Everything that is connected to your network should be critical.
Changing your Wi-Fi passwords and rebooting your router is the easiest approach to unplug non-essential devices. You will then need to log back into your network using the new password on any device you are presently using. This approach will remove any unwanted connections, such as the emergency mobile phone you keep powered on and which silently download updates.
7. Change the frequency channel of your Wi-Fi
The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are divided into 11 and 45 channels, respectively. Most routers will automatically select the optimal channel for you, but you may need to change it manually at times.
Because frequency channels may get crowded, if you and all of your neighbors utilize the same channel in the 2.4 GHz range, your Wi-Fi speeds may suffer.
In a Mac, you may use the Wireless Diagnostics tool to select the optimal Wi-Fi channel by holding down the Option key and clicking the Wi-Fi icon on the menu bar in the upper right corner of your screen. The Scan window will provide a list of the best 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels that are available to you.
To check all accessible channels on Windows, execute a command in Windows PowerShell or install a program like NetSpot. These approaches do not summarize the best channels for you; rather, you must identify the optimal channels by studying the scan findings.
To change your Wi-Fi channel, you must first log in to your router’s web interface. You may accomplish this by entering the IP address of your router into a web browser and logging in. Once logged in, check for your Wi-Fi options. You should be able to modify your band channel.
8. Upgrade to faster internet service
While we hope that these tips help, sometimes your internet connection is simply too slow to support your internet consumption. If this is the case, you’ll need to switch to a faster internet plan in order to enjoy quicker speeds.
Unsure of what internet speeds you require to sustain your online activities? Check out our internet speed guidelines for online gaming and video streaming.
And if you’re perplexed because you’re certain you’ve paid for adequate internet speed but your connection still doesn’t cut it, it’s possible that your internet connection isn’t always performing at its peak.
Internet service companies claim speeds up to a specific limit, but they do not guarantee that you will always obtain those speeds. As a result, even if you have a 100 Mbps subscription, you may not always receive that much bandwidth. In that instance, you may require a buffer or a strategy that is really faster than you anticipate. Slowdowns in the network will still occur, but you will notice them less.
9. Upgrade your equipment
If either your router or modem isn’t adequate to the effort of processing all of your internet traffic, it can slow down your entire network. So, if you’re working with outdated, out-of-date equipment, it’s time to upgrade.
If you rent equipment from your internet provider, you have the option of requesting replacement units if you think they are out of date—especially if they are affecting poor network performance. Internet service providers either provide a single wireless gateway or link a standalone modem and a router.
Purchasing your own modem and router might save you money in the long run, especially if you are currently renting both. A store-bought router, for example, generally allows you more control over your home network’s features, speeds, and security.
If you’re looking for a new modem or router, we recommend the ARRIS Surfboard SB8200 DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem. It prepares you for 10 Gbps cable internet when it becomes available. A Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 router, such as the Google Nest Wifi or the ASUS RT-AX86U, is also a good option.
10. Update the firmware on your router
If you have a modem/router combo unit (also known as a gateway), your ISP will most likely update the firmware for you automatically. However, if you have a separate router, it may be worth checking for upgrades.
Your router is a tiny computer that is solely responsible for network management and traffic routing. It, like any other computing device, needs an operating system—in this instance, firmware. Because no program is flawless, engineers make updates that optimize the code, squash irritating bugs, and close security flaws.
Keeping the firmware up to date is critical for performance and security. Many contemporary routers have automated firmware upgrades, however, verifying the firmware version might provide you better peace of mind. Log in to your router and make sure that automatic updates are enabled. If not, immediately upgrade your router’s firmware and enable automatic updates.