Before you call your internet provider or upgrade your plan, try these fixes. In our experience testing home networks, the problem is almost never the service plan — it's almost always something fixable in minutes. ISPs love it when you upgrade to a more expensive plan unnecessarily, so let's solve this properly first.
Step 1: Figure out whether it's your Wi-Fi or your internet
These are two different problems with different solutions. Your "internet speed" is what you're paying your ISP for. Your "Wi-Fi speed" is how fast your devices connect to your router. To distinguish between them: connect your laptop directly to your router with an ethernet cable, then run a speed test at fast.com or speedtest.net. If this wired speed matches what you're paying for, your internet service is fine — the problem is your Wi-Fi. If even the wired speed is slow, call your ISP. The rest of this article addresses Wi-Fi issues, which is where most problems live.
Fix 1: Restart your router properly
Not the soft restart button — unplug the router from the wall entirely. Wait a full 30 seconds (this matters — the router needs to fully discharge). Then plug it back in and wait 2 minutes for it to fully restart. Routers accumulate memory issues over weeks of continuous operation, and a proper power cycle clears them. This single fix resolves maybe 40% of slow Wi-Fi complaints. If you haven't restarted your router in months, do this before anything else.
Fix 2: Move your router to a better position
Wi-Fi signal radiates outward from the router in all directions. A router stuffed in a cupboard, placed on the floor, or shoved in a corner is wasting most of its signal on walls. The ideal position is elevated (on a shelf, not the floor), central to the areas you use most, and away from thick concrete or brick walls. Keep it away from microwaves, baby monitors, and cordless phones — all of which operate on the 2.4GHz frequency and cause interference. Moving the router even a few metres can make a dramatic difference in signal quality at the far end of your home.
Fix 3: Switch from 2.4GHz to 5GHz
Most modern routers broadcast two networks: one at 2.4GHz and one at 5GHz. The 2.4GHz network has longer range but is slower and more congested (every microwave, baby monitor, and neighbour's router is competing on the same frequency). The 5GHz network is faster, less congested, but has shorter range. If you're within 5-10 metres of your router, connecting to the 5GHz network can double or triple your effective Wi-Fi speed. Your router usually broadcasts both with similar names — look for one ending in "5G" or "5GHz" in your Wi-Fi network list. Connect your laptop and phone to the 5GHz network if you can.
Fix 4: Update your router's firmware
Routers receive software updates that fix bugs, improve performance, and patch security vulnerabilities. Most people never update their router firmware, meaning they're running software from years ago with known issues. Log into your router's admin panel (usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into your browser, then entering admin/admin or admin/password as credentials — check the sticker on your router), navigate to the update section, and check for updates. If there's a newer version, install it. Performance improvements are often noticeable.
Fix 5: Check how many devices are connected
While you're in your router's admin panel, check the device list. You might find significantly more devices connected than you expect — smart TVs, old phones, tablets, smart speakers, even a neighbour who guessed your password. Bandwidth gets split between connected devices, so 20 devices sharing a 100Mbps connection gets 5Mbps each on average. Review the list and remove any devices you don't recognise or no longer use. Change your Wi-Fi password if you're concerned about unauthorised access.
Fix 6: Upgrade your DNS server
DNS is the system that translates website names into IP addresses — every time you visit a website, your router contacts a DNS server first. Most routers use your ISP's DNS servers by default, which are often slower than alternatives. Switching to Cloudflare's DNS (1.1.1.1) or Google's DNS (8.8.8.8) won't improve download speeds but can noticeably improve the time it takes for pages to start loading. This is done in your router's admin panel under the network or DNS settings. Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is consistently the fastest DNS resolver worldwide.
When to consider a mesh Wi-Fi system
If you've tried all of the above and still have dead zones in your home — particularly in large homes, older buildings with thick walls, or multi-storey houses — a mesh Wi-Fi system is worth considering. Unlike a Wi-Fi extender (which creates a weaker secondary network), a mesh system uses multiple nodes that all share the same network name and intelligently hand off your devices as you move around. The TP-Link Deco series offers excellent performance at reasonable prices.