It's the most common complaint in any house with more than one person in it: "The Wi-Fi is SO slow." Usually yelled from the room farthest from the router.
Most of the time, your internet is fine. The problem is getting it from the router to the rest of the house. Let's figure out which one you've got, then fix it, ideally for free.
Step 1: Find out where it's actually slow
Stand right next to your router and run a speed test on your phone at fast.com or speedtest.net. Then go to the room where everyone complains and run it again.
- Slow everywhere, even next to the router? The problem is your internet service. Restart the modem, and if it's still slow, call your provider and compare the speed you're getting with the speed you're paying for.
- Fast near the router, slow far away? That's a Wi-Fi coverage problem. Keep reading.
Step 2: The free fixes
- Restart everything. Unplug the modem and router, wait 30 seconds, and plug them back in. It's a cliché because it works.
- Move the router. This is the big one. Routers are usually hidden in a corner, in a cabinet, or behind the TV, which is the worst possible spot. Wi-Fi spreads out in every direction, so put the router out in the open, up high, and as close to the middle of the house as you can manage.
- Get it away from the troublemakers. Thick walls, mirrors, fish tanks, metal shelves, and the microwave all get in the way.
- Check how old it is. If your router is more than five or six years old, or it came free from your internet provider back when you signed up, it may just be worn out. Many providers will swap in a newer one if you ask.
Step 3: When to get a mesh system
If you've done all of that and the far bedroom, the basement, or the back patio is still a dead zone, it's time for a mesh system.
A mesh system replaces your single router with two or three matching units that you spread around the house. They talk to each other and act like one big network with one name and one password, and your phone switches between them automatically as you walk around. It's a far better fix than the cheap "extenders" that plug into a wall outlet.
What to look for when you shop:
- Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7. Those are the newer, faster standards. Wi-Fi 6E is plenty for most homes; Wi-Fi 7 is the newest and costs more.
- The right number of units. Two covers most average homes; three for larger or multi-story homes.
- A simple phone app. Good brands to look at include eero, TP-Link Deco, Netgear Orbi and Google Nest Wifi Pro, and all of them let you set things up from your phone.
Bonus: the features you'll actually use
Once you're on a modern system, open its app and look for these:
- Guest network. Give visitors their own Wi-Fi so they're not on the same network as your computers.
- Pause a device. Pause the Wi-Fi on the kids' tablets at dinner or at bedtime. It's the most satisfying button in the app.
- Prioritize a device. Working from home on an important call? Put your laptop first in line, ahead of the video games.
Also: if your home has Ethernet jacks in the walls, plugging the mesh units into them makes everything even faster.