Nowadays a lot of people suffer from slow internet speed. They blame their WiFi for this. This leads them to the question- Why is my WiFi so slow? If you have the same or similar question in mind, this post is specially written for you.
Here, we will learn how to fix slow WiFi using 8 very simple methods. Using these, you can experience better and faster internet speed. Fast internet will help you while staying at home. Also, with fast speed, your frustration will go away.
What are the reasons for slow WiFi speed?
The Internet has become one of the basic needs of humans these days. Especially, during the Covid-19 era, it has become more important than it ever was. The most horrible type of situations are now considered when your internet is not working or, it is working slow. There can be many reasons for slow internet. The heavy load and a considerable number of people using the internet will disturb internet speed and WiFi speed may go down and down when traffic will increase.
There are so many factors that slow down your internet speed like an old or outdated modem or router, slow DNS server, WiFi signal, weak signal strength cable, the weak antenna of your router, and even the nearby things.
How to fix the slow WiFi issue?
If you want to get rid of things like –
- Slow ing.
- Playing games with lag.
- Buffering while watching videos.
- Signals dropping.
then, you should consider applying some quick fixes that will help to improve the WiFi speed. Doing this will help you get rid of the frustration you experience when you face any of the above-mentioned situations.
WiFi so Slow? 8 Ways to Speed up WiFi
If you are interested in improving the speed of your WiFi network, then I have compiled the 8 most working methods for you. Using these methods, you’ll be able to resolve the “why is my WiFi so slow” issue. The best part is that none of them are complex. You just need to do a few simple things to fasten the internet speed.
1. Re-directing the Router’s Antenna
The internet speed also depends on the position of a wifi router and the position of the router redirects the wifi signals to a single direction. So, when your WiFi becomes slow, you can consider rearranging your router. You can start by redirecting the antenna of the router in a different direction. The latest modems or routers also come with multiple antennae, which are beneficial for better internet speed.
If redirecting the router doesn’t work, then you can rearrange the router and keep it nearby the place you usually sit while browsing the web. This will improve the signal and thus, the WiFi speed.
2. Adjust Settings of your Device’s Network
If the internet speed is slow even after correcting the settings of your WiFi router, then the problem might be with your device. The reason can be that either you are using incorrect settings or using an outdated device not capable of matching the current demands.
To solve the problem, you have to remove the WiFi network from your device, bring the settings back to default, and then re-enter the WiFi credentials. Or, you can also a better device.
3. Changing WiFi channel could help
The wireless data that the router sends and receives depend on bandwidth channels. WiFi routers have 2 types of frequency channels. One type is 5GHz channels which have 24 non-overlapping channels and the other is 2.4 GHz which has 3 over-lapping channels.
2.4 GHz band have longer ranger but low frequency while the 5GHz channels have shorter range but high frequency. If you want to get an increased internet speed, you can just to the router page, and switch to a 5GHz channel. However, this will shorten the range of your router.
4. Placing the Wi-Fi router at a Proper Position
If you have a high-speed internet plan and also a good router, but the WiFi speed is still pretty bad, then you should try changing the router’s placement once. An ideal space to place your router is the one that doesn’t have many interrupting appliances (refrigerators, radios, microwaves) around it. Also, the router should not be placed far away from the place where you want to access the internet.
So, try and find a spot for the router where it will not get disturbed and not behind thick walls or metallic objects.
5. Limiting the Number of s per Connection
When your WiFi network has so many s, the wifi speed decreases. When your family, friends, or colleagues use your WiFi to play games, watch high-resolution videos, heavy files, this will compromise your internet speed.
So, you can just limit the number of s on the connection to drastically increase the speed. If you want to remove s from your connection, you can access the router .
6. a better WiFi router
You will not get high internet speed when you have a fast internet plan but do not have a router that s a high-speed connection. Old and outdated routers do not the recent internet speed requirements. So, if you are using an old router that you bought over 6-7 years ago, it is time to purchase a newer model.
I’d suggest buying a new router that s 802.11ac (which is also known as WiFi 5) or at least 802.11n (which is also called WiFi 4). Purchasing a new router is a little expensive but If you want fast internet speed, you should invest here.
7. Edit the DNS server
The default DNS services provided by ISPs are often slow and impact the WiFi speed negatively. Using custom DNS settings can help you to improve internet speed. Some common DNS servers that you can use for your connection are OpenDNS (208.67.222.222), Comodo DNS (8.26.56.26), Google (8.8.8.8), and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).
You can also use other DNS servers whichever you find the most suitable. To edit the DNS server in your Windows PC, you can head over to the ‘Control ’ and then access the ‘Network & Internet settings.’
8. Reset the Router
The most common yet most effective solution for all the router related issues is a general router reset. To reset your router, find the small ‘Reset’ button present at the back or the bottom of the router, then press and hold it using a pointed object like a needle or toothpick. Keep holding it for around 30 seconds and when the router LED blinks, release the button.
This will reset the router to the default (factory) configurations. However, you’ll have to re-do the basic router setup through the .
Final Words
The reason for the slow internet speed is different for different s. It depends on factors that are slowing down the network. These are the most working solutions you can use to solve the slow internet speed problem. The next time you have the “why my WiFi is so slow?” question on your mind, you can quickly start applying the fixes mentioned here.
That’s all for this post. I hope you have found your solutions. Feel free to ask any related questions or give suggestions on anything written here.