5 Ways to Upgrade Your Wi-Fi and Make Your Internet Faster

Regardless of whether you’re working remotely, watching Netflix series, or streaming your gaming adventures on Twitch, an excess of bandwidth is simply not a thing. Even with gigabit fiber directly connected to your router, there’s always a way to enhance internet speed throughout your home. The quality of your external connections might be exceptional, yet the task of overcoming slow speeds and Wi-Fi dead zones inside falls to you. Here are some methods to identify and, with hope, get you a Wi-Fi upgrade both within and beyond your home’s walls.

Adjust Antennas

Adjusting the antenna is a tried-and-true method that might prove effective, so it’s definitely worth attempting. Routers equipped with vertically aligned external antennas emit signals in a broad, ring-like pattern, thereby offering expansive coverage horizontally. Typically, we evaluate routers with their antennas positioned upright to assess the maximum speed over the greatest distance achievable.

However, shifting some antennas to a horizontal orientation transforms the router’s signal distribution. Consequently, areas that previously enjoyed strong Wi-Fi connectivity might experience reduced internet access, though the signal strength may improve in other spaces, like the floors above or below.

Given these considerations, fine-tuning the antenna placement requires some experimentation to find an optimal balance between the improvements you desire and the drawbacks you’re willing to tolerate.

Leverage Existing Wi-Fi Technologies

The landscape of technology shifts swiftly, and adopting the most current hardware can significantly enhance the efficiency of your wireless network. Introducing WiFi 6 or 802.11ac, this innovation stands as a significant breakthrough in wireless technology in recent years, delivering enhanced speed, reduced response times, and expanded network capacity for personal computers, smartphones, and both routers and gateways designed for residential use.

While more dated technologies such as Wireless-N (802.11n) and Wireless-AC (802.11ac) still dominate a large portion of mobile and IoT devices, some older standards are on the verge of becoming outdated. 

Contemporary Wireless-AC routers have the capability to reach data transmission speeds that surpass those of the older Wireless-B/G/N standards by up to three times, incorporating “dual-band” capabilities which allow for the optimization of network channels for the accommodation of legacy wireless devices.

Acquire an Advanced, Top-tier Router

In a similar vein, the newest Wi-Fi 6 routers are designed to offer data transmission speeds that are nearly triple those achievable with the prior Wi-Fi 5 standards, while also providing “dual-band” capabilities for channel optimization, ensuring smoother access for devices operating on older wireless standards.

Schedule an Automatic Reboot

Increasing your available bandwidth for gaming is possible by shutting down applications that are consuming it. Often, without your knowledge, various apps run in the background and use up your internet bandwidth, leading to lag. 

If permitted by the user, terminate non-essential functions such as security scans, chat messengers, or app updates. Disabling these background activities can improve your connection speeds and minimize lag.

Restart Your Router

Many modern routers do not require frequent reboots. However, rebooting your router can be a quick fix for restoring an internet connection that has gone down, as many have experienced. If you’re in a situation where you need to reset your router often, consider using the DD-WRT or Tomato firmware options, which allow for scheduled reboots. By setting your router to reboot automatically once daily during your sleeping hours, the brief downtime will occur without disrupting your usage, as the router turns off and then back on.

Here’s another straightforward technique commonly used to address any network issues you might be encountering. It’s advisable to reboot your device every few months as a way to rejuvenate it. If you begin to observe problems with your internet connection and realize it’s been some time since the last restart, attempting this method is likely to be effective.

Endnote

Hopefully, these suggestions will enable you to enhance your internet speeds with minimal effort. However, if you’re considering a Wi-Fi upgrade or searching for a new provider, it’s always best to research and compare different options to find the best fit for your needs.