The wifi network allows you to connect to the internet from multiple computers simultaneously and also from smartphones and tablets, without using cables and connections. The only two things you need to set up and pay attention to when setting up a wireless network in your home are network security and making sure that the invisible radio signal arrives evenly at the points of the house where there is a computer, without interference, to ensure clean, stable and fast connectivity.
After seeing how to amplify the home wifi network, let's see now what can slow down the internet speed in a wifi network, in the sense of disturbing the wireless network signal or preventing the fast transmission of data in the cables.
READ ALSO: Best WiFi Routers to connect your home wireless devices
In larger rooms it is also possible to buy amplifiers or repeaters to spread the signal in areas where it does not arrive (using a good quality repeater or amplifier, otherwise it could slow down the network).
Very useful, then, are the programs to create a wifi network map to know where it gets the best signal.
A great trick to increase the coverage of the wifi signal is to use with a beer can cut in a certain way, you can increase and orient the wireless signal as you can see from this 60 second video.
As written in another article, it is possible to find and connect to the best channel of the wifi network with the most powerful signal with some simple programs for Windows or applications for Android. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid interference on wifi from neighbors' networks by using a 5GhZ network instead of the standard 2.4 GhZ one.
READ ALSO: Better a Wifi network or Ethernet cables "> 5) Configurations on the Wifi Router The wifi router is the device that manages the connections of devices on the network and spreads the signal needed to access the internet via PC, smartphone and smart devices. In another article we have seen the basic instructions for configuring a router that can be difficult for the less experienced.
What is important to check in the event of network speed slowdowns are the options for optimizing the signal diffusion and, in particular, the options for choosing the channel (as seen in point 3), those for the type of network (5 Ghz or 2.4 GhZ) and then the QoS settings (Quality of service) which allows you to limit the WiFi bandwidth from the Router on specific devices or computers.
There are, in fact, various types of Ethernet network cables which, in general, are of three categories: Cat-5, Cat-5e and Cat-6 . Cat-5 is the oldest and slowest type that can reach speeds of up to 100Mbps with a maximum distance of 100 meters. Cat-5e is the most common type of cable used in home networks and is capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Cat-6 uses copper with less impurities, supports up to 10 Gigabit speeds for a maximum length of about 37 meters (Cat-6a goes up to 100 meters). This information is written on the cable itself where you can find the wording "CATEGORY 5" or "ENHANCED CATEGORY 5" or "CAT-5". For home use you must make sure that the connection cable to which the router is connected is at least the Cat -5e or Cat6 and replace all cables classified as Cat-5 and defective or old ones.
The wifi network card of the PC, on the other hand, can slow down the speed of the internet connection even if it is not updated. If your router can transmit with the faster IEEE 802.11n or IEEE 802.11ac standard, it is good to check that there is a network card on the computer that supports this standard and, if not, change it.
Vice versa, if the router was old and you have a computer with a 802.11n fast IEEE 802.11ac wifi network card, it is better to change the router.
READ ALSO: improve the wifi signal and avoid frequent disconnections .
We have seen in other articles how to optimize the internet by changing DNS servers, how to change DNS on PC and Router quickly and how to change DNS on Android and iPhone.
READ ALSO: With the DNS Google 8.8.8.8 you surf fast, free and uncensored
We talked about this topic in a more common way asking ourselves in another article if the speed of ADSL and fiber optic connections is the promised one .
READ ALSO: ADSL test: how is internet speed measured?
After seeing how to amplify the home wifi network, let's see now what can slow down the internet speed in a wifi network, in the sense of disturbing the wireless network signal or preventing the fast transmission of data in the cables.
Article Index
- Too many devices
- Wifi coverage
- Interference
- Wifi or wired network
- Wifi router
- Old cables
- Network card
- DNS
- Network Provider
- Conclusion
1) Too many connected devices
While until a few years ago, the wifi network was used only to connect computers and cell phones to the internet, today there are dozens of devices connected on the network: voice assistants, cameras, bulbs, Smart TVs and many other devices, each of which is located on the Wi-Fi network with your IP address. Older routers were not designed to manage many Wi-Fi devices registered on the network at the same time, so they can cause intermittent internet connection problems or slow down the network speed. If you frequently have disconnections or a signal showing the network without internet access, then it is likely that the fault lies with the router that cannot manage all the connected devices. The immediate solution to this problem is to restart the router, while a final solution is to replace the router (especially if it is the router provided by the internet provider) with a newer and more powerful one.READ ALSO: Best WiFi Routers to connect your home wireless devices
2) Wifi coverage
The location of the router in the home is essential for spreading the wifi signal evenly. For example, if the router is near a wall or wall, the signal is blocked in that direction. We have written in another article, therefore, how to position the router to have better wifi network coverage at home.In larger rooms it is also possible to buy amplifiers or repeaters to spread the signal in areas where it does not arrive (using a good quality repeater or amplifier, otherwise it could slow down the network).
Very useful, then, are the programs to create a wifi network map to know where it gets the best signal.
A great trick to increase the coverage of the wifi signal is to use with a beer can cut in a certain way, you can increase and orient the wireless signal as you can see from this 60 second video.
3) Avoid interference with other nearby wireless networks
If you live in a city area with many buildings around, there are likely to be many wifi networks coming from the houses and offices of the neighbors. If many of these wifi networks transmit the signal on the same radio channel, then the data transfer and internet connection will slow down.As written in another article, it is possible to find and connect to the best channel of the wifi network with the most powerful signal with some simple programs for Windows or applications for Android. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid interference on wifi from neighbors' networks by using a 5GhZ network instead of the standard 2.4 GhZ one.
4) The wifi network is slower than a wired network
The wireless network as well as being a nice convenience, gives order in the house by preventing long cables from passing through the walls. However, if you use fixed desktop computers that are not moved, it is always better to connect them to the router via ethernet cable instead of using wifi. Wireless internet is much less reliable and slower than wired connection. Therefore, if possible, it is advisable to minimize the wifi traffic to avoid slowing down the internet connection.READ ALSO: Better a Wifi network or Ethernet cables "> 5) Configurations on the Wifi Router The wifi router is the device that manages the connections of devices on the network and spreads the signal needed to access the internet via PC, smartphone and smart devices. In another article we have seen the basic instructions for configuring a router that can be difficult for the less experienced.
What is important to check in the event of network speed slowdowns are the options for optimizing the signal diffusion and, in particular, the options for choosing the channel (as seen in point 3), those for the type of network (5 Ghz or 2.4 GhZ) and then the QoS settings (Quality of service) which allows you to limit the WiFi bandwidth from the Router on specific devices or computers.
6) Old cables
Each wifi router is connected to the wall or modem via an ethernet cable . Although we said above that network cables always provide faster speed than wifi, the only condition is that you use a fast and recently made cable .There are, in fact, various types of Ethernet network cables which, in general, are of three categories: Cat-5, Cat-5e and Cat-6 . Cat-5 is the oldest and slowest type that can reach speeds of up to 100Mbps with a maximum distance of 100 meters. Cat-5e is the most common type of cable used in home networks and is capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Cat-6 uses copper with less impurities, supports up to 10 Gigabit speeds for a maximum length of about 37 meters (Cat-6a goes up to 100 meters). This information is written on the cable itself where you can find the wording "CATEGORY 5" or "ENHANCED CATEGORY 5" or "CAT-5". For home use you must make sure that the connection cable to which the router is connected is at least the Cat -5e or Cat6 and replace all cables classified as Cat-5 and defective or old ones.
7) Old network cards on PC
As for the Ethernet network card, there should be no problems and only if it were very old would it be of the type limited to 10/100 speed.The wifi network card of the PC, on the other hand, can slow down the speed of the internet connection even if it is not updated. If your router can transmit with the faster IEEE 802.11n or IEEE 802.11ac standard, it is good to check that there is a network card on the computer that supports this standard and, if not, change it.
Vice versa, if the router was old and you have a computer with a 802.11n fast IEEE 802.11ac wifi network card, it is better to change the router.
READ ALSO: improve the wifi signal and avoid frequent disconnections .
8) The DNS server is slow
All internet connection providers around the world use their own DNS servers to resolve website names so that they are easy to remember. DNS is used every time a web address is entered in the browser as an address book that translates the I address of the server where the site is located into the user readable address. By default, the DNS servers provided by the internet provider are used, which is often slow and unreliable (meaning they can go offline).We have seen in other articles how to optimize the internet by changing DNS servers, how to change DNS on PC and Router quickly and how to change DNS on Android and iPhone.
READ ALSO: With the DNS Google 8.8.8.8 you surf fast, free and uncensored
9) The speed of the internet connection is limited by the telephone company
Many network connection providers, especially mobile connection providers and virtual operators who do not own infrastructure, can deliberately slow down the Internet if they detect excessive use of network bandwidth, following the use of programs for downloading files. or streaming movies. In addition, the network can slow down at certain times of the day, when many users are connected to the internet simultaneously.We talked about this topic in a more common way asking ourselves in another article if the speed of ADSL and fiber optic connections is the promised one .
10) Conclusion
In conclusion, to avoid network slowdowns, both via cable and via wifi, it is important that all the pieces have the same maximum speed and there are no bottlenecks. The signal starts from the router, it is transmitted via cable or antenna, it can pass through a wifi repeater to increase coverage up to the computer's network card that processes data at the maximum possible speed that the processor can have. Finally, keep in mind that, even having configured a network connection to the maximum, the slowdown can come from the speed of the websites to transmit data, on which nothing can be done.READ ALSO: ADSL test: how is internet speed measured?
