Fix your Wi-Fi: 7 fixes that actually work

“Just restart the router” fixes a surprising number of Wi-Fi problems, but not the ones that keep coming back. If your connection is slow every evening, drops in one room, or stutters on video calls, work through these in order. They start with the quick checks and end with the last resort.

First: is it the Wi-Fi or the internet?

Before changing anything, find out which part is failing.

1. Run a speed test (fast.com or speedtest.net) on a device standing next to the router.
2. If you can, plug a laptop straight into the router with an Ethernet cable, turn off its Wi-Fi, and test again.

If the wired test is also slow or offline, the problem is your internet connection, not your Wi-Fi, and the fix is a call to your provider. If the wired test is fine but Wi-Fi is slow, read on.

1. Restart the router properly

Unplug the router (and the modem, if it’s a separate box) from the wall, wait 30 seconds, then plug the modem back in first and the router once the modem’s lights settle. This clears temporary faults and memory leaks. If you find yourself doing it every few days, one of the fixes below is what you actually need.

2. Move the router

Wi-Fi gets weaker with every wall, floor and large object in the way. The best spot is central, high up and in the open, for example on a shelf in the middle of the home. The worst spots are a cupboard, behind the TV, on the floor, or next to a microwave, fish tank or metal cabinet.

If one part of the home is always weak even with the router in a good place, a single router may not be enough. A mesh system (two or three units that work as one network) covers large or multi-storey homes far better than a range extender.

3. Use the right band

Most routers broadcast two or three bands:

• 2.4GHz reaches furthest and goes through walls better, but is slower and more crowded.
• 5GHz is much faster but has a shorter range.
• 6GHz (on Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers) is faster still and almost free of interference, with the shortest range.

If your router shows them as separate networks, connect devices near the router to the 5GHz (or 6GHz) one, and keep 2.4GHz for things far away or low-bandwidth, like smart plugs. If it shows a single network name, the router picks the band for you, which usually works well.

4. Change the Wi-Fi channel

In flats and busy streets, dozens of networks can share the same channel. To check:

1. Install a free Wi-Fi analyser app on your phone or laptop and see which channels nearby networks use.
2. Log in to your router. The address is printed on its label, often 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, or your provider’s app may do it.
3. Under Wireless settings, set the 2.4GHz channel to 1, 6 or 11, whichever is least crowded. These three don’t overlap with each other.

Many routers have an Auto channel setting. If yours does and you still have problems, try setting a channel by hand.

5. Update the router’s firmware

Router makers release updates that fix bugs, improve stability and patch security holes. Look for Firmware update or Router update in the router’s settings or app. Many newer routers update themselves; check that the option is on. If your router is so old that it no longer gets updates, that alone is a good reason to replace it.

6. Find what’s using the bandwidth

Sometimes the Wi-Fi is fine and something on the network is using it all: a game download, a cloud backup, or a camera uploading video.

• On Windows: open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click Processes, and sort by the Network column.
• On a Mac: open Activity Monitor and choose the Network tab.
• For the whole home: most router apps list connected devices and how much data each is using.

Pause the big upload or download and test again. If that’s the cause, schedule backups and game updates for overnight.

7. Reset your device’s network settings

If only one device has trouble, reset its network settings. This deletes saved Wi-Fi networks, so have your passwords ready.

• Windows 11: Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset.
• Mac: System Settings > Wi-Fi, click the … next to your network, choose Forget This Network, then rejoin it.
• iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
• Android: Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth (the wording varies by phone).

Quick reference

If none of these help and the wired test was fine, the router itself may be failing or simply too old for the number of devices you now own. That’s the point to think about a new router or a mesh system.