Zac the IT Guy · 60-Second Fix
Why is my Wi-Fi slow?
Most slow Wi-Fi isn't a broken internet connection. It's usually where the router sits, how many things are connected, or a router that hasn't been restarted in months. Here's what I check first.
By Zac Tassone, Managing Director of Zectron Web & IT Services
The short version
- Restart the modem, then the router, and give them two minutes.
- Move the router out of cupboards and away from the floor, TVs and fish tanks.
- Check how many devices are connected. Old phones and smart plugs add up.
- Use 5 GHz close to the router and 2.4 GHz further away.
- Plug a laptop in with a cable. If it's still slow, it's your internet plan, not your Wi-Fi.
1. Restart it properly
Routers are small computers, and like any computer they slow down when they've been running for months. Turn off the modem and the router, wait 30 seconds, turn the modem on first, then the router. Give everything two minutes before you test again. It sounds too simple, but it fixes more Wi-Fi complaints than anything else I do.
2. Give the router some space
Wi-Fi is a radio signal, and it doesn't like walls, metal, water or being shut in a cupboard. The best spot is up high, out in the open and as central to the house or office as you can get it. Fish tanks, mirrors, microwaves and the back of a TV cabinet are all signal killers. If the router lives in the garage or a front room, the far end of the house will always struggle.
3. Count what's connected
Every phone, tablet, TV, speaker, camera and smart plug takes a share of the connection. A family of four can easily have 30 or more devices online. Log in to the router or its app, see what's connected and remove the old devices you don't use. If someone is streaming in 4K or downloading a game update, everyone else will feel it.
4. Pick the right band
Most routers broadcast two networks. 5 GHz is faster but doesn't travel as far or through walls as well. 2.4 GHz is slower but reaches further. Use 5 GHz when you're in the same room or nearby, and 2.4 GHz for the far bedroom or the backyard. If your house is big or has thick walls, a mesh system with two or three units is usually the real fix.
5. Test with a cable
Plug a laptop straight into the router with a network cable and run a speed test. If it's fast on the cable but slow on Wi-Fi, the problem is coverage, and the steps above will help. If it's slow on the cable too, the problem is your internet plan or your provider's connection, and that's a phone call to them, not a new router.
When it's time to get help
For a business, slow Wi-Fi costs real money every day. Dropped Teams calls, card machines timing out and staff waiting on files add up quickly. If you've tried the basics and it's still slow, it's usually time for a proper access point setup rather than another consumer router.
More tips
Need a hand with this?
If you're a business and this sounds familiar, my team at Zectron Web & IT Services can sort it. Or book a coffee and we'll talk it through.