How fast wireless connection

The goal is to get your main devices—consoles, laptops, and so on—as close as possible to your router. Devices that don't need quite so much bandwidth, like smart thermostats, don't have to be a priority in terms of physical proximity.

If you don't have a flat surface near the best spot, you can mount your router halfway up a wall. If possible, keep it away from other devices that use electromagnetic waves; that includes baby monitors, wireless keyboards, and even microwaves. We sometimes forget: Wires still exist! You don't need Wi-Fi.

A wired connection to your router is usually preferable to a wireless one. It's faster and more stable and can't be affected by other devices or large fish tanks. The downside is that it limits where your devices can be, and it's less convenient overall. Still, for hardware that needs the fastest internet possible—a gaming console, desktop PC, or a streaming box, for example—it's often well worth the effort to run a wire. The router will have a handful of Ethernet ports to spare, so all you need is a cable.

To do a really tidy job and avoid having wires trailing across your floor, you'll need to deploy some cable management. For one or two gadgets, it can be worth the extra setup. Wi-Fi signal is divided into channels. Your router uses a particular Wi-Fi channel to communicate with the devices around your home, and if you have neighbors living very close who have routers using the same Wi-Fi channel, then everything can get congested quickly.

Switching channels can solve this problem. Every router will handle this differently. Check its documentation or look up the instructions online if you're not sure, but you should be able to find the option somewhere in the device settings. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are the ones to try, as they'll have the least interference when multiple devices get hooked up. Most routers now use dual-band technology, broadcasting at the 2. If your router settings allow you, you might be able to prioritize one or the other for certain devices—the 5-GHz band will get you a faster connection to the internet, though it has a shorter range than 2.

We suggest leaving both frequencies enabled since older devices will often work only on 2. Routers vary significantly in functionality and price, but in this case, the upgrade to make is generally in terms of how far your Wi-Fi is broadcast.

If you have a large house, you're likely better off with a router that can pair with "repeaters" that broadcast signals into the farthest reaches of your home. Smaller homes and apartments can generally get by with a simpler system. Read our router buying guide for more details. For larger homes, we recommend a mesh network, where you install multiple router nodes around your house.

The downside is there's no support for Wi-Fi 6. Accessories Check for Deals at My Home. Support Support Center Contact Us.

Support Sign In. Residential x. Cancel Continue. Pros: Larger coverage area; better at penetrating solid objects Cons : Lower data rate; more prone to interference; usually more devices using this frequency. Pros : Higher data rate; less prone to interference; usually fewer devices using this frequency Cons : Smaller coverage area except Use 5 GHz for a device closer to the router.

Use 2. How do you change frequency settings? Comparing speed. It's important to understand that: It is a combined total for both uploading and downloading It is calculated based on a single device being connected to the network It does not consider wireless overhead, interference and distance.

Real-world speed accounts for factors like: Sharing bandwidth with other devices connected to your WiFi network Interference from physical obstacles Interference from electronics Interference from nearby WiFi networks or wireless devices Signal loss resulting from the distance between your device and your wireless router. Maximum speed comparison. Here are the highlights: Each new standard comes with improvements in speed and efficiency made over time.

Comparing range. Fix : Find a place for your modem that's as centrally located as possible. Places that are higher up e. Make sure your modem is in a place that has good air circulation, and is away from heat sources. Consider getting a WiFi extender or move your equipment closer together. Maximum range comparison. Related blog topics. Understanding how WiFi works. Understanding internet speed and WiFi. Top WiFi Topics. If you have a ton of electronics in your home, the 2. A former colleague at Pocketnow, Joe Levi, explains that Bluetooth devices, wireless peripherals and even some microwaves cause a lot of noise in the 2.

To cut down on the noise and drop-offs, consider switching your router to 5GHz in the administrator panel. If the option for both 2. If you live in a crowded neighborhood or in an apartment and share a lot of the same signal space with your neighbors, choosing the right channel can cut down on interference and help speed things up a bit. For starters, channels 1, 6 and 11 are most frequently used in the 2. If you've switched to 5GHz, you have whole host of channels to choose from.

The selection of channels varies by model. You can use an application like Wifi Analyzer on Android or WifiInfoView on Windows to analyze the nearby wireless signals and see which channels are being used the most. Mac has this functionality built in. It's worth nothing that many newer routers will automatically choose the least crowded channel upon rebooting, so pulling the plug may also switch the channel to a less crowded one.

If you're paying for fast home Internet and feel like you're not getting what you're paying for, the hardware on your end may be serving as a bottleneck. Wireless and Internet technology have changed a great deal in the last decade, and many routers 5 or more years old do not support newer technology, such as Internet speeds in excess of Mbps. The easiest way to determine if your router is the culprit is to look up the model number and compare its specs with those of the Internet package from your ISP.

Powerline network adapters are almost always the better option to extend your wireless network's reach. However, they won't work across separate circuits. When you need to extend your network and power line network adapters won't do, the next best option is to put your old router to use and turn it into a wireless bridge.

This is rather involved and will usually require you to install custom firmware on your router. Not to mention, the network speeds will be dramatically cut.

But it might be the only way -- short of running a wire -- to get Wi-Fi on the outer limits or your property. If all else fails, consider calling your ISP. Yes, it's usually one of the most unpleasant things you can do with your time, but it could save you hours, days or weeks of future frustration. If you've upgraded your Internet package and you're using hardware supplied by your service provider, they can get the right hardware in your hands.

Without a newer modem and router, you may not experience the full effects of the free upgrade. If it's any other issue, they can usually help diagnose the problem and deploy a fix. Often, unfortunately, those solutions will come at the expense of your own purse.