There are many choices. Take a look at the Linksys AC1900 ($99, Amazon) or Netgear EX7300 ($88, Amazon). Make sure the highest supported Wi-Fi standard (such as 802.11ac) matches your router’s standard to ensure the fastest possible connection.
7. Use electrical wiring
An alternative to extenders is powerline kits. Digital signals can pass through electrical wiring, and power line equipment is designed to take advantage of this. Several manufacturers make powerline networking kits, including Netgear ($120, Amazon) and TP-Link ($60, Amazon).
It works like this: Connect the power plug to your router and plug it into a wall outlet. Adding another power plug to another room in your home can provide a wired or wireless connection to that room. It is a simple and effective option, although it is slightly slower. Unless your home is particularly old, you’ll need to have electrical wiring for this, but it’s best to buy a kit from a retailer with a strong return policy just in case.
8. Add a password to Wi-Fi
You probably don’t need to tell them this, but your Wi-Fi network requires a password. This helps keep hackers away and your neighbors from using your bandwidth to access Netflix and slow you down. Be sure to use AES encryption, which is the safest and fastest security option.
9. Disconnect unused devices
Connecting dozens of things to your Wi-Fi at once can cause problems. Plug in everything that can be connected to ethernet, and remove anything that is connected but doesn’t need it (like that “smart” kettle that never got the job done). Ensure that only the things that need the internet can connect to the internet.
A good router (for example, all of the routers mentioned above) will give you controls to prioritize certain devices or services. This is a useful way to ensure your game isn’t interrupted by other users streaming videos on Facebook.
10. Check your PC
This tip is computer specific. If your PC or laptop’s internet is consistently slow, but your other devices seem fine, open Task Manager or Activity Monitor to see what programs are running in the background. Certain programs may be set to auto-update without needing to update automatically. If it’s constantly updating in the background, that might be the reason for your slow internet. Please check and adjust your settings.
11. Do you want to restart your router?
We read this tip many times on the web but were skeptical. Restarting your router regularly sounds like an extension of the age-old pseudo-solution to all things digital. That is, restart your router. Yes, we know that restarting your router can sometimes cut out your internet, but we asked router manufacturer Netgear, “Will restarting my router periodically increase speeds?” The short answer is probably not.
Sandeep Harpalani, Netgear’s vice president of product management, said the company doesn’t recommend rebooting routers “unless you’re experiencing actual connectivity issues or slowdowns due to radio frequency interference.” Masu. He added that if he’s still using 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and experiencing speed issues, a reboot may fix it. After rebooting, the router will choose the best channel with the least interference when it starts up. If you jump to 5 GHz, it will automatically switch to the channel with the least interference.
In any case, there is no need to reboot regularly. If the problem persists, it may be worth restarting your router, but in most cases, follow our other tips.
12. Call your ISP
If you’ve tried everything and the problem still persists, you can always contact your Internet service provider. We can send a service technician out to help pinpoint any overlooked issues that are preventing you from getting fast Wi-Fi.
