Reposition Your Router
One of the simplest and most effective ways to boost your WiFi speed is to change where your router lives. Placement matters more than most people think. Poor positioning can cause signal dead zones and reduced speed across your home.
Why Location Matters
WiFi signals move outward from your router in all directions. Placing it in the wrong spot can lead to large coverage gaps especially if it’s tucked away or blocked by walls or appliances.
Tips for Optimal Placement
Place it centrally: A central location helps distribute the signal evenly throughout your home. Avoid placing it at one end of the house, especially if you’re using WiFi in multiple rooms.
Elevate the router: Keep it off the floor and away from metal surfaces, thick walls, and enclosed spaces like cabinets. High placement often improves signal distribution.
Avoid interference: Keep it away from devices like microwaves, baby monitors, cordless phones, and Bluetooth gadgets. These can interfere with your WiFi signal, especially on the 2.4GHz band.
Making these small changes can have a noticeable impact on your WiFi performance without spending a dime.
Use the 5GHz Band
If you’re still hanging out on the 2.4GHz band, you’re missing out. Switching to 5GHz can give your WiFi a noticeable speed boost especially over short distances. This band is perfect for things that need quick, uninterrupted connections: think streaming HD video, online gaming, or holding glitch free video calls.
The trade off? 5GHz doesn’t travel as far or penetrate walls as well as 2.4GHz. So it’s best used when you’re relatively close to the router, like in the same room or just one wall away.
If your router supports it, enable dual band mode. This lets devices choose the better connection automatically speed when they’re close, range when they’re not. It’s a simple switch that can dramatically reduce lag and buffer time.
Update Your Router Firmware
Most people set up their router and never think about it again. Big mistake. Manufacturers push out firmware updates regularly some fix bugs, others patch serious security flaws or improve performance. If you’ve never updated yours, there’s a good chance your router isn’t running at full speed.
Many modern routers, especially models from 2026 and beyond, come with automatic update options. Turn this feature on if it’s available. It’s easy to overlook, but a fully updated router can quietly boost your speed and keep your network more secure.
Still using a router from 2018 or earlier? You might be overdue for an upgrade. Older routers not only lack the horsepower to support today’s high bandwidth demands, but they also miss out on the smarter features newer models offer like improved range, better security, and device optimization. Sometimes, speed issues aren’t about placement or interference it’s just old hardware slowing you down.
Limit Bandwidth Hogging Devices
Your WiFi isn’t endless. Every smart TV bingeing 4K content, every gaming console downloading updates in the background, every tablet auto syncing to the cloud it all adds up. When too many devices compete for the same bandwidth, speeds drop hard.
Start by auditing what’s on your network. If you’re not using that smart speaker or the old tablet gathering dust in the corner, disconnect it. Less noise means more speed where it counts.
For more control, dig into your router’s Quality of Service (QoS) settings. QoS lets you prioritize traffic say, video calls or uploads so the important stuff always gets through smoothly, even when your household is pushing the limits. It’s not magic, but it’s close.
Bottom line: streamline your network. Disconnect what you don’t need, and give priority to what truly matters.
Install a WiFi Extender or Mesh System
If you’re dealing with dead zones those annoying pockets where the WiFi just doesn’t reach a WiFi extender is an easy fix. It grabs your existing signal and rebroadcasts it into areas your router struggles to cover. It’s a quick way to get better coverage in basements, attics, or that distant spare room you turned into an office.
But if you have a larger home or one with multiple stories, consider going all in on a mesh system. Unlike traditional extenders, mesh networks use multiple nodes that communicate with each other to blanket your space in seamless coverage. No switching networks or signal drops when you walk from one end of the house to the other. Just solid WiFi, everywhere.
Split level homes in particular benefit here. Walls, floors, and odd layouts can confuse regular signals. Mesh nodes solve that by working together, adapting on the fly to give you consistent speed no matter where you are.
Bottom line: extenders help, but mesh systems future proof the whole setup.
Switch to a Less Crowded Channel
By default, most routers are set to the same handful of WiFi channels usually 1, 6, or 11. The result? Your signal ends up fighting dozens of others in a digital traffic jam, especially in apartment buildings or dense neighborhoods.
The fix is simple: scan your area to find quieter channels. Free apps like WiFi Analyzer (Android) or NetSpot (iOS, desktop) can show you which frequencies are overloaded and which are clear. Once you know, jump into your router settings usually accessed through a browser window using the IP on the back of your device and switch to less noisy airspace.
It takes a few minutes, but the speed boost can be dramatic. Fewer collisions mean stronger, more stable connections. Worth doing if you’re streaming, gaming, or just tired of buffering.
Clear Browser Clutter to Minimize Lags
Sometimes your WiFi isn’t the problem your browser is. Too many extensions running in the background? Cached data piling up? It all adds friction. Extra scripts and stored files slow down how fast pages load and how easily your device pulls data from the web.
Simple browser maintenance does more than just make things feel snappier. It takes pressure off your home network too. Clear that cache, disable or remove any extensions you don’t actually use, and run a quick cleanup once a week. If you’re not sure where to start, check out this list of top 5 browser extensions to enhance productivity—and shed the ones that just take up space.
Run a Speed Test Regularly
Tracking your internet speed isn’t just something to do when things go wrong it’s a proactive way to understand your network’s performance and validate your DIY fixes.
Why It Matters
Running a baseline speed test gives you a measurable benchmark for your current connection. If your speeds drop significantly over time or fall far below what your internet plan promises, it could signal deeper issues.
Know where your performance stands before and after making changes
Identify patterns of slowdown throughout the day or week
Distinguish between WiFi issues and service provider problems
Trusted Tools to Try
Use reliable platforms for accurate and repeatable readings:
Speedtest.net Popular and easy to use on desktop and mobile
Fast.com Powered by Netflix, focused on streaming speeds
Google’s Internet Speed Test A quick, browser based option
When to Call Your ISP
If your results are consistently below your subscribed speeds or if fixes like repositioning your router and limiting devices haven’t helped your Internet Service Provider may need to step in.
Document your test results over several days
Note the times when speed drops are most frequent
Use this data when contacting support for faster resolution