Few things in modern life are as consistently irritating as slow internet. It interrupts video calls, ruins streaming, makes downloads crawl, and generally makes you want to throw your router out the window. Before you do that, though, there are some straightforward things you can try.

Most internet speed problems aren’t caused by your ISP. They’re caused by your home setup. And fixing them is usually free.

First, test your actual speed

Before trying to fix anything, find out what you’re actually getting. Go to speedtest.net or fast.com and run a test. Do it on a wired connection if possible — plug your laptop directly into the router with an Ethernet cable. This tells you what speed your ISP is actually delivering to your home.

Compare this number to what you’re paying for. If your plan promises 100 Mbps and you’re getting 95 on a wired connection, your ISP is doing their job and the problem is your home network. If you’re getting 30 Mbps on a 100 Mbps plan over a wired connection, call your ISP.

Now run the same test over Wi-Fi from where you normally use the internet. The difference between the wired and wireless results tells you how much speed your Wi-Fi setup is costing you.

Router placement matters more than you think

This is the single most impactful change most people can make, and it costs nothing.

Your router should be:

• Centrally located in your home, not shoved in a corner cupboard
• Elevated — on a shelf or table, not on the floor
• Away from walls and large metal objects that block the signal
• Not next to a microwave, cordless phone, or baby monitor (they interfere with the same frequencies)

I’ve seen people triple their Wi-Fi speed just by moving their router from a back room closet to a central bookshelf. Radio waves don’t care about your interior design preferences — they need line of sight and open space.

Restart your router (properly)

Yes, the oldest advice in IT actually works. But do it properly: unplug the power, wait a full 30 seconds (not five), then plug it back in. The waiting matters because it allows the router’s memory to fully clear.

Many ISPs push firmware updates to routers overnight. If your router hasn’t been restarted in months, it might be running on outdated firmware or have accumulated memory leaks. A monthly restart is good practice.

Check your Wi-Fi channel

If you live in an apartment building or dense neighbourhood, your Wi-Fi network is competing with dozens of others for the same radio channels. This congestion slows everyone down.

Most modern routers can automatically select the least congested channel, but they don’t always do a great job. Apps like WiFi Analyzer (Android) or the built-in wireless diagnostics on macOS can show you which channels are crowded.

Switching from a crowded channel to an empty one can dramatically improve performance. It’s like moving from a congested highway to an empty parallel road.

Use the 5GHz band

Most modern routers broadcast on two frequencies: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 2.4GHz band has better range but is slower and more congested. The 5GHz band is faster but has shorter range.

If you’re within a reasonable distance of your router, connect to the 5GHz network. Many routers label these separately (your network name might appear twice, with one ending in “_5G”). The speed difference can be substantial — often double or triple.

The trade-off is that 5GHz signals don’t penetrate walls as well. If you’re multiple rooms away from your router, 2.4GHz might actually give you a better experience because the signal is stronger, even though the theoretical speed is lower.

Consider a mesh system

If you have a large home or thick walls, a single router probably can’t cover everything. Mesh Wi-Fi systems like Google Nest WiFi, TP-Link Deco, or Eero place multiple access points around your home to create consistent coverage.

They’re not cheap — expect $300-500 AUD — but they solve the dead zone problem that no amount of router repositioning can fix.

Audit your connected devices

Every device on your network shares bandwidth. Smart TVs streaming in the background, phones backing up photos, gaming consoles downloading updates — they all consume bandwidth whether you’re actively using them or not.

Check your router’s admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) to see how many devices are connected. Disconnect anything you’re not using and set large downloads to happen overnight.

Upgrade your plan if needed

If you’ve optimised everything above and your speed still isn’t enough, it might be time for a faster plan. For a household with multiple users streaming, video calling, and gaming simultaneously, 100 Mbps is the realistic minimum.

Check with your ISP — competition means there might be a better deal from a different provider. Don’t be loyal to your ISP; be loyal to your wallet.

The internet should just work. With these adjustments, it usually will.