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Spring Clean Your Broadband: A Guide to Speeding Up Your Wi-Fi

Tired of slow internet? Learn 5 simple fixes to speed up your Wi-Fi. From router placement to channel settings, boost your broadband today.

By Top Providers Published

Is your Wi-Fi feeling sluggish? Just like a cluttered home, a neglected internet connection can gather digital dust, leading to endless buffering, dropped Zoom calls, and frustratingly slow downloads.

This spring, don’t just clean your home—clean your broadband. You don’t need to be a tech expert to make a real difference. Follow this simple guide to clear out the digital cobwebs and revitalise your Wi-Fi speed.

Part 1: The Physical Tidy-Up (5-Minute Fixes)

Start with the basics. Physical issues are the most common cause of poor Wi-Fi.

1. Restart Your Router (The “Turn It Off and On Again” Classic)

It’s a cliché for a reason. Restarting your router clears its memory, resets connections, and can resolve a multitude of glitches.

  • How to do it: Unplug your router from the power, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Give it a few minutes to fully reboot.

2. Find the Perfect Spot for Your Router

Your router’s location is critical. Think of it like a speaker; you want it in the centre of the action, not hidden away.

  • The Golden Rules:

    • Centralise It: Place it in a central location in your home, not tucked in a corner or the garage.

    • Elevate It: Put it on a shelf or table, not on the floor.

    • Keep It Visible: Avoid inside cabinets, behind the TV, or buried under other objects. Those are signal killers.

    • Away from Interference: Keep it away from other electronics like cordless phones, baby monitors, and microwaves, which can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal.

3. Check Those Cables

Give the cables a quick once-over.

  • Ensure the power cable is plugged in securely.

  • Check the DSL/Fibre cable going from the wall socket to your router is finger-tight.

  • If you use Ethernet, make sure those cables are undamaged and plugged in firmly. A loose cable can cause constant dropouts.

Part 2: The Digital Declutter (Optimising Your Settings)

Now that the physical side is sorted, let’s optimise the software and settings.

4. Secure Your Network

An open or poorly secured Wi-Fi network is like leaving your front door wide open. Neighbours or passers-by could be piggybacking on your connection, slowing it down for everyone in your household.

  • Check Your Password: Make sure your Wi-Fi is protected with a strong, unique password using WPA2 or WPA3 security. You can check this in your router’s admin settings.

5. Find the Clearest Wi-Fi Channel

Your Wi-Fi operates on “channels.” In built-up areas, your router might be competing with your neighbours’ on the same crowded channel, like a loud party next door.

  • How to fix it: Log into your router’s settings (the address is usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 on a sticker on the router). Look for “Wireless Settings” and find the “Channel.” If it’s set to “Auto,” try manually selecting a less crowded one (e.g., 1, 6, or 11 for 2.4GHz). Some modern routers do this automatically, but a manual check can help.

6. Prioritise Your Devices with Quality of Service (QoS)

Is someone in your house gaming or streaming 4K video while your important work call stutters? QoS is the solution.

  • What it is: A router feature that lets you prioritise traffic to specific devices or activities.

  • How to use it: In your router’s admin settings, find “QoS” or “Traffic Prioritisation.” You can then tell your router to always give top priority to your work laptop or to activities like “Video Conferencing.”

Part 3: The Tech Upgrade (When It’s Time for Something New)

If the steps above don’t solve the problem, your hardware might be the issue.

7. Consider a Wi-Fi Mesh System

If you have dead zones in certain rooms (especially in homes with thick walls), a single router will always struggle.

  • The Solution: A Wi-Fi mesh system (like Google Nest Wifi, Amazon Eero, or TP-Link Deco) uses multiple units placed around your home to create a single, seamless, and powerful blanket of Wi-Fi coverage. This is the modern solution for large or awkwardly shaped homes.

8. Upgrade Your Router

How old is your router? If it’s more than 3-4 years old, it might be using outdated Wi-Fi standards (like Wi-Fi 4 or 5).

  • The Benefit: Upgrading to a modern Wi-Fi 6 router can provide faster speeds, better performance with multiple devices, and improved range. Many ISPs now provide Wi-Fi 6 routers as standard.

9. Use Ethernet Cables for Critical Devices

For the absolute best performance, you can’t beat a physical cable.

  • When to use it: Connect devices that are stationary and need the most reliable, fastest connection—like your work computer, gaming console, or smart TV—directly to your router using an Ethernet cable. This frees up Wi-Fi for your phones and tablets and guarantees no lag.

Your Spring Cleaning Checklist:

  • Restarted the router.

  • Moved the router to a central, elevated, open location.

  • Checked all cables are secure.

  • Confirmed Wi-Fi is secured with a strong password.

  • Logged into the router settings and optimised the Wi-Fi channel.

  • Set up QoS to prioritise work or streaming.

  • Researched Wi-Fi mesh systems if dead zones persist.

  • Connected my TV and PC via Ethernet.

Final Thought

A little maintenance can go a long way. By spending just 30 minutes on this digital spring clean, you can often double your effective Wi-Fi speed and enjoy a much more stable connection without spending a penny. If your problems persist after all this, it might be time to have a word with your ISP—but in most cases, a refresh is all you need