Slow internet can stem from many different factors. The seven steps below make a noticeable difference in most home and office networks.
- Place your router correctly: a central, open, elevated spot reduces signal loss.
- Use the 5 GHz band: faster than 2.4 GHz, though with slightly shorter range.
- Switch your DNS:
1.1.1.1(Cloudflare) or8.8.8.8(Google) often respond faster than your ISP's default. - Disable background traffic: automatic updates and cloud sync quietly eat bandwidth.
- Prefer a wired connection: Ethernet delivers stability Wi-Fi often can't match.
- Keep your router's firmware current: vendor updates include performance and security fixes.
- Test regularly: use our speed test tool to confirm you're actually getting the speed you're paying for.
When should you call your ISP?
If tests stay significantly below the promised speed even over a wired connection, the issue is usually upstream — not with the devices on your network.