Slow WiFi can ruin zoom meetings, lead to havoc in MMOs, and cause you to stop buffering your video feed. These little annoyances can collect and become bothersome obstacles to work, education, and daily life if your environment builds on almost instant interactions. Nobody loves this, so in ten easy steps, we teach you how to get a faster Wi-Fi connection. Read More: Spectrum packages
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Take an internet speed test before we begin. This isn’t on our official ten-things list, but it’s useful for background. You’ll need to know your current speeds so you can compare outcomes as you go through each stage and see if it’s helpful.
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Compare your results to the speeds you’re supposed to get from your internet service provider after you’ve received them (ISP). This information is available in your online account or on your internet bill. You’ll be able to tell if your speeds are genuinely slow or if it’s simply time to upgrade to a faster plan.
If your speeds are close to what they should be but you’re still having problems, you’re definitely overburdening your current connection and need better internet service. With our How Much Speed Do You Need? tool, you can figure out how many Mbps you’ll need to support your network.
Pro tip:
It may happen because the ISP network is only slow or because your speeds can get threatened if you suspect your Internet speeds are slow due to your ISP. Our ISP throttling guide will help you determine out how quickly you are on the Internet.
1. Turn everything off and on
The Internet transmission between the home network and the internet service provider is your modem’s responsibility. Reset your modem is an intelligent location to begin troubleshooting if your internet is working. A short power cycle can alleviate problems with the modem. It’s a good idea to do it to your router. It’s a good idea to do it on your modem. Use the devices that are linked to your Wi-Fi network. Everything, even your modem, and router, now and then needs a break.
Your modem is responsible for translating internet signals between your home network and your internet service provider. Resetting your modem is a smart place to start troubleshooting if your internet is acting up. A brief power cycle may be able to resolve modem troubles. To ensure that your modem is properly calibrated to be compatible with your ISP’s signals, you may need to contact your internet provider and have them reset your modem on their end.
A quick reboot could remove your router’s memory and give it a new start to activities that have slowed it down before.
It may seem easy to turn off and on your home networking equipment, but it can give your network a huge boost. It is advisable to regularly restart your equipment – at least once a few months. Keep in mind, though, that this will take you a few minutes off the internet and so plan to resume your machinery if nobody is online.
2. Place your router in a more convenient location
The wireless connection may only travel to date before walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, equipment, and almost any substantial physical element can be interrupted or blocked. Other gadgets can be disrupted by radio waves, including wireless phones, baby monitors, microwaves, and speakers of Bluetooth.
This means that you can have trouble with Wi-Fi at the other end if your router is hidden away in a corner of your house. Your router should be located near the Internet at a strategic location. Don’t put your router in the basement or in the closet; just set up to deal with connectivity issues.
Pro tip:
Skip to step nine: extend your network if your router is already in a good spot but you’re still having problems in certain portions of your home.
3. The antennas on your router need be adjusted
Many routers feature internal antennae, which means they’re incorporated into the device’s body and can’t be adjusted. If that’s the case, move on to the next step.
However, if your router has adjustable antennae, try reconfiguring them. Router antennas are typically omnidirectional and hence broadcast signals perpendicular to the antenna in all directions. For example, a vertical antenna horizontally and vice versa sends WLAN signals. If you need to expand your Wi-Fi signals into multiple floors, adjusting an antenna to horizontally scatter Wi-Fi signals up and down could help.
4. Check to see if you’re on the correct frequency band
Modern routers employ 2.4GHz and 5GHz as both the most common radio frequency bands. The band you select for your connections might change the speed and quality of your connections at various distances from your router.
Since its creation the 2,4 GHz Band has been used for Wi-Fi, but it is also utilized for a range of other wireless connections, which allow airways to grow a bit occupied. The maximum speeds of this band are slower than 5 GHz but the range is larger.
In many circumstances two separate Wi-Fi networks are found in the two frequency bands. Log off erroneous bands on each device and reconnect to the right band to rebuild your connections.
The following are the finest connections for the 5 GHz band:
- Gaming consoles
- PCs
- Smartphones
- Smart TVs
The following are the finest 2.4 GHz connections:
- Smart speakers
- Smart home devices
- Security cameras
5. Remove any Wi-Fi connections that aren’t necessary.
If your bandwidth is running low, you should prioritize your connections. Everything that is connected to your network should be considered critical.
It may take some time to go through all of your network connections, but changing your Wi-Fi passwords is the quickest method to do it. Then, on each device you use, log back into your network using the new password. This is a wonderful approach to get rid of any unused connections that you may have forgotten about, such as that emergency cell phone that has been quietly downloading updates while you’ve been away.
Pro tip:
A home networking program, such as NETGEAR Genie, TP-Link Tether, or Xfinity xFi, may be included with your router and can show you which devices are connected to your network. If you have an app like this, you can quickly identify and disconnect erroneous connections without disrupting your entire Wi-Fi network.
6. Change the Wi-Fi channel you’re using
You can adjust your router’s frequency band channel in addition to making sure your connections are on the correct Wi-Fi frequency band. Within each frequency band, there are a few different channels to pick from, and you can utilize any of them. Most routers will choose this for you automatically, but they may make a mistake.
Because frequency channels can get crowded, if you and your neighbors are all utilizing the same channel in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, your Wi-Fi rates may suffer. On a Mac computer, you can utilize the Wireless Diagnostics feature to select the optimal Wi-Fi channel (hold the option key and click the Wi-Fi status bar in the top right corner of your screen to access). You’ll need software like NetSpot for Windows. These should both suggest the best Wi-Fi channels to use.
You’ll need to enter into your router’s online interface to change your Wi-Fi channel to the best one. You can accomplish this by entering the IP address of your router into a web browser and logging in. Look for your Wi-Fi settings once you’ve logged in. It should be possible to modify your band’s channel.
7. Update the firmware on your Wi-Fi router
Since you’ve already logged in to your router’s interface to verify your Wi-Fi channel in step six, you might as well see if any firmware upgrades are available. Updating your router ensures that it is as safe as possible and that it has the most recent software updates for known issues.
Many contemporary routers have automatic firmware updates, but if yours doesn’t, you should check for them on a regular basis to ensure that your network runs as quickly as possible.
8. Invest in new equipment
Your router and modem handle all of your internet traffic; if one of them isn’t up to the task, your entire network will suffer. So, if you’re working with old, out-of-date equipment, it’s time to upgrade.
If you rent a gateway from your ISP, you can ask for new equipment if yours isn’t up to date, especially if it’s creating poor network performance.
However, against renting, purchasing your own modem and router saves you money over time. It also allows you more control over your 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 and the Google Nest Wi-Fi or ASUS RT-AX86U Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 router.
If you’re still looking for a new modem or router, here are a few of our favorites:
- Routers with the Best Wi-Fi
- 6 Routers with the Best Wi-Fi
- The Best Modem/Router Setups
- The Best Gigabit Internet Modems
9. Expand your Wi-Fi network
If your router is in an ideal, central location but you’re still experiencing speed or connectivity issues in particular areas of your home, you may need to add a device that can extend the range of your network.
There are a few different devices you can use to extend your network’s reach:
- Between your router and the dead zone, Wi-Fi boosters can amplify or redistribute current Wi-Fi signals to the new location.
- Similar to a Wi-Fi booster, wired access points connect to your router through an Ethernet cable and can distribute Wi-Fi and LAN signals as an extension of your network. Many devices, including outdated routers, can be utilized as access points.
- Powerline extension kits have two devices: one that connects to your router through Ethernet and the other that plugs into an outlet. The internet signals pass through your electrical wire when you plug the second one in where you want stronger Wi-Fi.
- Mesh Wi-Fi systems replace your router with one or more devices that work together to form a multi-point Wi-Fi network that covers your entire home.
While all of them function to extend your Wi-Fi range, the optimal option for your network is dependent on the layout of your home. A booster would be a suitable option if you only have one obstinate dead zone. If your home is very large or has a convoluted layout, mesh systems are superior for full-house coverage. If your house is wired with Ethernet, using an access point would be excellent.
10. Improve a speedier connection to the Internet
While we hope that these suggestions will help you, sometimes your internet connection is simply too slow to keep up with your internet usage. If that’s the case, you’ll need to subscribe to a higher-speed internet plan to enjoy speedier Wi-Fi.
Are you unsure what internet speeds you’ll need to keep up with your online activities? Take a look at our internet speed guides for online gaming and video streaming.
And if you’re perplexed because you’re certain you’ve paid for enough internet speed but your connection still isn’t up to par, it’s possible that your internet connection isn’t always up to par.
Internet companies advertise speeds up to a certain point, but they don’t guarantee that you’ll get that speed all of the time. So even if you have a 100 Mbps package, you could not get that much bandwidth all of the time. In that instance, you may require a buffer or a speed plan that is higher than you initially anticipated. Network slowdowns will still occur, but you will be less aware of them.
Added bonus for quicker internet
Wi-Fi is convenient, but cable connections are more stable and speedier. If you have high-priority devices such as the main PC, gaming console, or smart TV, it may be worth your time to use an Ethernet cable to connect them to your router rather than relying on Wi-Fi.
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