Internet speed via wifi is another question that you will probably have if you have carefully read previous articles on my blog and have already installed wireless Internet at home. Surely many have already noticed that your wifi connection speed is low - often much lower than it was when connecting via cable and than indicated in the tariff plan. Also, probably at least half of those reading this article have encountered the riddle that the box of the router, access point or adapter indicates support for 100 or even 300 Megabits per second, but the actual Internet speed over WiFi and local network is much lower. Let's figure out why the router slows down the Internet speed and how to increase it!

Wi-Fi speed

The speed of a wifi connection, like the Internet in general, is measured in kilobits or megabits per second. They are designated by the following abbreviations: Kbit/s, Kb/s, Kb/s, Kbps, Mbit/s, Mb/s, Mb/s, Mbps. Do not confuse them with another speed measurement - kiloBYTES and megaBYTES per second - this is not the speed of the Internet, but the speed of data transfer by the program. Most often it is displayed in utilities such as ftp or torrent clients. They are designated very similarly, but the letter “B” (“B”) is large here: KB/s, KB/s, KB/s, KBp, MB/s, MB/s, MB/s or MBps. Their ratio is as follows:

1 byte = 8 bits

Accordingly, if the ftp client displays a data transfer speed of 5 megabytes per second, then multiply this number by 8 and get an Internet speed of 40 megabits per second.

Now let's define what we mean by the concept of “router speed”. There are actually two characteristics:

1. Speed ​​of working with the Internet, that is, from WAN port to LAN port.
2. Speed ​​of operation between two devices within the same local network, that is, WLAN-WLAN

How to measure the speed of a wifi router when using the Internet?

To measure Internet speed via wifi, it is not necessary to launch programs and perform mathematical operations. There are online services that will help you do this automatically. We will use the most popular site SpeedTest.net.

Click on the “Begin Test” button and wait for the system to test. Here's the result:

It turns out that my downstream speed is 33.56 Mbit/s, and my downstream speed is 49.49 Mbit/s. This measured the speed of the wifi connection to the Internet, and not the speed of the wifi router connection via cable. Now we disconnect from wifi, connect the PC to the router via cable and take the same measurements. If it turns out that the cable speed is higher than the speed of the wifi connection, then read the article further.

Scientific experiment - measuring the speed of a wifi connection

Theory is theory, but let's evaluate in practice how different the speed readings for receiving and sending data are for different types of connection.

As we can see, the highest speed is obtained when the cable is connected directly to the computer - 41 Mbit/s for reception.
A little less - when the Internet is via cable, but through a router - 33 Mbit/s for reception
And even less - via wifi: 26 Mbit/s

From this we can conclude that the router reduces the speed for objective reasons, which we will now look into.

Router slows down wifi speed

So, if your wifi speed is low, then the router is cutting the speed. Scientifically, this is called WAN-LAN throughput or routing speed. This parameter is responsible for the filling of the device, the parameters of which are usually indicated on a sticker on the bottom and are designated as H.W. - HardWare. If they do not correspond to your tariff plan, then you need to change the device to a more powerful one with more bandwidth.

Also, the speed of the Internet via wifi depends on the type of connection to the provider. In decreasing order they look like this: DHCP and Static IP - VPN - PPTP.

It turns out that if the device box indicates a Wi-Fi data transfer speed of up to 300 Mbit/s, and the WAN-LAN parameter for this model in combination with the type and protocol of connection to the provider is equal to 24 Mbit/s, then the speed of the Internet connection cannot exceed 24, but in reality it will most likely be less.

But the reason may not only be in the router - the hardware and software of the wifi adapter on the computer receiving the signal must also have the appropriate parameters.

You should also take into account that the technical specifications indicated in the instructions and on the stickers are designed for ideal operating conditions - with a minimum distance from the router to the device, in the absence of third-party interference, signal-absorbing materials and with minimal network load. That is, if you have a Navy communications center near your house, the router is in the next room behind a reinforced concrete wall, and at the same time your sister downloads all the episodes of “Interns” via torrent, then it is quite logical to assume that your wifi Internet speed will be much lower than indicated on the box and in the tariff plan and you will not be able to enjoy playing Counter Strike. In practice, the actual speed of a wifi connection is two to three times less than indicated in the specification.

WiFi speed via router

In nature, there are several standards for wireless data transmission technology via wifi. Below is a table that compares theoretical and practical speeds:

* - for devices operating at a frequency of 40 MHz in 1 stream
** - for devices operating at a frequency of 40 MHz in 2 streams

Speed ​​when working within a local network (WLAN-WLAN)

Many users may also note the fact that the router slows down the speed not only when accessing the Internet, but also exclusively when exchanging data within the local network.

The whole joke is that when several devices actually work simultaneously, the router actually works with each of them in turn. It turns out to be a kind of queue, which is why the speed is reduced - it becomes several times less than when the router works with only one client. And when exchanging data between two devices, for example, when you transfer files from one computer to another via LAN, it will be 2-3 times less than the total actual speed over the network.

Let's look at an example - we are transferring data between 2 computers - one with an 802.11g adapter (up to 54 Mbit/s), the other with 802.11n (up to 300 Mbit/s). The router also has 802.11n (up to 300 Mbit/s)

Regardless of what kind of sophisticated router you have, in theory, the maximum speed within the network, even in theory, will not be more than 54 Mbit/s - according to the maximum data of the slowest adapter. In practice, based on our table, this will be no more than 24 Mbit/s. As we found out, when working with several clients simultaneously, the router will interact with them one by one, that is, the actual speed will be 12 Mbit per second. When you move some distance away from the access point, it will fall even more.

At the same time, on a computer that has an “N” standard adapter, as a mockery, utilities for measuring speed can show theoretical data of 150 Mbit/s, which is actually the maximum possible for our router.

Many PC users, when determining speed, rely on the indicators displayed in the connection information

This is fundamentally wrong, since here in the “Speed” column the theoretical speed supported by the adapter is displayed. For real measurements, we will use the AIDA32 program, which has a benchmark for testing the speed between two devices on the network.

We get the following:

• via cables - 11217 Kilobytes per second.
• cable + WiFi - 9166 KB/s
• pure WiFi - 4303 KB/s

Here the units of measurement are slightly different - in the first part they were calculated in MEGABITS per second, and in the second in kiloBYTES per second. To convert the data from the second part to Mbit/s, we will use an online converter. We get 10.9, 8.9 and 4.2 respectively.

As you can see, with the connection of one, or even more so two adapters, the speed decreases significantly, and the amplitude between the highest and lowest speeds in the test increases, that is, the stability of data transmission decreases.

Who among you is the most observant was probably able to make one observation - despite the fact that in several measurements we used devices whose maximum speed should be up to 300 Megabits per second, in all tests the speed never exceeded 100 Mb/s.

This is due to the fact that the actual speed of Internet connections depends on the technical characteristics:

• Provider equipment
• A cable stretched to your computer or router
• WAN port of the router
• WiFi adapter or computer network card
• Internet tariff plan

It turns out that in order to achieve maximum performance of the entire system, it is necessary that each of its components maintain the declared speed. If you connect to a tariff with a maximum speed of more than 100 Mbit per second, then both the network card or wireless adapter, the router, and the cables with which you connect your PC to the router must support this speed, otherwise it will hit the ceiling, indicated by the slowest link.

For example, if the PC’s network card and router support a speed of 1 Gbit/s, and the connection goes through a simple patch cord, which is found on the shelf of any store, then up to a speed of 1000 Mbit per second. you will be very, very far away.

In most cases, we use “Fast Ethernet” cables (category 5), the speed of which is limited to 100 Megabits per second - when connected to a tariff from a provider that supports operation at this speed. This is exactly the cable that I have - that’s why a high-quality 150 Mbit/s adapter performed just as well as a more advanced 300.

That is, the maximum task for any wireless equipment is to get closer to the reference speed that is provided by a cable connection. Which in turn is limited by the capabilities of the tariff and WAN ports of the router and computer.

Essentially, buying equipment that lists speeds above 150 makes sense if your ISP provides you with gigabit internet plans (Category 5e and 6 cables). But do you know how much it costs? Let's look at the tariff schedule of my provider:

For a theoretical speed above 100 - 1200 rubles per month - not too shabby, right? Are you ready to give that amount? I don't.

So in practical realities, the question of choosing a router and adapter is to ensure that the equipment best meets the characteristics declared by the manufacturer and brings us closer to the maximum speed for which the tariff plan of your Internet provider is designed.

In this case, you should pay attention not only to the bright, attractive speed characteristics indicated on the packaging of the equipment, but also to the specifications written in small print in the instructions. For example, with a declared high speed, the instructions very often indicate that the WAN port of the router only supports operation at speeds up to 100 Mbit/s. This means that no matter how steep the tariff we pay, we will not achieve anything higher than this value.

To the credit of the devices we reviewed today, they showed their excellent quality and, in conditions close to ideal, were in no way inferior in their performance to connecting to the Internet via cables in accordance with their declared parameters.

Other factors influencing low WiFi speed through a router

As you know, wi-fi is a technology for transmitting data over radio channels. Therefore, the operation of other devices may have a strong influence and cause interference.

First of all, household appliances, as well as other wi-fi networks located around you and operating in the same frequency range. Now in nature there are two ranges - 2.4 and 5 GHz (gigahertz). 802.11b/g wireless networks operate in the 2.4 GHz band, 802.11a networks operate in the 5 GHz band, and 802.11n networks can operate in both.

5GHz (GHz) is a relatively new standard, so if you use it, you have a better chance of not being overwhelmed by other devices.

You need to plan the speed of your future WiFi network before purchasing devices that will work in it!

If you purchase a router that supports the 5GHz frequency and the latest standard with data transfer up to 300 Mb/s, but an adapter is installed on the computer that supports only 2.4 GHz and speeds up to 54 Mb/s, then this combination will work exactly at the maximum adapter characteristics. As they say, the speed of a squadron is equal to the speed of the slowest ship. Plus, also keep in mind that these values ​​are maximum under ideal conditions - in reality everything will be slower.

Finally, several more sources of interference are Bluetooth, microwave ovens and baby monitors. They also operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, so it is not recommended to use a bluetooth headset, heat soup and connect to wifi at the same time.

Conclusion - how to increase wifi speed?

If you look closely at the technical characteristics of the router, you will notice that many models also have a LAN port speed that does not exceed 100 Mbit/s, so even if they claim 300 Mbps via WiFi, when connecting one of the devices via cable the speed will not exceed 100 .

If we talk about a purely wireless connection, here, in addition to the stated parameters of devices for supported wifi speed, such a concept as the “duplex” mode of operation of the router comes into play. That is, speaking in Russian, it processes the WiFi request from each client one by one, which is why a kind of queue of requests is formed, and the speed drops by at least 2-3 times compared to what it could have been during operation with only 1 computer. And this is under ideal conditions - in case of interference, distance from the access point and the influence of other external factors, it will be even lower.

From all that has been said, we can conclude: no matter how hard we try, in ideal reception conditions and in the presence of a router and adapter that support the same communication standards, in most cases we will not be able to achieve a speed of more than 100 Mbit/s - as our tests clearly showed . It only makes sense to buy high-speed equipment as a package (router + cable + adapter + network card) for ALL devices on the network and when connected to a gigabit tariff.

In order to increase the speed of your wifi connection you need to:

1. Select a provider with a DHCP connection ()
2. Use a router and adapter with maximum bandwidth that supports the IEEE 802.11 N or AC standard ()
3. Use the router and adapter from the same company
4. in such a place in the apartment that it is not covered by thick ceilings and is located far from sources of radio radiation, but as close as possible to the location of your devices. If the signal source is initially set incorrectly, then an article about it will help you.
5. Keep in mind that if your home network is heavily loaded, the time it takes to open pages in your browser will increase. To improve performance, you can expand the channel from 20 to 40 MHz.

By following these rules, you will always have high speed wifi internet in your home. I wish you good luck, and for starters, an interesting video on how to increase wifi speed and range using a can of beer!

Nowadays, about 80% of the world's inhabitants use wired Internet. At the same time, the question arose about its distribution among many users. A device called a wifi router copes with this task perfectly. This device can provide IP addresses to various gadgets located in the coverage area. With the invention of wifi, the need to connect a computer with many wires disappeared. All that is needed is to connect the cable to the router, which in turn will cover a certain area with the Internet.

There are about 75% of satisfied Internet users via a wifi router. However, this does not mean that these people were very lucky. The actual data transfer speed may be much lower than stated. For users who just surf the World Wide Web or download small files, a low connection speed is sufficient. The remaining 25% of people are not satisfied with the performance of their home router, and this may be due to a variety of reasons. This article will be useful for those who want to know how to increase the speed of wifi Internet and give practical advice on setting up equipment.

To understand how you can increase the speed of your Wi-Fi router, you need to identify the root causes of low data transfer. Naturally, a stable and high signal speed will be provided through the cable. For example, connecting a laptop to the network via a wire provides a direct connection to the provider. If a wifi device is installed in the room, it will be responsible for the connection speed. In other words, a wifi device controls the Internet flow and delivers it to all kinds of gadgets, PCs and laptops.

How high the Internet speed through the router will be directly depends on the power of the wifi equipment. You shouldn't expect fast connections from budget models. Cheap devices have a weak processor, small RAM, and low-power antenna. These parameters can only provide a low level of data transfer from the provider to the client.

To understand whether the speed of the Internet connection depends on Wi-Fi equipment, you need to connect the PC to the cable directly and use the program (Speedtest) to determine its level. This procedure will help determine what the cause is. If, when connecting to the Internet via cable, the data transfer is high, but via wifi it is low, then the reason lies in the router and may be as follows:

• weak signal from the device;
• the device was assembled poorly;
• the settings in the equipment are incorrect;
• damage to wifi equipment;
• outdated software;
• cheap tariff plan.

Having determined the reason for the signal cut, you can understand how to increase the Internet speed through the router. In some situations, the speed of data transfer is reduced due to improper placement of the wifi device in the room:

What is the minimum speed you need?

Each user requires one or another speed of data transfer. It depends directly on what a person intends to do on the World Wide Web. In order to decide on a tariff plan, first of all you should know in what units the connection speed is measured. Data transfer speed is usually measured in bits per second. However, this value is very low and therefore they operate with such concepts as kilobits and megabits. With the advent of fiber optic cables, connection speeds have greatly increased. Today the average speed, which is normal, is 100 Mbit/sec.

The Internet provider can supply the consumer with different connection speeds, which will determine the tariff plan. It can be of several types: slow, low, medium, high, very high. The range of network opportunities for the client will depend on the speed of the connection. Depending on what actions the user performs on the World Wide Web, the choice of tariff plan and the required speed will depend. For example, for normal browsing or playing games online, you will need only 512 Kbps. Watching movies in high quality will require fast data transfer. The optimal tariff package is 100 Mbit/sec.

Tips for increasing the speed of your router's wi-fi network

Before increasing the Internet speed of your wifi router, you need to check the speed of the connection itself. This is done by a special program indicated above in the article. If the tariff specifies an indicator of 50 Mbit/sec, then you won’t be able to get more. Speed ​​indicators for a direct connection and via wifi help the user determine how much the router is cutting off the connection speed indicators.

Choosing the optimal location

Wifi speed can sometimes depend on where the receiving equipment itself is located. If the device has one or two signal bars, and the connection speed is low, then you need to choose a different location for the Wi-Fi equipment. The ideal place for it might be the center of the room. This arrangement helps the Internet penetrate into all rooms of the apartment. The following factors negatively affect the wifi signal level:

• high humidity;
• wall capacity. In other words, the material from which they are made;
• wiring near the device;
• availability of other Wi-Fi devices.

If you cannot independently determine the optimal location, then you can resort to a special application - Hoatmapper for Windows.

Checking settings

In the settings of both the router and the adapter, parameters can be specified that will affect the Wi-Fi speed. Be careful, the transmitting device may reduce bandwidth and network. There are also regulations that limit transmitter power.

Change your energy saving settings

By going into the settings of your router or adapter, you can increase the speed of wi-fi. Very often, active power saving mode reduces connection speed. In order to go into the settings of a wifi device, you will need to enter its address. In the pop-up authorization menu, you should put admin in the login and password fields - this is relevant if access is not blocked by a password. In the settings you need to find the “Wireless Networks” item, and in it the line WMM APSD. After this, the “Active” mode should be changed to “Disabled” and save the new settings. Such actions help strengthen the data transfer of the Wi-Fi connection.

If wifi reception on a laptop with an adapter is weak, then the reason is in the adapter itself. You will also need to deactivate the power saving mode in the adapter settings. To do this, you need to press the Win+r combination and enter devmgmt.mscc in the line that appears. Next, select the “Network adapters” option and in it you need to find the device pointing to the Internet connection. In the settings of the found equipment, you should turn off the energy saving mode.

Selecting a free channel in a wifi device leads to better connection speed results. When setting up Wi-Fi for the first time, the device selects the least loaded channel. However, over time, other users may join the channel and make it overloaded. As a result, Internet speed may deteriorate. Therefore, it is constantly necessary to review the channel congestion and change it in case of severe overload to a freer one. A special program, InSSIDer, helps you select the right channel.

Changing the channel width

The operation of wifi equipment may be affected by changes in channel width. In modern devices the default is 40 MHz. The device tries to use this broadband channel for any reason. In multi-storey buildings, increasing bandwidth by choosing a broadband channel has the opposite effect. In other words, speed is lost. To improve connection speed, you will need to switch the modem to the 20 MHz setting.

Changing the device operating protocol to parameter 802 11n

Changing the protocol in the settings helps increase the speed of wifi equipment. In the parameters of the Wi-Fi device, you need to set the N mode or in the standard field indicate 802 11n, which is the fastest indicator. This indicator is supported by almost all devices released since 2010.

Selecting a network security mode

Selecting a security mode will help speed up your Internet connection via Wi-Fi. In modern devices it is set by default. However, if you need to select it, you must enter WPA2-PSK in the network authentication settings, and set AES in the WPA encryption settings. These fixes will help increase the speed of data transfer. The WPA2-PSK security standard is the most secure algorithm today.

WMM mode

The wifi multimedia mode – WMM – affects the transfer speed of certain files. If the 802.11N standard is enabled on the router, then to get speeds of more than 54 Mbps you will need to enable WMM mode. You can activate it in the wifi connection settings, either on the device itself or in a separate section. This mode should also be enabled in the adapter settings.

Updating the wireless adapter driver

The wireless adapter driver update procedure can also increase the data transfer speed. It is only relevant for PCs and laptops. The speed of the Internet will depend not only on the wifi device, but also on the receiver installed in the computer. In other words, if the power of the transmitter (router) is very high, and the adapter in the PC is weak, then there will not be high speed. Changing the adapter for Wi-Fi connection is problematic in a laptop. You can update the wireless adapter driver.

Updating the router firmware

One way to increase the speed of your router is to update the firmware. Performing this procedure on your own is a risky undertaking, especially the first time. There is a risk of breaking the device. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to purchase only certified equipment that provides for rollback. In other words, you can go back to the previous firmware version.

New versions of the software constantly improve various parameters that help achieve increased connection speeds. You can download the software for any router on the Internet. Each model has its own version of the update, which can be obtained by indicating the serial number of the device. To perform the firmware, you will need to connect the wifi device using a special Lan cable to your PC or laptop. In the Wi-Fi equipment settings there is a parameter - Firmware Upgrade, which should be selected and sent to the downloaded directory. Next, the flashing process starts.

Switching to wifi at 5 GHz frequency

Another option for increasing the speed of your wifi router is to switch to wi fi 5 ghz. This standard is modern and allows you to achieve increased wifi connection speed. In order to carry out this action, you will need to have equipment that works with this standard or buy a dual-standard router. The updated standard, free channels and high data transmission frequency make it possible to solve the problem of how to increase Internet speed through a wifi router.

Conclusion

All of the above tips will help answer the question of how to speed up Wi-Fi Internet. Practical advice will tell you how to correct all device settings and parameters. However, if the article did not find ways to increase Internet speed, then you should think about buying a new router. Modern standards and increased power parameters can provide high Internet speed to any device.

Cool

Do you want to know how to increase the speed of your router and how to speed up your Wi-Fi connection, then read on.
A little necessary introduction.

The idea for this article came to me “by mail” from my regular reader. Here is an excerpt from this letter: "...and another problem. I have a very fast Internet. The speed according to the tariff plan is 60 megabits. But realistically, the maximum that you can squeeze out is 8-12 megabits. This is enough for working in a browser, but it’s not enough to connect a TV, especially when everyone is at home and surfing the Internet..."

I responded to the author of this message by mail and gave him several, in my opinion, sensible recommendations for increasing the speed of the router, and. But everything turned out to be in vain. Internet speed hasn't improved much. Then we decided to chat on Skype.

When I turned on the video connection, I noticed branches of some exotic plant in the background behind him. It turned out that he was engaged in breeding and selling home plants and flowers.

And the whole apartment is literally stuffed with pots, vases, vessels and other containers in which “his business grew.” Then everything became clear to me...

The Wi-Fi signal is very much jammed by water, and its plants need to be watered... In general, the issue was resolved by connecting the TV not via Wi-Fi, but by cable, through the same router, and installing an antenna amplifier.

This is such an unusual backstory. I told it in order to demonstrate how diverse and sometimes unexpected the circumstances are that affect the speed of a Wi-Fi connection.

Well, now, as promised, I give 5 ways to speed up the Internet

Check whether the router is responsible for the drop in Internet speed

This can be done by temporarily disconnecting the router and connecting the Internet directly with a cable to the computer. Do this before and after turning off the router. If there is a difference, then it is worth making further adjustments.

Check your router settings

The main setting of any router that directly affects Internet speed is the energy saving mode. It may be called differently in different models and modifications. For example: “Eco mode”, “Transmission power”, “Signal strength” and so on. The names of this parameter can be anything, but the meaning is always the same - adjusting the power of the Wi-Fi signal transmitter. Set all parameters to maximum. Often in such settings there is automatic adjustment of signal strength. Turn off the automation and set everything to manual mode.

Find the optimal location for your router

Ideally, this is the center of the apartment. But this is not always the case. The signal may be interfered with by internal walls, pipes, electrical cables, etc. Therefore, to more accurately determine the best location for the router, I recommend using special programs that help you see the real picture of the distribution and quality of the Wi-Fi signal.

For Mac OS it is better to use NetSpot, and for Windows Heatmapper.

Eliminate CPU interference

Quite often, the operating frequency of the computer processor coincides with the operating frequency of the Wi-Fi network adapter. And then strong interference arises. This is especially true for laptops, where everything is “stuck” in one tight pile. You can solve the problem by using an external remote Wi-Fi module. Here you can really “kill two birds with one stone”: minimize interference, and at the same time strengthen the Wi-Fi signal. Since the transmitting modules built into laptops have reduced power to save battery power. But at home, when working from the network, this is not necessary.

How to increase the speed of your router by updating the modem software

Be sure to check that your router's firmware is up to date. You can always download and install the latest version on the manufacturer's website. And even if you bought a router today, still check the software. It may already be out of date.

Tune in to a free channel

When you configure the router for the first time, it automatically selects the least loaded communication channel. But, over time, your housemates may connect to it and it may become overloaded. As a result, interference will occur and Internet speed will drop. To do this, you need to periodically check the channel’s congestion and change it to a freer one.

You can diagnose the Wi-Fi network and select the correct channel using

A WiFi connection may not always provide the same speed as a cable connection. The main reasons include incorrect router settings, conflicts with neighboring access points, and incorrect choice of router location. Speed ​​is also reduced when using outdated equipment or old firmware versions.

How to determine that WiFi speed is being cut

Internet providers indicate in the contract the maximum possible access speed. The actual bandwidth of the channel is usually lower than the declared one. At home, it’s easy to check whether this is due to restrictions on the provider’s side or to the use of WiFi. To do this, connect the Ethernet cable directly to the device from which you access the Internet.

Open the Speedtest online service in any browser and click “Begin Test”. The site will automatically detect the nearest server through which the speed check will be performed. The computer will communicate with the selected server to determine the current Internet speed. Wait until the operation is completed, and then remember or write down the result.

Then connect the Internet cable to the router, turn it on and connect to WiFi from the same device on which you tested the speed. Open the site again and repeat the measurement. If the results of the first and second tests differ significantly, the speed is reduced precisely because of the use of wireless Internet.

Interference from neighbors' wireless equipment

Most often, this reason manifests itself in apartment buildings with a large number of installed WiFi access points. The wireless network can operate in one of two bands: 2.4 or 5 GHz. The first option is more common. In this case, the actual frequency can be from 2.412 to 2.484 GHz in steps of 0.005 GHz, depending on the selected channel.

The 2.4 GHz band is divided into 14 bands, but not all of them may be available for legal use in a particular country. For example, in the USA only channels 1-11 are used, in Russia: 1-13, in Japan: 1-14. Selecting the wrong value may violate the laws of the country in which the equipment operates.

If your neighbors' access points use the same channel as your router, interference (radio wave overlap) occurs. As a result, the speed of the Internet via WiFi is reduced. It is recommended to analyze the current frequency congestion. The most popular software tool used for these purposes is the inSSIDer utility developed by MetaGeek.

Install the program, run the executable file and click the “Start Scan” button in the upper left corner of the program window. The graph on the right will display the detected WiFi networks and the channels on which they operate. Find the range that contains the fewest networks with high reception levels, then select it in the router control panel.

Pay attention! The width of each channel can be 20 or 40 MHz. The only channels that do not overlap are channels 1, 6, and 11. Use one of these values ​​for optimal network configuration. You can also select automatic detection of the least loaded frequencies in the router settings.

High range utilization

In large cities, the number of available 2.4 GHz networks may be so high that changing the WiFi channel does not lead to the desired result. The data transfer rate is reduced even after selecting the freest part of the frequency range. The optimal solution to this problem is to switch to the 5 GHz band, which has not yet received sufficient distribution.

Its use is possible on dual-band routers. Such routers create two networks at once, which have different names, encryption and authorization parameters. Client devices whose radio module supports 5 GHz will be able to connect to WiFi in this range. Legacy models will connect to the second network. With this scheme of work, a number of disadvantages should be taken into account, the main of which are:

1. A smaller coverage area in the presence of obstacles, due to the physical properties of radio waves of this length.
2. Lack of compatibility with older devices.
3. High cost of dual-band equipment.

Problems with the router

The main mistake made by users when organizing a home WiFi network is the wrong choice of router location. It leads to poor signal reception on client devices, which slows down the Internet speed. You can check the signal level by the number of marks on the WiFi icon located in the tray (lower right corner) of the Windows operating system. On mobile devices, the Internet connection status and signal strength can be checked at the top of the screen, in the notification panel.

It is recommended to install the router in the central room of the room in which it will be used. This arrangement ensures a high level of WiFi reception in all rooms of the apartment or office. When installed in a corner of a room, distant rooms will not be able to connect to the wireless network or will receive Internet at low speeds.

Important! The quality of communication with the router is also affected by the power of the transmitter, the number of installed antennas and the distance from operating sources of electromagnetic radiation. To avoid slowdowns in Internet speed, try to install the router away from microwave ovens, refrigerators and other household appliances.

Also check that the WiFi mode is selected correctly in the router settings. It is responsible for maximum data transfer speeds and backward compatibility with older devices. For example, if "11b Only" is selected, WiFi speed will be cut to 11 Mbps, and "11g Only" will limit the bandwidth to 54 Mbps.

You can log into the router’s web interface using the address indicated on its bottom panel. For TP-Link models, select the required parameters in the “Wireless mode -> Wireless mode settings” section. Recommended values ​​if there are old models on the network are “11bgn mixed” and “11bg mixed”. If all home or office devices support the “802.11n” standard, check the “11n only” checkbox.

In the “Wireless Security” menu, set the security type to WPA/WPA2, since using the outdated WEP method reduces WiFi speed. Change the automatic encryption type selection to Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). It provides greater network security with less impact on data transfer rates.

Go to the advanced wireless settings tab. On TP-Link it is “Wireless Mode -> Advanced Settings”. Find and activate the "WiFi Multimedia" (WMM) option. This protocol allows you to set a high priority for multimedia traffic, thereby speeding up its transmission.

This function must also be activated in the settings of connected devices. Open Device Manager in the Control Panel of your Windows operating system. Find your network adapter and go to its properties. On the "Advanced" tab, select the "WMM" line from the list on the left. On the right, specify the value “Enabled” or “Enabled”. Save the configuration by clicking the "OK" button.

Another parameter that you should pay attention to when setting up your router is the transmitter power or “Tx Power”. This value is indicated as a percentage of the maximum power of the equipment. If the access point is at a long distance, set it to "100%" to improve WiFi reception.

Outdated device firmware

Manufacturers of routers and other wireless devices regularly optimize their software to achieve maximum speed. You can download the new firmware version on the Internet, on the developer’s website. The update is performed by downloading the file to the device through the admin panel. The path to the menu of routers of different brands is different:

• TP-Link: “System Tools -> Firmware Update”;
• D-Link: “System -> Software Update”;
• ASUS: “Administration -> Firmware update”;
• Zyxel: “System Information -> Updates”;

Advice! When installing software, take into account the hardware version of the router. It is indicated on the sticker or in the documentation for the device.

On client equipment (laptops, computers and other equipment connected to WiFi), you should check the versions of network drivers. Windows OS allows you to update firmware through the Control Panel, in the “Device Manager” section. Open the Network Adapters tab and select the radio module you are using. In the “Driver” section, click “Update” and select to automatically search for software on the Internet. After that, restart your computer and connect to the wireless Internet again.

Training video: How and why Internet speed decreases over WiFi

Using additional equipment

If, after eliminating all the problems, the Internet speed in remote rooms continues to slow down, use additional equipment to strengthen the signal. This includes: external antennas for routers, high-power wireless adapters for computers, WiFi repeaters.

When choosing an antenna, consider the gain and the type of connector with which it is connected to the access point. Manufacturers usually provide a list of equipment recommended for use with certain device models. If you connect third-party antennas that have not been tested for compatibility, you may experience difficulties with further warranty service.

The repeater allows you to increase coverage and get high Internet speeds even at a considerable distance from the router. Thanks to the built-in power supply, such devices have a compact size. To use them, just plug the device into a power outlet and press the “WiFi Protected Setup” (WPS) button on the case. After this, you need to press the same button on the router itself or activate a quick connection via the web interface.