Slow Wi-Fi? Here's why and what to do about it

Do you suffer from the dreaded slow and laggy Wi-Fi? I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all been affected by this at one point or another.?

The purpose of this article is not to review or recommend any particular products. There are plenty of websites doing that quite well. Instead, here I hope you will find some helpful information on how to test your Wi-Fi speed and your internet speed.?

Firstly, Wi-Fi and internet speed are 2 different things, but one affects the other. Slow internet = slow Wi-Fi. On the flip side, the fastest Wi-Fi system in the universe won’t make your internet any faster.

The problem is that ISP’s (internet service providers) can tout their routers as the most advanced ever! Our fastest Wi-Fi yet! Guaranteed coverage! Super-Fast! Ultra-Fast! And so on.

The thing is, we all still want faster Wi-Fi even if we’ve got a brand-new router. The ISPs make a lot of money selling supplementary wireless equipment to try and solve slow Wi-Fi for you. Funny that. Boosters, expanders, repeaters, powerline, mesh and so on. But what do you choose???

Stop

Before spending any hard-earned cash buying more cheap rubbish to fix your slow Wi-Fi, there are some things YOU can try for FREE.

If your home is modestly sized and only 2 or 3 of you occupy the home or you are in a small office space, it is possible the free standard router can deliver the wireless performance you need.

But what if you have an issue? There are some very simple things you can try if your Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting on your device, or the signal strength appears low, or the speed is poor. Work your way through these simple checks:

Slow connection

If the issue is a general slow experience, e.g..

1. Your favourite web site takes an age to load
2. Your video stream keeps showing the spinning circle of death
3. You sound like Max Headroom on Zoom

.. then it is worth testing to see if the issue is a Wi-Fi issue or a broadband issue. Here are some simple questions or checks:

Have you made any changes?

Has the speed issue only begun recently? What has changed? Knowing about any changes on your home network may help you to identify the culprit. For example:

1. Have you added or moved any new devices recently?
2. Has your computer just installed some updates?
3. Has someone changed their internet behaviour, e.g. has your teenager just discovered Netflix or YouTube Music?
4. Do you have any new home appliances such as a microwave, fridge/freezer or a cordless phone, bell, baby monitor?

Try turning off or removing the change(s) to identify what might be the cause of your issue. (Other wireless devices can affect and interfere with your Wi-Fi signal)

Do a speed test

A speed test can reveal a lot about your broadband internet connection and your wireless network performance. Try connecting a computer to one of the switch ports on the router with an ethernet/network cable and running a speed test (https://www.speedtest.net, and/or https://speedtest.btwholesale.com). How does that compare when you run the same test when you are connected to your Wi-Fi when next to the router (within 2 to 3 metres of the router in the same room)?

Note: when you run a speed test, ideally make sure all other devices (wired and wireless) are either off or disconnected, you will get a more accurate test result.

If the test speed differs greatly between wired and wireless connections, then you may have a wireless issue.

If the speed test is slow when connected by a wire, check what speed you think you should be getting. If it is much lower than what is expected, you may have a faulty micro-filter or cable connecting the router to the incoming master socket, you may have a faulty router, or there may be a wider service issue outside your property affecting others too, or a fault on your line. Check with your ISP.

I’ve checked the speed and its slow – what now?

What if you deduce that the speed test over Wi-Fi is so poor compared to wired that it must be a Wi-Fi issue? Check these simple pointers. You may need extra help with some of these:

1. Check you don’t have any cordless equipment (e.g., cordless phone or base station) within 3 metres of the Router. If you do, try turning it off and test again
2. Make sure the router is high up and not buried between books or furniture
3. Try changing the channel number of your wireless network. This is done in the router admin control panel. Use the instructions supplied by your ISP to access the router admin control panel, locate the wireless settings and change the channel from what it is to either Auto, or as a guide: 2.4Ghz – choose channel 1, 6 or 11. Never use any other number. Test on each for best results. 5Ghz – pick another channel from what it is set to, or set to Auto if not already.
4. If the performance is good near the router but bad elsewhere in the house, can you move the router more central to the property? Remember radio waves have a limited radius when transmitted. Walls and other furniture reduce that range. Moving the router central to the property may give a better/wider spread of signal. Routers tend to be installed in a corner of the property downstairs, limiting upstairs and far corners of the property. Moving it, if possible, can have good results.
5. Also check the speeds with another device. You never know, the device may have a wireless fault, need a wireless driver update, or is just a low-cost device.
6. Finally, if it’s an old router (4 or more years), read on about getting a new one.

These are a few checks that you can try to improve your Wi-Fi without spending any money. If you do these and it’s still lagging, you may want to look at the paid options. There are many different options you can chose; some obviously work better than others.?

This first thing I would do would be to talk to your ISP. If you are happy with your ISP and are prepared to stay with them for another 18/24 months, they may give you the latest generation router for free. Plus, they may upgrade your package to a faster one if possible, and it may cost you less than you are paying now. Call them and negotiate. They want to keep your business, so leverage that.

A few other options are also possible such as range extenders, Wi-Fi boosters, powerline range extenders and Mesh. I’ll explain these in a future newsletter!

The bottom line

Do a speed test, via cable connection to router and Wi-Fi. Find out what speeds you should be getting versus what you are actually getting (this goes for both your internet and Wi-Fi connection). Think about any changes you may have made that could affect your speeds and work through the 6-point check. Speak to your ISP as they will be able to help. Then you can look at ‘add-ons’ with my preference being a Mesh system. (Look out for future newsletter on Mesh and other add-ons!)

See more great tips in our blogs at: www.pstechnology.co.uk/blog

This article first appeared on the PS Tech blog at: https://www.pstechnology.co.uk/blog/why-is-my-wi-fi-so-slow/