A variety of issues can impact the speed of your broadband. The issue may lie with the physical connection to your property. Or even your home Wi-Fi setup can impact performance.
There are several free broadband speed test apps available that can help you diagnose the issue. These tools can measure both the speed of the broadband entering your property and the Wi-Fi speeds within your home. This helps you gain a clearer picture of where the slowdown might be occurring.
Wi-Fi performance in the home can vary for several reasons. The most common factors include:
- distance from the router – signal strength drops the farther you are from the router, walls, ceilings, and floors can further weaken the connection.
- interference from other devices – household electronics (microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors) and nearby Wi-Fi networks can interfere with the signal, especially on the 2.4 GHz band
- router placement – a router tucked away in a cupboard or corner won’t spread signal as well as one placed centrally and in the open
- too many connected devices – multiple users streaming, gaming, or downloading at the same time can slow speeds for everyone
- type and age of equipment – older routers or devices may not support the latest Wi-Fi standards, leading to slower or less reliable connections
- internet service limitations – sometimes the bottleneck is the broadband plan itself; Wi-Fi can’t be faster than the internet connection coming into the home
Key takeaway: Wi-Fi performance depends on both the physical environment and the technology in use. Improving placement, reducing interference, and ensuring modern equipment can make a noticeable difference.