How To Make My Router Faster

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If y'all don't become the internet speeds you lot pay for, your wireless internet router point is probably the reason. Although many factors affect internet speeds, your Wi-Fi signal can make or interruption your home internet experience.

When Facebook won't load upstairs due to dull internet, information technology may be fourth dimension to brand your Wi-Fi signal stronger at home. Utilise any or all of the following tips to boost your wireless Wi-Fi signal and speed up your internet.

Commencement, allow's review why your cyberspace connexion might exist tiresome. Continue reading for tips on these bug, as well every bit other considerations:

Router/modem needs to exist restarted: A hard reset allows your modem and router to temporarily ready whatever problems that are slowing them downward.
Your provider has a data cap: Cheque if your provider has a data cap. If and so, your ISP may have slowed your connection for going over it.
Updates are needed: Your equipment may need a software update. In most cases, you'll only need to connect your router to a computer with an Ethernet cable and become to the manufacturer'due south website to install updates.
Cache needs cleared: Accumulated data can be dead weight for your connexion to pull. If you haven't done it in a while, clear the browsing history and cache on computers that are connecting to your Wi-Fi.
An ad blocker is needed: To speed up your browsing experience, one of the most effective steps you can accept is to install an ad blocker.
Unused devices notwithstanding continued: If y'all have unused devices connected to your Wi-Fi, they are still using your bespeak. To kick everything off all at once, change your Wi-Fi password. You'll have to log in to every device all over once again, only it volition cut off any devices y'all're no longer using.
New provider needed: Sometimes, bad cyberspace is but bad cyberspace. Comparing and switching providers is easy with Allconnect.

12 ways to improve internet speed

Before you surrender on having the fast Wi-Fi you lot've always dreamed of, effort these easy tips and tricks to super-accuse your home Wi-Fi.

one. Update your security to cut off bandwidth leeches

Extra users tedious your internet connection by taking upwards internet bandwidth. Failure to add together protection to your Wi-Fi network ways opening up your network to freeloaders. That'southward why Wired recommends all homeowners protect access to their routers with a circuitous password and WPA2 security.

Keeping your home Wi-Fi network rubber from intruders is doubly important if your dwelling house is automated. Every connected device uses bandwidth, and the more outside devices that employ your network, the less probable your automatic home devices will get the bandwidth they need. Plus, failure to keep your network secure might provide strangers with a bit besides much control over your coffee maker, air conditioner or automated security system.

2. Optimize your router settings

Testing different settings on your router could improve point strength and speeds in your abode.

Some routers take entertainment settings that prioritize bandwidth while you play video games or stream content. This strategy is less effective when multiple users share a Wi-Fi connection simultaneously, so try turning off the entertainment settings.
Reset the Request to Transport (RTS) thresholds on your router. Substantially, the RTS threshold protocol clears a data transmission channel before information packets are sent on it. In a crowded Wi-Fi network, such as an apartment complex, setting your RTS threshold to a lower number could help ameliorate Wi-Fi performance.
You can also fiddle with the router'southward fragmentation and RTS threshold settings. Setting your fragmentation threshold to a lower value can help data packets transfer more than efficiently and meliorate network reliability bug. However, setting the threshold to a smaller information packet size can decrease network performance if you already have a reliable network.

3. Choose a new Wi-Fi channel

Attempt switching your router from a standard 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi channel to a v GHz channel to heave your internet speeds. This should upshot in getting more bandwidth and less interference.

Both ii.4 GHz and five GHz frequencies offer multiple net transmission channels, merely ii.4 GHz only offers 14 overlapping channels, while five GHz offers 23 non-overlapping channels. Channel overlap can cause data packets traveling back and forth on neighboring channels to interfere with i another which clogs upward bandwidth and slows down your connection.

Some routers are limited to the 2.4 GHz band. If your router is limited to 2.four GHz, cull either channel one, six or eleven. These channels experience the least overlap from other channels, especially if you tin become your neighbors to use only channels 1, 6 or xi.

four. Buy a newer, high-terminate router

The biggest issue property back your home'due south Wi-Fi connection may exist your aging router. Thankfully, there are numerous advantages to purchasing a brand new router, so you'd be investing in more than than faster internet speeds.

A new router could as well requite you improved dwelling security features and be compatible with a wider spectrum of devices. Boosted security and compatibility help homeowners interested in automating their dwelling house or making their network more secure.

five. Reset your router

It sounds simple, only sometimes resetting your router can speed up your internet. Just as restarting your estimator can suddenly set up unknown computer issues, rebooting your wireless router can alleviate cyberspace connection problems and boost your speeds.

6. Angle 1 Wi-Fi antenna up and ane to the side

Wi-Fi signals spread out perpendicular to your router, just Verizon warns that Wi-Fi signals weaken when traveling through walls at an angle. Non all Wi-Fi routers have antennas, such equally an all-in-one modem and router gateways. However, if your internet router does take antennas, you can angle them to help your Wi-Fi signal travel straight through walls and retain bespeak strength.

Heave your Wi-Fi signal by fishing ane antenna to be vertical so Wi-Fi signals travel straight side to side through walls. Angle the other antenna to exist horizontal and then Wi-Fi signals travel directly upward and downward through the ceiling to other floors.

seven. Check out antenna upgrades and omnidirectional antennas

Another culling is to upgrade your antenna. Some router models are equipped with a visible antenna, and high-speed internet customers with these models are in luck. Why? Considering some third-political party manufacturers produce replacement antenna with more robust signals than the ones provided by your cablevision and internet provider. Some antennas are omnidirectional, so their positioning is irrelevant to maximizing your hardware upgrade — you won't even accept to angle the antenna to boost your Wi-Fi bespeak.

viii. Motility your wireless router to an elevated, articulate spot

The location of your Wi-Fi router has a large bear on on the strength of its betoken. Position the device in a high, open space with limited obstructions for better Wi-Fi indicate results. As nosotros already mentioned, signals travel perpendicular to your router. If your router is on the ground, many of your Wi-Fi signals will travel horizontally along the flooring and reach fewer parts of your abode.

Yous may be able to improve the signal and raise your internet speeds by setting up the router on the 2d flooring if you have a multi-level abode. Placing your router likewise close to materials similar concrete or brick can limit its ability to broadcast to the rest of your dwelling. The denser the objects effectually your wireless router are, the greater the signal loss.

nine. Motility your wireless router to a key part of your dwelling house

Placing your router in a central spot tin help maximize where your signals travel. Since yous probably won't hang your Wi-Fi router like a living room chandelier, here are some alternative locations y'all can place your router to boost your Wi-Fi bespeak and raise your cyberspace speeds.

All-time places to put your internet router

On a mantle in a central living room or family unit room
On a small coffee table placed strategically in a key hallway or living space
On the 2d floor landing if you don't take a basement

Places to avoid putting your cyberspace router

In the kitchen where other devices emit waves that can interfere with your indicate
In a corner of your house or in a windowsill—about signals will travel exterior where you're not using them
In the basement

ten. Configure or purchase a Wi-Fi repeater

Raising your internet speeds in certain parts of your house may be as uncomplicated as adding a Wi-Fi repeater. A repeater helps behave your Wi-Fi signal farther while keeping the same SSID and countersign settings. Essentially, the repeater contains a wireless router that picks upwardly your current Wi-Fi signal. Then another wireless router inside the repeater boosts and transmits the stronger Wi-Fi betoken to other devices in your domicile.

You tin also mode a repeater out of an actress router. By connecting a second router to your first router via their LAN ports and configuring the settings, you'll be able to employ the extra device to conduct your wireless betoken. Some new routers have this feature congenital-in as "access point" mode, eliminating the need for you to mess with the device's settings.

11. Add an internet extender

A Wi-Fi extender works similarly to a Wi-Fi repeater to boost your internet signal to other rooms. The advantage is that extenders are less likely to limit your bandwidth than Wi-Fi repeaters, and they provide connected devices with a stiff internet connectedness. A powerline Ethernet kit uses a wired link to your router to provide Wi-Fi signals to other devices in your home. Because it'due south wired, information technology doesn't use additional Wi-Fi bandwidth to communicate.

A powerline Ethernet kit is commonly a skillful way to boost net for basement gaming equipment or devices in a garage. Since information technology requires wiring, though, it's not the all-time cyberspace boosting solution for everyone.

12. Accept a speed test to decide what you're actually getting

To figure out how fast your internet and Wi-Fi connections are, take an online speed test with a figurer that'south connected to your home network. We'll also tell yous your ping time and upload vs. download speeds.

Your speed examination results:

Download Speeds

888 Mbps

Upload Speeds

88 Mbps

Pro Tip: For best results, use an Ethernet string to connect your router or modem directly to your device earlier yous run the test.

The bottom line

Recollect, your Wi-Fi router is crucial in determining the internet speeds you get throughout your home. Using any of these tips can help you maximize your home Wi-Fi signal and enjoy faster cyberspace at home. If you nevertheless aren't getting the speed y'all demand after trying these suggestions, information technology may be time to shop for new internet service nigh you.

Last updated 06/18/xx.

Written by:

Lisa Iscrupe

Writer, Broadband & Data Content

Lisa uses years of experience in sales and client service for internet-Television set providers to inform her writing on broadband. Her work has been referenced by CNN and other national sources. In Lisa's Words: Ever… Read more

Edited by:

Trey Paul

Editor, Head of Content

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