Slow Wi-Fi? 10 things to check before calling your provider

Quick fixes

1. Restart the modem and router. See Restart your modem and router the right way.
2. Test close to the router. Fast there but slow elsewhere? It's a coverage problem.
3. Test with an ethernet cable if you can. Fast on a cable means it's the Wi-Fi. Slow on a cable means it's the internet or modem.
4. Pause big downloads. Game updates, cloud backups and 4K streaming on other devices eat bandwidth.
5. Restart the slow device and install its updates.

Bigger fixes

1. Move the router out of cabinets and off the floor. Central and high is best.
2. Use the 5 GHz or 6 GHz network near the router. It's much faster than 2.4 GHz.
3. Replace an old router. Anything more than 5–6 years old may be the bottleneck.
4. Add mesh Wi-Fi for bigger or multi-level homes. See Mesh Wi-Fi vs extenders.
5. Check your speed with a proper speed test and compare it to what you pay for.