Slow Wi-Fi signal can leave even the calmest person ready to throw their router out the window. Here's why your Wi-Fi signal is slow, plus we explain how to speed up your internet connection and boost your Wi-Fi strength and connectivity.
Whether you're a small business, a startup relying on as home broadband connection or a company with bigger connectivity needs, read on to boost your Wi-Fi connection...
Read next: What is Li-Fi?.
Additional reporting from Sandro Villinger.
1. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Conduct a speed test
© Speed Test
First you've got to establish the actual speed you're receiving. To do this simply visit a speed testing site, we like Speed Test. From there click begin and it will tell you your upload and download speed. The UK average download speed was around 22.8Mbps last year.
2. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Your router is old
© iStock/ KreangchaiRungfamai
The latest Wi-Fi standard is 802.11ac. This standard and the 802.11n are the most desireable for fast connectivity. If your router is either 802.11b or 802.11g standard a new router would definitely boost your Wi-Fi speed and provide a longer range of connectivity. If you've been a loyal customer, most internet providers will send you the newest router for free but others may charge a delivery cost of around £3-£6. Here's how to check what Wi-Fi standard you're running on:
1. Click on the Wi-Fi shortcut (usually found on the bottom right of PC screen)
2. Hover your cursor over the broadband service you are using
3. The standard will be listed next to 'Radio Type'
3. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: You're on the wrong channel
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The day your router is set up, it automatically detects the least crowded channel and makes that its default. However, with the arrival of new neighbors or offices nearby, the situation may change quickly. All of a sudden, one channel may be used by a handful of routers while others are deserted. There are some great tools that will help determine whether you should change Wi-Fi channel.
Software like InSSIDer and NirSoft analyses the entire Wi-Fi spectrum and gives you details about your home network as well as channel usage meaning you can change to a less busy channel. Most internet providers will have step-by-step tutorials on how to do this as procedures can differ.
4. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: You're not using the 5GHz network
© iStock/Henrik5000
The 2.4GHz frequency is crowded. Not just with neighbors using the same frequency, but also baby monitors, cordless phones, microwave ovens and more. Modern 802.11n and 802.11ac routers offer "dualband", which means they're sending two network signals; one at 2.4GHz, and one at 5GHz, which is far less crowded and offers more channels.
One drawback is that many device makers only go with the 2.4 GHz receiver. This includes all portable gaming consoles, and also a slew of smartphones. To get a speedy connection activate both networks and connect the mobile devices to the 2.4 GHz network, just enabling the 5GHz network for your laptops and desktops.
5. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: You're not limiting your router's frequency band
© iStock/Max Kabakov
Sometimes you can't have the luxury of choosing the 5GHz frequency band or selecting a "lonely" channel. In such cases, it may be worthwhile to limit your router to sending out signals at intervals of 20MHz. For small businesses with guest Wi-Fi, limit the guest access to 20MHz giving you and your employees a stronger signal with fewer dropouts.
6. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: You need to update your firmware
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An easy, yet often forgotten piece of advice. Make sure that your router's firmware is up-to-date - especially if you've purchased a new one. Expect bandwidth, feature set and resiliency to signals to increase with the first few firmware updates. The latest firmware update can be downloaded from the manufacurer's website and is relatively simple to update as most have a helpful how-to wizard.
7. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Your Wi-Fi adapter/driver is not up-to-date
© iStock/UygarGeographic
Sometimes a USB or built in wireless adapter/driver cannot fully communicate with your PC or laptop and updating it could give it the push it needs to get working again. There are a few free tools to make this proccess easier such as Driver Talent which identifies the problem and offers the best downloadable update available for most operating systems. Mac operating systems can find software update solutions on the Apple website.
8. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: You router is in a bad spot
© iStock/ Vkoletic
Use a Wi-Fi heatmapping tool to measure the impact of distance, frequency changes and building structures on signal strength. Two tools that are great for this job are NetSpot for Mac and Heatmapper for Windows. Both tools allow you to track Wi-Fi coverage in your office or home. The more points you scan, the more exact your Wi-Fi heatmap. Once you're done, you end up with a map that shows you not just the signal strength but also the throughput of your Wi-Fi network.
9. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Your router is stuck on its eco setting
© iStock/Weerapatkiatdumrong
Some routers are set up with their "power savings" mode on by default. The goal: save a few milliwatts. Unfortunately, this commendable approach reduced bandwidth disproportionately. If you value bandwidth over minimal power savings, check out the router's setting and look for entries called "Transmission Power" or various Eco modes. Turn them OFF. Also, do check if your router sports some sort of "Automatic" transmission setting. You may want to turn it off and go "100 percent" all the time.
10. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Your router is not high enough
© iStock/Squaredpixels
Unfortunately, the laws of physics sometimes stand in the way of proper wireless bandwidth and signal strength. The distance between your router and the wireless adapter is a more relevant factor than you might think so avoid placing it near thick brick or concrete walls. Placing the router higher up could make a difference to wireless signal.
11. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Your PC is too cluttered
Your Wi-Fi signal can become weak if your PC is too old or too untidy. One way to boost your Wi-Fi speed is to declutter your PC and shed any unnecessary files or programmes that could be slowing it down.
There's plenty of software that claim to speed up your PC and make the general day-to-day running much smoother.
We like AVG PC TuneUp, Avast! Cleanup, CCleaner, and F-Secure Booster.
For the best tools to clean your PC see: Eight tools that could speed up your PC.
12. How to improve your Wi-Fi speed: Other people are hogging the bandwidth
If you share your internet connection with people that like to download videos, stream TV shows or play online video games, you might want to consider setting up a few rules.
You could suggest that they download content during less popular times. But if you don't fancy any awkward confrontations, there are tools out there that will prioritise apps or programmes. This should result in the most important programmes getting bandwidth priorities.
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