Slow Wi-Fi at home: find the bottleneck

Allow about 10 minutes. The fixes run from free to costly, so start at the top and test again after each one.

1. Measure the speed in three places

   A few numbers show whether the slowdown is the Wi-Fi, the router or the line into your home. Run a speed test (your provider’s app or website usually has one) and note the download speed in Mbps:

   1. next to the router, on Wi-Fi;
   2. in the room where it feels slow;
   3. with the PC plugged into the router by a network cable, if you can. If not, rely on the result next to the router.

   Pause downloads and streaming while you test, and test once in the evening too, when networks are busiest.

   If	Then
   It is slow even on the cable	Restart the router (step 2), then compare with your plan (step 8).
   It is fast near the router but slow far away	Distance is the likely cause. Start with steps 3 and 4.
   Wi-Fi is slow everywhere, but the cable is fast	Work through steps 2, 4, 5 and 6.

2. Restart the router

   A router that has run for months can slow down. A restart clears its memory and lets it pick a quieter channel.

   Unplug the router, and the modem if it is a separate box, for 30 seconds. Plug the modem in first, and the router once the modem’s lights settle. Then test again in the same places. Use the power plug, not the recessed Reset button, which erases the router’s settings.

3. Reduce distance and obstacles, and place the router well

   Wi-Fi weakens with distance and with every wall and floor it passes through. Brick, concrete, metal, mirrors and water, including fish tanks, block the most.

   • Put the router in the open, central to the rooms you use, and up on a shelf rather than on the floor.
   • Keep it out of cabinets and away from large electronics, microwaves, cordless phones and baby monitors, which can interfere.
   • If it has adjustable antennas, point them straight up.

4. Use the right Wi-Fi band

   Most routers broadcast on more than one band:

   • 2.4 GHz reaches farthest and through walls best, but is the slowest and most crowded.
   • 5 GHz is much faster but has a shorter range, so it suits rooms near the router.
   • 6 GHz, on Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers, is the fastest and least crowded, with the shortest range. The router and the PC must both support it, and on a PC it needs Windows 11.

   To see which band you are on, go to Settings › Network & internet › Wi-Fi, open your network’s properties, and read Network band. If the router shows a separate name for each band, join the faster one wherever its signal is good; if it uses one name, the router chooses for you.

5. Check for a crowded channel

   In apartments and busy streets, neighboring routers often share the same few channels, especially on 2.4 GHz, and slow each other down. Most routers choose a channel automatically, and a restart lets them choose again.

   If it is still slow, look for a channel setting in the router’s app or settings page. On 2.4 GHz, channels 1, 6 and 11 do not overlap, so one of those is usually best. Change one setting at a time, and note what you changed so you can put it back.

6. Find what else is using the connection

   Every device shares one connection, and large uploads slow it the most, because most home plans have far less upload than download speed.

   • Look for big background jobs: cloud photo or file backups, game and console downloads, 4K streaming, and security cameras that upload footage.
   • On your PC, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, and sort the Processes tab by the Network column to see which apps are busy.
   • Pause large backups and downloads, or schedule them for overnight in each app’s own settings.

   Many router apps also list connected devices. If you see ones you do not recognize, change the Wi-Fi password.

7. Update the router, and consider its age

   Firmware updates fix speed and security problems. Many routers install them automatically; others need you to start the update in the router’s app. Provider-supplied routers are usually updated for you.

   If your router supports only Wi-Fi 4 (also called 802.11n), a newer one may be noticeably faster; if it came from your provider, ask whether a newer model is available. For rooms that stay weak, there are two common options:

   • A Wi-Fi extender repeats the router’s signal. It works best placed about halfway, where the signal is still good, and it can reduce speed.
   • A mesh system uses two or more units that work as one network, and usually suits larger or multi-story homes better.

8. Compare the results with your plan

   Your plan’s speed is on your bill or in your provider’s app. Wi-Fi rarely reaches it, but a test over a cable should come reasonably close most of the time.

   • If cable results are close to your plan, the line is fine and the bottleneck is inside your home.
   • If cable results are well below your plan at different times of day, even after a router restart, contact your provider through its official website or app and give it your measurements.
   • If everything performs as it should but your household needs more, a faster plan is the remaining option.