The Internet speed through the wifi router has become low. Low Internet speed via WiFi: what to do? How to increase Internet speed. Different connection protocols

A WiFi connection may not always provide the same speed as cable connection. The main reasons include incorrect router settings, conflicts with neighbors' 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 Speed ​​is also reduced when using outdated equipment or old firmware versions.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.

Note! 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. Smaller coverage area in the presence of obstacles due to physical properties 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 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. Download new version Firmware can be found on the Internet, on the developer’s website. The update is performed by downloading the file to the device through the admin panel. Path to the menu of various routers 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 fixing all the problems, the Internet speed in remote rooms continues to slow down, use optional 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 speed Internet 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.

All the examples given were related to the placement of a network device near household appliances, physical obstacles in the form of walls and partitions, but I said almost nothing about the settings of the router and clients that affect the connection of the Wi-Fi wireless network. In this article we will talk about why a router can slow down the speed and we will try to use examples to completely eliminate or at least partially get rid of the problem.

Before moving on to the router settings, it should be said that you need to consider when creating a wireless network, in addition to the location of the devices. The fact is that manufacturers of network devices on packaging or in technical specifications The official website indicates the theoretically maximum possible speed. For example, if you see a value of 300 Mbps (Mbps) on the packaging of a network device, then it indicates the maximum possible speed of the router in a wireless Wi-Fi network in theory, but in practice everything is somewhat different.

1. The speed of the router, in contrast to that specified by the manufacturer (300 Mb/s), in practice will be much lower and this is due to wireless standards. For example, the N standard specification states that it is theoretically capable of providing data transfer rates of up to 600 Mbit/s if it uses four antennas simultaneously for communication. Therefore, each antenna of the N standard can transmit data at a speed of 150 Mbit/s.

But this is all in theory, but in practice the N standard does not always exceed the 54-60 Mb/s bar. Of course, the speed depends on the specified settings and series external factors, and if you managed to achieve speeds with the N standard on your router of more than 60 Mb/s, then share your experience in the comments with other users.

Remember the 802.11G standard, which theoretically states a maximum speed of 54 Mb/s, but in practice hardly anyone remembers more than 20 Mb/s. All new standards, of course, have improvements, but with regard to the speed ratio in theory and in practice, things are still the same.

2. If there are any problems with your Wi-Fi network, first of all update the firmware. The firmware affects the operation of all components of the network device. You can download the latest firmware version on the manufacturer's official website. As a rule, you need to download the firmware with the latest date and the highest version (index). TP-Link structures firmware for network devices very well in this regard. Some routers notify you in the router interface about the availability of new firmware.

3. It is also necessary to update the driver of the Wi-Fi wireless network adapter, which is installed in a desktop computer or integrated into a laptop. This is software that directly affects the speed of exchange of network packets between devices and functionality generally.

4. If your router can operate at a frequency of 5 GHz, then it is advisable to transfer all clients that support this range to it. At the same time, those devices that can only operate in the 2.4 GHz band and transferred to the 5 GHz frequency will not affect each other’s operation.

5. Some users, having bought a budget router model, are looking forward to high performance from it, but the switching speed ( throughput) and performance are on the same level and depend on the hardware. And we know that a network device is characterized by the ability to process and transmit the maximum high-speed flow, called switching from the WAN port (it contains the Internet provider cable) to the Wi-Fi wireless module. And as you understand, budget router models are not equipped with components for high switching.

Of course, the hardware in a network device is of significant importance, but as practice shows, setting up a Wi-Fi network on a router plays an important role. Let me give you some useful recommendations.

How can you increase the Wi-Fi speed in your router?

All of the above recommendations will in most cases help increase Wi-Fi speed networks and eliminate the main causes that negatively affect wireless communications. By the way, if you are planning to buy a router and you are not constrained financial opportunities, then look towards those that support or IEEE 802.11ad. For example, ASUS RT-AC87U or TP-Link AD7200 Talon.

1. Many people still use it on their home network IEEE standard 802.11n and at the same time set mixed mode in the settings. That is, they set 802.11 b/g/n in the router interface for Wi-Fi networks. And this is of course logical since, for example, an old laptop may have a built-in G-standard module and not support the N standard. However, a Wi-Fi wireless network not only divides the signal between all clients on the network, but also with active packet exchange between the router and a client with a G-standard module resets the speed (on average to 50%) for all devices to the level of the slowest. In our case, this is a laptop with a G-module.

Today, all devices have long been friends with the N standard, therefore, there is no point in the old mixed mode. But if you still have a laptop with IEEE 802.11g at home, then it’s better not to use it at all. In general, it is recommended to configure the network so that all adapters work on the same standard. For example, many people at home have devices that support the N standard, so it would be correct to define the IEEE 802.11n standard for the entire network.

Many laptops also provide this option, and it would be nice for clients with wireless Wi-Fi modules set mode N. Go to “Device Manager” and find the computer’s network adapter in the settings.

On the “Advanced” tab in the “Property” window, find “802.11n direct connection mode” and set it to “Enable”. In some adapters this parameter is called “Wireless Mode”. The netbook that I currently have at hand does not have the ability to configure only the N standard in the adapter properties. But for example, here is a screenshot from another computer taken earlier for another publication.

2. In a Wi-Fi wireless network in a given N mode, you can try to increase the speed to more than 54 Mbit, but to do this you need to enable the WMM function in the adapter settings if it supports it. This function must be enabled on both the access point and the network adapter.

The WMM function, depending on the manufacturer and model, may be called differently in the adapter settings: WMM, Multimedia Environment, WMM Capable...

3. Despite the fact that a modern network device has more than enough Wi-Fi coverage for an apartment, it still makes sense to locate clients as close as possible to the source of the wireless signal. This is not only due to various obstacles(walls, household appliances...) for signal passage, but also with channel noise at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. It is advisable to place the devices at a distance of no more than 20 meters from each other. By the way, for the new standards 802.11ac and 802.11ad there is no such thing as an obstacle.

4. I have already mentioned more than once that the channel is noisy in the 2.4 GHz band; our task is to choose the freest one in the area. Noise in a radio channel means the presence of neighboring networks that may use the same channel as your network.

Just now I suddenly opened the connections tab and counted more than 6 networks around.

To find the most free channel, you need to switch to it when your neighbors detect a less loaded channel.

5. Some routers justifiably initially have low radio signal power. If you walk around a room or apartment with a tablet or laptop (do not sit still), then the signal strength should be turned up to full.

But if, on the contrary, you are “chained” not far from the router, then it makes sense to lower the signal. Otherwise, due to the strong signal and the short distance of the client from the network device, the router will reduce the speed.

6. Standard N works great with a channel width of 40 MHz, but quite often in the settings you can find the 20/40MHZ parameter (automatic selection). If you set the channel width to 40 MHz, you can get from 10 Mbit/s to 20 Mbit/s speed increase if you have a stable and good signal. However, this is an experimental parameter. The fact is that with such a channel width, at a short distance the signal level may decrease and, accordingly, we will not get the desired result.

Therefore, here the issue is resolved experimentally. First set the values ​​to 20 MHz and measure the speed from different distances, and then set it to 40 MHz and test the Wi-Fi speed again from the same points. During tests, always turn off all devices except those being tested. The conclusion is obvious. We leave the value where the result was with the highest speed reading. It should be said that there are still clients who can only work on a channel width of 20 MHz and do not want to establish a connection at 40 MHz.

A wireless network connection is not always as fast as a cable connection. This is facilitated by a number of factors, such as a noisy channel, radio interference from household electrical appliances, outdated software on the router and client equipment, incorrect settings or insufficient device performance.

Low Internet speed over Wi-Fi can be due to many reasons. The most common of them will be discussed below, but first you need to make sure that the problem is in the wireless data transmission channel.

How to find out if the problem is in the Wi-Fi connection

In some cases, poor internet may be the fault of the provider. To find out whether the connection quality depends on the router, you need to look at how fast the cable connection works, without using an access point (directly from the communication service provider).

Most providers (for example, Rostelecom) connect subscribers using Ethernet technology. A LAN cable is connected to the subscriber’s side, through which communication with the Internet is carried out. To determine what the input speed is, you need to connect your computer directly to this cable and use a browser to go to the service website, which will determine how fast the connection is.

The most popular site where you can test your speed is speedtest.net. All you need to do is go to the page and click on the “check” button. The service itself will determine the nearest server and, after connecting to it, test the latency, download and upload speed. After checking, results will appear, for example, the following:

Testing was carried out through a connection to the nearest server, so we can assume that this is the maximum speed that the provider can provide.

After testing cable internet you need to find out the speed for your wireless connection. If there are several devices, you can test each of them. Mobile android the application from the speedtest.net service showed the following result:

Tablet under the same conditions:

The speed has dropped because the tablet is relatively old (2011) and can only work in 802.11g mode. Despite the fact that this standard provides for up to 54 Mbit, in practice it turns out to be 2 times less.

On a laptop across 2 walls from the router, with half the signal level:

Congestion of the frequency range

This problem occurs in multi-story buildings where the density of operating access points is high. The main sign of congestion in the bands is that the speed of the Wi-Fi connection drops.

The operating frequency of the vast majority of routers is 2.4 GHz, and in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation there are only 13 available channels. In fact, the operating frequency range is from 2.412 GHz to 2.484 GHz. This wave spectrum is divided into equal parts in steps of 0.005 GHz.

The peculiarities of Wi-Fi technology are such that data transmission cannot be carried out at a fixed frequency, so channels located 2 orders of magnitude near each other intersect. Of the 13 available channels, only 3 are non-overlapping, namely 1, 6, 11.

As a result, a situation arises when routers located nearby use the same Wi-Fi channel, that is, they operate at the same frequency, which causes overlapping waves - interference. This is one of the reasons that the access point does not provide full speed over Wi-Fi.

Video - tips for choosing a Wi-Fi channel:

There are two ways to try to correct the situation. The first is to find the least busy channel. To do this, you need to download the inSSIDer utility and scan channels with it Wi-Fi points access working nearby.

The disadvantage of this method is that if there are more than 10 working routers around, then all channels will be loaded. In addition, most users have automatic channel selection in their settings. That is, even if you managed to find a more or less free one, there are no guarantees that it will be so in the near future. Neighbors' devices can occupy it automatically, considering it more preferable. This is one of the reasons why Wi-Fi Internet speed jumps.

You can find out more about setting up channels.

The second way is to switch to the 5 GHz frequency, which is not nearly as busy and will most likely remain so in the near future. Devices that can distribute Wi-Fi at this frequency usually operate in two bands - 2.4 and 5 GHz. The equipment creates two parallel networks with different frequencies and names. All devices that are not capable of operating on 5 GHz will automatically connect to 2.4 GHz.

This video will help you determine the channel frequency:

The disadvantages of moving to 5 GHz are as follows:

• High cost of access points (compared to 2.4 GHz routers);
• Not all mobile devices can work with 5 GHz networks;
• Physical features do not allow for coverage like 2.4 GHz or greater networks.

Problems with the access point

Incorrect router location common reason low speed over Wi-Fi. It's all about the signal that can't cover required area apartments or houses. To check the quality of reception, just walk around the apartment with your phone and watch the signal level change. On mobile devices, running Android OS, the signal level icon is displayed at the top of the notification panel. Windows users can see it in the lower right corner of the taskbar.

Without any checks, we can say with confidence that the optimal location will be the middle of the area where you plan to use wireless internet. The shorter the distance from the dispenser to the client, the better the signal, but they should not be placed too close.

Important: the router does not reduce speed if the distance from it to the client is more than half a meter. If the connection is very close, the connection may be lost.

Signal quality is affected not only by distance. Speed ​​can be limited by walls (especially with metal elements), devices emitting electromagnetic waves(any household electrical appliances, especially microwave ovens). Bluetooth and radio waves from phones will also cause interference.

The access point's throughput may be limited by incorrect settings. Many default parameters are set in such a way as to achieve stable operation with a large number of devices, which does not always provide the maximum data transmission and reception speed.

Setting up Wi-Fi mode

Poor Internet may also be because the router uses mixed mode by default.

The router limits the speed based on the slowest device connected to the network. That is, if a laptop that only supports the 802.11g standard is connected to the access point, then all other users will work at the speed of this standard.

This is good for an old laptop that cannot run in 11N mode. But such devices are quite rare and, if they are not intended to be used, it makes sense to set the “11n only” mode.

To do this, you need to use a browser to log into the control panel of the router. In the address bar of the browser you need to enter the address, for most devices http://192.168.0.1/ or http://192.168.1.1/ will be correct. The system will ask you to enter a login-password pair (usually admin-password by default). Further actions depend on the specific device and its control panel. In TP-Link TL-WR841N, this is the menu -> “Wireless Mode” -> “Wireless Mode Settings”.

Setting the Channel Width

For devices operating at 2.4 GHz, it is possible to set either 20 MHz or 40 MHz. The second option will increase Wi-Fi speed, but with some restrictions. The fact is that a channel width of 40 MHz requires a clear, stable signal for normal operation, otherwise the connection may be lost altogether.

As for devices with an operating frequency of 5 GHz, they can be set to channel widths of 40 and 80 MHz.

Security Settings

Wi-Fi channel security settings are of no small importance for data transfer. Using old standards (WEP, WPA and TKIP encryption) is not only ineffective in terms of security, but is also the direct reason why the router slows down the speed.

To prevent hacking and improve signal quality, you should select the WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK standard and AES encryption in the security settings.

Setting up WMM

Enabling the “Activate WMM” option will help speed up the transfer of multimedia content somewhat. WMM – Wi-Fi Multimedia. This function is located in the menu -> “Wireless” -> “Advanced wireless settings”. Activating it makes multimedia content a higher priority, which speeds up its loading.

For WMM to work correctly, it must be configured on the client equipment. For Windows OS, you need to find the Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager and activate the WMM function.

Access point transmitter power

Another point that allows you to increase speed is adjusting the emitter power. If the client equipment is located at a long distance and the signal has to break through obstacles, this parameter must be set to maximum (100% for some devices). At the same time, excess emitter power can have a bad effect on speed when working over short distances, where the router produces a high signal level.

For TP-Link, these parameters are located in the menu -> “Wireless Mode”, -> “Advanced Settings” -> “Operating Mode”. Here you can choose from three options - high, medium, low (referring to the connection speed).

Outdated access point firmware version

Some reputable manufacturers (Asus, D-Link, TP-Link) install old firmware versions on their products, while several new versions are posted on the official websites. This is done for reliability: old versions have been tested for long-term operation with many devices, unlike new ones. However, updating the firmware may improve data transfer speeds.

Update methods vary depending on the manufacturer. On some devices, you first need to download the file from the official website, then update the system by selecting it in the control panel. To update the firmware of a TP-Link router, you need to go to the “system tools” -> “Firmware update” menu, select the file after downloading it, and click the “Update” button.

The low speed may be due to incorrect operation of the new firmware. To restore the system to its previous state, you must first create a backup copy. To do this, go to the menu “System Tools” -> “ Backup copy and recovery" and click the "Backup" button. On the same page, if necessary, you can restore the system from a backup file.

Wi-Fi module drivers on client equipment also require periodic updating. On Windows systems, this can be done by going to Device Manager and selecting the appropriate network adapter there.

Weak iron

Some particularly low-cost access points, equipped with ultra-weak chips, insufficient random access memory and a low-power emitter, simply not able to quickly distribute the Internet. We are not talking about cheap but tolerably working models. The TP-Link mentioned above costs less than $20 and this does not prevent it from performing its functions normally. This refers to devices from unknown Chinese craftsmen, purchased from equally reputable sales outlets.

Using additional equipment

To strengthen the signal, you can use more powerful antennas for routers (if their replacement is provided for by the design of the device), external adapters for laptops and computers, Wi-Fi signal repeaters (repeaters).

Useful video on setting up and increasing signal strength:

When upgrading your router by installing a different antenna, you should pay attention to device compatibility and manufacturer recommendations. Otherwise, you may void the warranty or damage the equipment.

If you need stable Internet access over a large area, one router will not be enough. Since it is not always possible and willing to lay a cable to connect an additional router, you can use a so-called repeater (signal repeater).

A regular access point receives the Internet via a LAN cable connected to the WAN port. Routers with a repeater function can work as Wi-Fi amplifiers (in this case, client devices display the network whose signal is strengthened by the repeater). Another option is when the access point acts as an independent network with its own name, only it receives the Internet not via cable, like a regular router, but via Wi-Fi.