Table of Contents
If you can’t talk yourself out of it, or if your router doesn’t support adding more mesh nodes, some repeaters are better than others. we suggest the Linksys AX1800 ($100) or the Netgear EX7300 ($79). Make sure the maximum supported Wi-Fi standard (e.g. 802.11ac) matches that of your router to get the fastest connection possible.
7. Use your electrical wiring
An alternative to extenders is a power line kit. Digital signals can pass through electrical wiring and power line devices are designed to take advantage of this. Several manufacturers make power line networking kits, including Net equipment ($120) and TP Link ($60).
Here’s how it works: You plug a power line plug into your router and then plug the plug into a wall outlet. Add another power line outlet in any other room in your house and you can provide a wired or wireless connection to that room. There will be some drop in speed, but it is a simple and effective option. Unless your home is particularly old, you should have electrical wiring that supports it, but it’s best to buy your kit from a retailer with a solid return policy just in case.
8. Add a password to your Wi-Fi
We probably don’t have to tell you this, but you need a password on your Wi-Fi network. It’s good for keeping hackers away and neighbors using Netflix out of your bandwidth, which will slow you down. Be sure to use AES encryption, which is the safest and fastest security option. Also, make sure it’s a good password. Check out our password manager guide for help choosing and remembering a good password.
9. Cut off unused devices
Having dozens of things accessing the Wi-Fi network at once can be problematic. Connect everything you can to Ethernet, and disconnect anything you’ve connected but don’t need (like that “smart” kettle you never put to work; here are some kettles that work if you want to upgrade). Make sure only things that need the Internet have Internet access.
Good routers (all the routers listed above, for example) offer controls to prioritize a particular device or service. It’s a handy way to make sure your games are never interrupted by someone else streaming videos on Facebook.
10. Check your PC
This tip is specific to computers: If the Internet on your PC or laptop is constantly slow but other devices seem fine, open Task Manager or Activity Monitor and see what programs are running in the background. Certain programs may be set to update automatically and do not need to be updated. If they are always updating in the background, that could be the cause of your slow internet. Check it and adjust the settings.
11. Reset your router?
We’ve read this advice many times on the web, but we were skeptical. Rebooting your router regularly sounds like an extension of the old pseudo-solution for everything digital: reboot it. Yes, we know that restarting your router can sometimes fix your internet outage, but we asked router maker Netgear: Does restarting your router regularly help speed things up? The short answer is probably not.
Sandeep Harpalani, Netgear’s vice president of product management, says the company doesn’t recommend rebooting its routers “unless you actually encounter connectivity issues or slowdowns due to radio frequency interference.” He adds that if you’re still using 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and are having speed issues, rebooting might help as it will force the router to choose the best channel with the least interference during boot up. If you have made the jump to 5 GHz, it will automatically switch to the channel with the least amount of interference.
Either way, there’s no reason to reboot periodically. If you’re having persistent problems, it may be worth restarting your router, but for the most part, follow our other tips.
12. Call your ISP
If you’ve tried everything and are still having problems, you can always contact your Internet Service Provider. They may send a service technician, who could identify an overlooked issue that’s standing in the way of your fast Wi-Fi connection.
