If problems like those persist, try running some speed tests in various spots around your home using a few different devices -- both your phone and your laptop, for instance. I like the Ookla speed test, which is fast, free, reliable and easy to use -- you can run it in your browser by clicking here , or you can download Ookla's speed-testing app to your Android or iOS device, or even to an Apple TV. Whatever devices you use, those results should give you a clearer sense of whether the problem is tied to a specific client device or location in your home, or whether it's a bigger issue affecting everything.
With the numbers giving you a better understanding of the status quo, make some quick tweaks and see if things improve. Try repositioning the router to a spot that's more open and central within your home, preferably in a location that's as high as possible.
While you're at it, adjusting the angle of the antennas might help boost the signal to specific spots around the house.
It's also a good idea to blast the ports in the back and the airflow vents with a can of compressed air to break through dust build-up -- gunk like that can cause your router to overheat and its performance to dip.
Router technology and security are always improving, and we've seen some significant jumps in the past few years with the arrival of Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3 , the latest generations of Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi security, respectively. Generational advances like those leave yesterday's routers in the dust, so it's worth upgrading to a router that supports them as soon as it makes sense for you to do so -- even if the one you're using now is still getting the job done.
Outside of that, the mere fact that so many of us are spending so much more time at home these days makes the idea of upgrading your router even more compelling. Upgrading to Wi-Fi 6, a new generation of Wi-Fi that's better suited for dense, crowded environments where you have lots of devices competing for bandwidth, is definitely one way to give your network a boost -- and with lots of new Wi-Fi 6 routers and client devices available on the market right now, seems like a particularly good year to buy in.
That said, you'll want to temper your expectations for Wi-Fi 6E , a new designation for special Wi-Fi 6 devices that are equipped with an additional radio that can send signals through a super-wide mass of spectrum in the 6GHz band, which the FCC opened for unlicensed use last year.
You can also look yourself to see when the last time your router firmware was updated. There are a couple of ways to do this. The name of the menu or setting will vary by brand. The exact address varies by model but is often indicated directly on the router itself. If no update has been available for months, or even years, the router is probably no longer being supported. As a rule of thumb, a Netgear representative told us, consumers should consider replacing their router after three years, and representatives from Google and Linksys said a three-to-five-year window was appropriate.
Amazon, which owns the popular Eero brand of routers, put the range at three to four years. However, CR's own survey data indicates that one-fifth of consumers wait more than four years to replace their router.
Why do so many routers stop getting updates after just a few years? You also should upgrade your router if it's no longer delivering fast and reliable WiFi to your devices. You can determine this a few ways. Large downloads, such as games from platforms like Steam and Xbox GamePass, may take forever and a day to finish. But before you buy a new router, run a speed test or two to get an idea how fast your connection is to the internet.
This will tell you whether the problem is really with the router or with your internet service provider. There are several speed tests online, including SpeedTest. Wi-Fi 6 is the newest, fastest version of Wi-Fi, and it's the main reason we're starting to see so many new routers capable of hitting gigabit speeds with ease.
You can read more about the way the speedy new standard works in my full Wi-Fi 6 explainer , but the quick gist is that it lets your router send more information more efficiently to multiple devices at once.
There are all sorts of new routers available this year that support Wi-Fi 6, including ones that cost a lot less than you'd expect -- but there are still relatively few Wi-Fi 6 client devices outside of early flagships like the iPhone 11 or iPhone SE and the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Fold. Wi-Fi 6 is backward-compatible, mind you, so a new Wi-Fi 6 router still work with your existing, older-gen Wi-Fi devices. It just won't do anything to speed them up, because those older devices don't support the new features that make Wi-Fi 6 faster than before.
Eventually, we're going to start seeing Wi-Fi 6 support in things like media streamers, tablets, smart home gadgets and other common client devices. As you fill your home with devices like those, a Wi-Fi 6 router will become a more meaningful upgrade and, again, it'll help if ISP speeds can play catch-up in the next few years, too.
For now, though, it's more of a future-proofing extra than a must-have. On top of that, it won't be long before we start to see routers that support Wi-Fi 6E , a new designation for Wi-Fi 6 routers equipped to tap into new, exclusive bandwidth in the 6GHz band recently opened up for unlicensed use by an FCC vote.
Access to that massive swath of open bandwidth will make Wi-Fi 6E routers some of the most advanced routers you can buy, and they're expected to start hitting stores by the end of , with Wi-Fi 6E compatible devices like phones and tablets expected to follow suit in A mesh router like the three-piece Eero setup tested here can help spread a stronger signal throughout your home.
We tend to fixate on speeds when we talk about routers, but the truth is that there are really only two Wi-Fi speeds that matter in most cases: "fast enough," and "not fast enough. That's especially true these days, when most of us are staying home and depending on our home network more than ever before.
That's why, for most people, the most meaningful move you can make for that home network is to upgrade from a standalone, single-point router to an expandable mesh system that uses multiple devices to better spread a reliably speedy signal throughout your house.
Mesh systems like those typically won't hit top speeds that are quite as high as a single-point router, but they make up for it by delivering Wi-Fi that's "fast enough" to all corners of your home. Thankfully, that's starting to change with a recent influx of new, second-gen mesh systems that cost a lot less than before.
Testing these systems out is currently one of my top priorities on the Wi-Fi beat. And, if you're willing to spend more, there's something else worth considering Remember how I said that it's a bit early for Wi-Fi 6, since relatively few devices support the speedy new standard?
There's an exception that's starting to emerge -- Wi-Fi 6 mesh setups. Introducing a complete home internet protection solution. Read More. Latest Popular. Featured Router. Here are the top reasons to upgrade: More Devices Covered According to research, the number of devices connected to the Internet of Things will jump from nearly 27 billion in to billion in Upgraded WiFi Standards A wireless router upgrade can help your network stay up to date with the latest wireless standards.
Max Wireless Range Radius : 75 Ft. Wireless Channel Widths: 20Mhz. Wireless Bands: 2. Max Wireless Range Radius : Ft. Better Security Upgrading your wireless network also helps deal with the number one issue: security. Bonus: VPN Protection Investing in a wireless router upgrade to a FlashRouter allows for additional capabilities and upgrades to an already powerful wireless router, such as making it compatible with a VPN.
This allows for easy tweaking and VPN configuration, including but not limited to: Easy device management. Seamless VPN server switching. Optimized UI on any browser or mobile phone. Kill switch and VPN bypass by device. Look no further. Enforce your guest list at your Singles Day Party.
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