Fixing Slow Wi-Fi

Core Idea

Slow Wi-Fi is usually not your internet provider's fault. The problem is often the router, where it sits, or interference from other devices. You can fix most of this yourself in under an hour.

Your internet speed and your Wi-Fi speed are two different things. You can pay for gigabit internet and still get slow Wi-Fi if your router is old or placed badly.

Videos

How It Works

Wi-Fi signals travel better through open air than through walls, floors, and furniture. A router shoved in a closet or behind a TV will cover less of your space. A router on a high shelf in the middle of your office covers more.

Other electronics cause interference. Microwaves, baby monitors, and cordless phones all use the same radio frequencies as Wi-Fi. So do your neighbor's routers.

Old routers cannot handle many devices. A router from five years ago will choke on ten phones, laptops, and smart home gadgets. A new router handles that easily.

Summary

Move your router first. Out in the open, off the floor, away from electronics. Restart it once a month. If that does not work, buy a new router.

Do not pay your provider for a "Wi-Fi booster" or "whole home" add-on. Buy your own router instead. It is cheaper and works better.

Practical Steps

• Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds.
• Move the router to a central, high spot.
• Keep it away from TVs, speakers, and microwaves.
• Run a speed test near the router, then in the slow spot.
• Update your router's software through its settings page.
• If your router is over four years old, buy a new one.
• Switch to a 5 GHz band for faster speed at close range.
• Use a cable for desktop computers and workstations.

Common Mistakes

• Hiding the router in a cabinet or closet.
• Never restarting the router.
• Using the router your provider gave you for five years.
• Putting the router near a fish tank or metal filing cabinet.
• Blaming your internet provider for old router problems.
• Paying for a Wi-Fi extender instead of moving the router.
• Having too many devices on an old router.
• Living with bad Wi-Fi for months before trying anything.

Resources

• Fixing Slow Wi-Fi Video 1
• Fixing Slow Wi-Fi Video 2
• Fixing Slow Wi-Fi Video 3
• Fixing Slow Wi-Fi Video 4