A slow internet connection can get in the way of schoolwork, video calls and more. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fix it. (Getty Creative)(ChayTee via Getty Images)
Slow internet is bad for work, school, gaming and the most important thing of all: watching season two of Silo on Apple TV+. (Seriously, it's a really good show.) It's also just plain frustrating, especially when it's working fine one minute and leaving you tapping your fingers the next. Thankfully, there are things you can do to get faster internet at home.
Full disclosure: Lots of factors can affect internet performance, so nothing here is a guaranteed solution. Your best bet is to try one thing, see how it pans out, then go onto the next if that doesn't work.
Before we dive in, a quick vocabulary lesson to help you understand some of the technobabble:
Modem: The box that brings internet into your house. It might be wired, like from a cable company, or wireless, like from T-Mobile or Verizon.
Router: The box that creates a Wi-Fi network within your house. Very often the router is integrated into the modem, as with the aforementioned T-Mobile and Verizon home-internet services.
Wi-Fi: The wireless network that connects all your devices — laptops, tablets, TVs and so on — to the internet. There are different versions of Wi-Fi (6E, 7, etc.), but most home users will be fine with a router that supports Wi-Fi 6 or better.
You're most likely renting a modem — the box that brings internet into your house — from your internet service provider (which may also be your cable provider). If it's an older model, it might be time for an update; call your provider to see if there's a newer one available.
Why? These companies frequently update the technology that lives behind the scenes, but if you don't have the latest equipment, you might not be able to take advantage of it. For instance, if you're paying for gigabit internet, you need networking gear that actually supports that ultra-high speed. Similarly, if you have an iPhone 16 that supports fast Wi-Fi 6E and your router's Wi-Fi is limited to the older, slower Wi-Fi 4 standard, you're losing out on speed. Any gear that's more than a few years old might not be performing optimally.
One common cause for poor internet performance: Wi-Fi "dead zones," which are basically areas where network signal strength is low. (Pro tip: An easy way to test your network speed from a computer or mobile device is to go to the Speedtest site (or download the app).)
For example, if your home office is a bedroom that's at the opposite end of the house from the router, your laptop might seem slow owing to weak Wi-Fi. Same goes for a TV that struggles to stream Netflix smoothly; it could be in a dead zone.
Fortunately, there's one potential fix that's easy and affordable: a plug-in Wi-Fi extender, which can boost the signal in these dropoff areas. And if you're having issues with a computer, there's a cheap solution available there as well.
Thick walls, weird layouts and other factors can make home WiFi reception spotty. If you’re experiencing dead zones in your apartment, a WiFi extender might help. TP-Link’s AC1200 RE315 is our favorite budget pick: it covers 1,500 square feet and delivers speeds of up to 1,200Mbps – plenty fast for streaming and working from home. It also has a built-in Ethernet port, which should provide an even more reliable connection to essential tech like your TV or game console.
If you're dealing with a laptop that has connectivity issues, its own Wi-Fi radio might be the culprit — especially if the machine is more than a few years old.
Thankfully, you can bypass it by popping in a newer, better Wi-Fi adapter. This one plugs into a USB port and instantly updates you to the stronger, faster Wi-Fi 6 standard. For a measly $14, it's well worth a try. Just make sure the laptop has a free USB Type-A port, which may be missing on newer models.
This three-node bundle is nearly identical to the Eero system I installed years ago, and the reason I love is it that you set it and forget it. Or, at least, that's been my experience; my home is blanketed in strong Wi-Fi signals, to the point where I rarely even open the Eero app. There's just no need.
While the wireless standard on this kit isn't the latest and greatest Wi-Fi 7 version, its Wi-Fi 6 speeds will be plenty fast for most real-world applications, including 4K video streaming. It's a bit pricey, but it offers double the bandwidth of the Eero 6 (non-plus) system.
That said, try to wait for a sale; like most Amazon-branded gear, Eero kits get discounted with clockwork regularity.
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly mesh setup, TP-Link's Deco kit can typically be found for under $100. That's for two nodes; a third would add about $30 more. (If you live in an apartment or smaller home, two might be plenty. You can always add a third later if needed.)
While a Wi-Fi extender can help in a particular area, I'm a fan of the mesh network approach: a kit consisting of multiple extenders (called "nodes") that link to and overlap with each other to help improve overall connectivity.
Years ago, I deployed one in my two-story home (which also has a finished basement); there's a node on each level. Now I have robust Wi-Fi pretty much everywhere; it's no longer something I even think about. Your mileage may vary, of course, but if you're seeking the single best way to improve internet performance around the house, I believe a mesh network is the way to go.
Here are a couple of top picks:
A note on these recommendations: The Eero endorsement is based on my personal experience as detailed above, while the TP-Link products were tested by colleagues at our sister site, Engadget. (See their latest picks for best network extenders and best mesh network systems.) Recent reports have indicated that TP-Link, which is based in China, is being investigated by the US government, though no definitive policy changes have yet been announced. If that's a cause for concern, you can also check out mesh network systems from Asus and Google — just note they're more expensive.
