Slow Wi-Fi may cause interruptions in Zoom meetings, chaos in online worlds, and a delay in your video stream as it buffers.When your world is based on near-instant connections, these minor annoyances may soon build up and become annoying barriers to work, education, and life in general.
That's something no one wants, so we'll guide you through ten easy methods to achieve quicker Wi-Fi connections.
Understand 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 highest speed promised with your internet package. That way, you'll know whether your speeds are genuinely underperforming or if it's just time to switch to a faster plan.
Keep in mind that many ISPs only guarantee speeds via a connected Ethernet connection. It's quite fine, even expected, to have a lower number than your declared maximum speed, especially via Wi-Fi. What is crucial is that you have a pleasant browsing experience.
If your speeds are close to what they should be but you still have poor internet, you're definitely overburdening your existing connection and need a better internet service.
How to Boost Your Internet Speed
1. Restart everything.
First, let's power cycle everything to see if your Wi-Fi speed increases.
Restart your modem.
Unplug your modem or wifi gateway, wait 30 seconds, and then reconnect it. This procedure allows the modem to clean up any problems.
Your modem converts internet signals between your home network and your internet service provider. If your internet is playing up, a power cycle is a smart place to start troubleshooting because it frequently resolves connection difficulties.
Reboot your router.
If you have a solitary router, repeat the step. A power cycle, like a modem, clears your router's memory and offers it a fresh start on duties that were 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 significantly help your network. We recommend restarting 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 need an internet connection.
2. Reposition your router.
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, might potentially interfere with these signals.
If you position your router on the outskirts of your property, you may experience Wi-Fi troubles on the other end. Your router should be placed in a central and elevated area, close to where you use the internet the most. Don't put your router in the basement or a closet—you're just asking for trouble.
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 alter your speeds and the quality of your connections at varying distances from your router.
If the frequency band you're on is suffering temporary interference, consider moving to a different band. It will appear as a distinct Wi-Fi network on your device, 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. Modify the antennas on your router.
Many routers and wireless gateways contain inbuilt antennae, which are fixed to the device and cannot be adjusted. If that's the case, disregard this step.
If your router has adjustable antennae, try reconfiguring them. Router antennas are typically omnidirectional, meaning that they transmit signals in all directions perpendicular to the antenna. A vertical antenna, for example, broadcasts Wi-Fi signals horizontally and vice versa.
If you need to distribute Wi-Fi signals across numerous levels, positioning an antenna to sit horizontally might assist.
5. Extend your Wi-Fi network
If your router is in the optimal place but you're still experiencing speed or connectivity difficulties in some sections of your home, you may need to install a device that can extend the range of your network.
There are a few different devices you may use to extend the coverage of your network:
Wi-Fi boosters sit between your network and the dead zone and either enhance or redistribute current Wi-Fi signals into the new region.
Wired access points, like Wi-Fi boosters, connect to your router through an Ethernet wire and may broadcast Wi-Fi and LAN signals as an extension of your router. Many devices, including obsolete routers, may serve 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. You connect the second one in where you want stronger Wi-Fi, and the internet signals go through your electrical wiring.
Mesh Wi-Fi systems replace your router with one or more devices that work together to form a single Wi-Fi network that covers your whole house from various locations.
While all of them help 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 probably be a suitable fit. If your home is very large or has a convoluted layout, mesh systems are superior for full-house coverage. If your home is Ethernet-wired, an access point would be perfect.
6. Remove any unneeded 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 way to unplug non-essential devices. Then, on each device that is currently connected to your network, you must log in using the new password. This procedure will remove any unwanted connections, such as the emergency mobile phone you keep powered on and which continues to discreetly download updates.
7. Update the firmware on your router.
If you use a modem/router combination equipment (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 handles network administration 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 double-checking the firmware version can provide additional piece 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.
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