Nowadays, about 80% of the world's inhabitants use wired Internet. At the same time, the question arose about its distribution among many users. This task is perfectly handled by a device called a wifi router. This device can provide IP addresses to various gadgets in the coverage area. With the invention of wifi, the need to connect computers with multiple wires has disappeared. All that is needed is to connect the cable to the router, which in turn will cover a certain area with the Internet.
Satisfied Internet users through a wifi router are about 75%. However, this does not mean that these people are very lucky. Actual data transfer rates may be much lower than stated. For users who just surf the World Wide Web or download a small amount of files, a low connection speed is enough. The remaining 25% of people are not happy with the work of their home router and this can be due to a variety of reasons. This article will be useful to those who want to know how to increase the speed of wifi Internet and give practical advice on setting up the equipment.
In order to understand in what ways you can increase the speed of a Wi-Fi router, you need to identify the root causes of low data transfer. Naturally, a stable and high signal speed will be provided through the cable. For example, connecting a laptop to the network via a wire provides a direct connection to the ISP. If a wifi device is installed in the room, it will be responsible for the connection speed. In other words, a wifi device controls the flow of the Internet and supplies it to all kinds of gadgets, PCs and laptops.
How high the speed of the Internet through the router will be depends on the power of the wifi equipment. You should not expect a quick connection from budget models. In cheap devices, the characteristics of the processor are weak, small RAM, low-power antenna. These parameters can provide only a low level of data transfer from the provider to the client.
To understand whether the speed of the Internet connection depends on the Wi-Fi equipment, you need to connect the PC to the cable directly and determine its level using the (Speedtest) program. This procedure will help determine the underlying cause. If, when the Internet is supplied through a cable, the data transfer is high, but through wifi it is low, then the reason lies in the router and may be as follows:
- weak signal from the device;
- the assembly of the device is performed poorly;
- the settings in the equipment are incorrect;
- damage to wifi equipment;
- outdated software;
- cheap tariff plan.
Having decided on the reason for the signal clipping, you can understand how to increase the speed of the Internet through a router. In some situations, the speed of data transfer decreases due to the incorrect location of the wifi device in the room:
What is the minimum speed you need
Each user needs one or another speed of data transfer. It depends directly on what a person intends to do on the World Wide Web. In order to determine the tariff plan, first of all, you should know in what units the connection speed is measured. The data transfer rate is usually measured in bits per second. However, this value is very low and therefore they operate with such concepts as kilobits and megabits. With the advent of fiber optic cables, the speed of connection has increased dramatically. For today, the average speed indicator, which is normal, is 100 Mbps.
The Internet provider can supply the consumer with a different connection speed, on which the tariff plan will depend. It can be of several types: slow, low, medium, high, very high. The range of opportunities in the network for the client will depend on the speed of connection. Depending on what actions the user performs on the World Wide Web, the choice of a tariff plan and the required speed will depend. For example, for normal browsing or playing games online, you will need only 512 Kbps. Watching movies in high quality will require fast data transfer. The optimal tariff package is 100 Mbit / sec.
Tips for increasing the speed of a wi fi network of a router
Before increasing the internet speed of a wifi router, you need to check the speed of the connection itself. This is done by a special program indicated above in the article. If the rate indicated is 50 Mbit / s, then you won't get more. The direct connection and wifi speed indicators help the user to determine how much the router is cutting down on the connection speed.
Choosing the best place
The wifi speed can sometimes depend on where the receiving equipment itself is located. If the device has one or two signal strips, and the connection speed is low, then you need to choose another place for the wi-fi equipment. The ideal place for it may be the center of the room. This arrangement helps the Internet to penetrate all rooms of the apartment. The following factors negatively affect the wifi signal level:
- strong humidity;
- the throughput of the walls. In other words, the material from which they are made;
- wiring near the device;
- the presence of other wi-fi devices.
If you can't determine the optimal place yourself, then you can resort to a special application - Hoatmapper for Windows.
Checking the settings
In the settings of both the router and the adapter, such parameters can be set that will affect the speed of the wifi. Be careful, the transmitting device may degrade bandwidth and network. There are also legal regulations that limit the power of the transmitter.
Change the power saving settings
By going into the settings of the router or adapter, you can increase the speed of wi fi. Very often, the active power saving mode cuts the connection speed. In order to enter the settings of the wifi device, you will need to enter its address. In the pop-up authorization menu, enter admin in the login and password fields - this is relevant if access is not closed with a password. In the settings you need to find the item "Wireless networks", and in it the line WMM APSD. After that, the "Active" mode should be changed to "Off" and the new settings should be saved. Such actions help to strengthen the data transfer of the Wi-Fi connection.
If the wifi reception on a laptop with an adapter is weak, then the reason is in the adapter itself. You will also need to deactivate power saving mode in the adapter settings. To do this, you need to press the Win + r combination and enter devmgmt.mscк in the line that appears. Next, select the option "Network adapters" and in it you need to find a device indicating an Internet connection. In the settings of the found equipment, turn off the power saving mode.
The choice of a free channel in the wifi device leads to a better result of the connection speed. When setting up a wi-fi for the first time, the device chooses the least loaded channel. However, over time, other users may join the channel and become congested. As a result, internet speed may deteriorate. Therefore, the channel load must be constantly monitored and changed in case of strong overload to a freer one. A special program - InSSIDer helps to choose the channel correctly.
Changing the channel width
The operation of wifi equipment may be affected by changes in channel width. In modern devices, the default is 40 MHz. The device tries to use this broadband channel for any reason. In multi-storey buildings, increasing bandwidth by choosing a broadband channel has the opposite effect. In other words, speed is lost. To improve the speed of the connection, you will need to switch the modem to the 20 MHz parameter.
Changing the device operation protocol to parameter 802 11n
Changing the protocol in the settings helps to increase the speed of wifi equipment. In the parameters of the wi-fi device, you need to set the N mode, or specify 802 11n in the standard field, which is the fastest indicator. This indicator is supported by almost all devices released since 2010.
Selecting a network security mode
Selecting a security mode will help speed up the Internet connection via Wi-Fi. It is on by default in modern devices. However, if you need to select it, then in the network authentication settings you must enter - WPA2-PSK, and in the WPA encryption parameters set - AES. These fixes will help improve the speed of data transfer. The WPA2-PSK security standard is the most secure algorithm today.
WMM mode
The wifi multimedia mode - WMM affects the transfer rate of certain files. If the 802.11N standard is enabled on the router, then to get a speed of more than 54 Mbps, you will need to enable WMM mode. You can activate it in the wifi connection settings, either on the device itself or in a separate section. This mode should also be enabled in the adapter parameters.
Updating the wireless adapter driver
Updating the wireless adapter driver can also increase the data transfer rate. It is relevant only for PCs and laptops. The speed of the Internet will depend not only on the wifi device, but also on the receiver that is installed in the computer. In other words, if the power of the transmitter (router) is very high, and the adapter in the PC is weak, then there will be no high speed. Changing the adapter for the Wi-Fi connection is problematic in a laptop. You can update the wireless adapter driver.
Updating the router firmware
One of the ways to improve the speed of your router is to update the firmware. Performing this procedure yourself is a risky undertaking, especially the first time. There is a risk of breaking the device. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to purchase only certified equipment in which rollback is provided. In other words, you can go back to the previous firmware version.
In new software versions, various parameters are constantly being improved, which help to achieve an increased level of connection speed. You can download software for any router on the Internet. Each model has its own version of the update, which can be obtained by specifying the serial number of the device. To perform the firmware, it will be necessary to connect a wifi device using a special Lan-cable to a PC or laptop. In the settings of the wi-fi equipment there is a parameter - Firmware Upgrade, which should be selected and sent to the downloaded directory. Next, the flashing process starts.
Switching to wi fi at a frequency of 5 ghz
Another option, how to increase the speed of a wifi router, is to switch to wi fi 5 ghz. This standard is modern and allows for increased wifi connection speed. In order to carry out this action, you will need to have equipment that works with this standard or buy a two-standard router. The updated standard, free channels and a high frequency of data transmission make it possible to solve the problem of how to increase the speed of the Internet through a wifi router.
Conclusion
All of the above tips will help answer the question of how to speed up Wi-Fi Internet. Practical tips will tell you how to correct all settings and device parameters. However, if the article did not find ways to increase the speed of the Internet, then you should think about buying a new router. Modern standards and increased power parameters will be able to provide high speed Internet access to any device.
Class
With the introduction of wireless internet technology, there was no need to connect a bunch of wires to their devices to provide network access. A standard, wired connection only needs to be provided for a router - a device that distributes IP addresses to client gadgets and covers a small Wi-Fi area nearby. Nevertheless, sometimes it may turn out that even on a modern router, the Wi-Fi connection is too slow, web pages are loaded "monstrously" slowly, you have to wait several minutes for a particular site to open, and even when you are in the immediate The situation is no better in proximity to the distributing router. If you connect to a hotspot on the street or in a cafe, there is nothing you can do about it, since you do not have access to the Wi-Fi distributing device. If you set up your network at home, you probably can do something about this problem. Today we will tell how to increase the speed of Wi-Fi when organizing a network in an apartment, if the current state of affairs regarding the speed of Internet access does not suit you, and we will offer several ways to solve the problem
What explains the slow connection speed?
Regarding the reasons for the low connection, there may be several of them:
- first of all, the low quality of the equipment used. If your router is more than 2-3 years old, most likely, it will not be able to guarantee you the maximum speed of providing Internet access. As you know, new devices meet completely different speed standards, and your 10 Mbps is unlikely to suit anyone today. To find out the technical characteristics of your router, refer to the device documentation available on the Internet on the official website of the manufacturer. Also important is the number of transmit antennas the router is equipped with. For high-quality communication, there should be at least 2 of them, and this will provide a greater range of signal coverage;
- short range of signal transmission. Traffic transmission range has the same relation to speed as the first point. The closer you are to the access point, the higher the speed will be, and vice versa. Buying a modern router model can also solve this problem in your favor;
- cheap tariff plan. This point is important only if you live far from large cities and your ISP is unable to provide high network bandwidth. If your speed is at least 50 Mbps, then you don't have to worry about this parameter;
- Excessive loading of the operating system by third-party applications and the penetration of malicious code. If during the exchange of traffic with the server your OS is too overloaded, this can be explained by the unnecessary clutter of the system with third-party software. Remove the programs you don't need through the application manager. Another likely reason is that a worm or botnet has entered your hard drive and completely eats up your traffic. In this case, you have to take care of cleaning your PC from viruses using one of the appropriate cleaning products (Avast or Dr.Web CureIt);
- damaged equipment. If the router is accidentally dropped to the floor or on a hard surface, the device may have been damaged and will need to be taken for repair. Damage to the transmitting antenna is especially critical, since this type of failure has a direct impact on the quality of the transmitting signal;
- outdated firmware. Firmware is essential in ensuring high speed Wi-Fi connections. Over time, developers fix major system errors and even completely change the shell of the firmware. So, if you haven't been updated, it's time to think about it: the procedure is quite simple, and does not require any special skills and abilities.
How to increase the speed of Wi-Fi connection?
If you are rearranging in an apartment, think about the range of the signal from the router. Try to install the device as close to the center of the apartment as possible so that the signal is evenly distributed to all rooms. It is worth taking into account the number of transmitting antennas on the gadget. If the router has only one antenna, you can achieve a high quality connection, after which you will need to purchase a new router. It is also imperative to consider the thickness of the walls.
The next rather significant nuance is to indicate the appropriate frequency of the router signal distribution. As usual, all devices transmitting a Wi-Fi signal operate on the same frequency, and in multi-apartment buildings they simply interrupt each other's signal. In such circumstances, it is worth specifying the actual transmission channel number in the router settings, taking into account the network load. By default, all routers are set to “Auto”.
How to increase Wi-Fi speed by specifying the actual channel number in the settings?
Log in by entering the corresponding host IP address of the router, and specifying the login and password on the pop-up form to enter the settings menu. In this manual, I will take the control panel of the ASUS router as an example; in your device, the sequence of actions may slightly differ.
Let's go to the settings menu in the "Wireless network" section.
In the active category, you can see the "Channel" option. Set one of the values \u200b\u200bof this key, so that the signal does not constantly move from one channel to another, as it was with the set value "Auto".
If you have a D-Link, TP-Link or any other brand router, you may have to wander around the settings a little to find the option to configure the communication channel here.
How to increase the speed of Wi-Fi connection by changing other parameters of the router?
To increase the wireless bandwidth, you need to switch the network settings to the 802.11N standard. It is the fastest 2.4 MHz standard supported by all devices released from 2010 and later. Thus, in the basic parameters of the Wi-Fi connection, forcibly set the N-mode (or select the standard in the field: 802.11N).
Another important tip is to use the WPA2-PSK security standard with AES encryption. The WPA2 algorithm is the most modern and secure, and is available by default in all new routers. However, if you are in doubt that you are using this particular standard, it is best to check everything yourself. To do this, go to the wireless security settings and set the encryption method value to WPA2, and the algorithm to AES.
It is also worth using the WiFi Multimedia mode (or WMM, as it is called in the settings). This option is required if you want to get a speed rate higher than 54 Mbps. According to the QoS specification, setting this mode is also a prerequisite. You can set this mode in the additional parameters of the wireless network.
In addition to this, you need to activate this mode in the settings of the network adapter. Right-click on the network connection in the taskbar and select the "Network and Sharing Center" option from the menu.
A list of network adapters installed on your laptop / computer will appear. Select an adapter for a Wi-Fi connection from the list, right-click on it and select the "Properties" option from the context list.
After that, already on the settings form, go to the "Advanced" tab, find the "WMM" option in the list of properties and set the value to "Enabled".
The last tip for setting up a router is to use a 20 MHz channel width. By default, the width is differentiated, i.e. varies between 20 and 40 MHz. The 40 MHz wideband option is not very suitable for multi-apartment buildings, since the signal in them is not very strong and stable. So check the 20 MHz option and enjoy the result.
How to increase the speed of the Wi-Fi connection by playing with the computer settings?
If, after all the manipulations with the router, you find that the connection speed has not changed at all, the reason for the low connection may be in the computer, and not in the router. Let's look at the system load in the OS settings. To do this, go to the task manager using the Ctrl + Alt + Del combination. Let's use the second tab called "Performance".
If the diagram shows that the network is overloaded, and you are not downloading anything and are not using the Internet at the moment, go to the first tab containing the list of services running in the background called "Processes" and disable those programs that you do not need at the moment ...
Another useful tip on how to increase Wi-Fi speed on a laptop is to disable unclaimed applications from startup. To do this, use the Win + R combination and enter the “msconfig” parameter in the mini-window that appears. Go to the "Startup" tab, after which the list you need will open.
If this method does not work, we can advise you to update the W-Fi adapter drivers to the latest version. You can find the required package on the web resource of the laptop manufacturer, or through driver packs, such as DriverPackSolution (just do not choose automatic mode, since in addition to drivers, a bunch of browsers and other applications will be installed. Work through expert mode).
Finally, we would like to suggest that you correct the routing configuration on the PC. This can be done without any special effort and without any harm to the system. To reset the parameters, run the cmd mode on behalf of the admin. To do this, right-click on the start button and select the corresponding item in the context menu.
Next, in the prompt that appears, enter the query "route -f". Don't be alarmed if your web connection is disconnected for a short time. After that, enter the key query "ipconfig / renew" and press Enter again. If the above commands did not help, instead of the second specified key, use the command "netsh winsock reset catalog".
Outcome
If you want to know how to increase the speed of your Wi-Fi connection, we hope that our article will help you achieve success in this task. Otherwise, it's time to consider buying a new router with at least two antennas and higher speeds. Thanks to the support of new standards of communication and data transmission, the new device can increase the speed of Wi-Fi at least 2 times. To know this for sure, you need to study the technical parameters of the old and new devices and compare them.
When buying a wireless router, we usually try to get the fastest and most powerful device for the money available. Having read the Wireless 300 inscription on the box, the user expects a hurricane speed, but in fact they get a low one. Further, ordeals begin between the service center and the technical support of the provider, who begin to blame each other. And the reasons usually lie in the WiFi setup because of which the router cuts the speed. And it's not a mistake, no. It's just that all the configuration of the wireless network usually comes down to setting a password for the connection, all other parameters remain by default. And despite the fact that they are in principle optimal, in some cases more fine tuning is required to increase the speed over WiFi. It doesn't take long and doesn't require high technical skills. Here are 7 easy steps.
1.Updating the firmware of the router
Often (especially on newer models) the software of routers has flaws or errors that lead to unstable operation of the device, including problems with WiFi speed. That is why troubleshooting should be started by flashing it.
Download the latest firmware version from the manufacturer's official website and install it on the router. For this, there is a special menu in the web interface.
2. We enable forcibly 802.11n
The fastest wireless standard currently used in the 2.4 GHz standard is 802.11N, which theoretically allows speeds of up to 150 Mb / s when using a single antenna and up to 300 Mb / s when using 2 antennas in MIMO mode. Therefore, the first thing to do to increase WiFi speed is to activate this standard. This is done in the general settings of the wireless network:
On most models of routers, this parameter is called "Mode" (Mode). If the list contains the option "Only 11N", then expose it. True, I'll make a reservation right away, if you have an old laptop or an antediluvian phone that works only on 802.11G, then it will not see this network. In this case, you should select the "802.11 b / g / n mixed" option.
3. Change the channel width
If, after changing the mode, a low Wi-Fi speed is still observed through the router, then try changing the channel width from 20MHz to 40 MHz.
This is one of the most common reasons why a router cuts speed.
4. Turn on Wi-Fi Multimedia
Nearly all modern Wireless N300 routers support WMM or WME Wireless Multimedia Extensions technology, which provides Quality of Service (QOS) functions, which improve the quality of work and reduce the number of wireless network errors. Typically, this feature is found in advanced options:
We put a tick “Activate WMM”, save the parameters and reboot the device.
5. We use WPA2
Very often, the reason for the low speed of the Wi-Fi router is the wrong choice of the network security mode. The fact is that often on routers by default there is a universal version "WPA / WPA2-PSK" in which two standards work simultaneously. The whole point here lies in the fact that the outdated WPA does not support speeds higher than 54 Mbps, that is, it starts to slow down the entire network. Therefore, to increase the speed of the Internet via WiFi - use only the WPA2-PSK version:
6. Selecting a free radio channel
In apartment buildings in large cities, routers are installed in almost every apartment. This cannot but affect the quality of communication due to the fact that there are few channels available for use and wireless networks begin to interfere with each other, creating interference. That is why, if your Wi-Fi speed drops sharply, and the network starts working slowly and slows down, then try to play with the channels in the router settings:
Try to put the channels in the outermost order. As a rule, they do it last.
7. Update adapter driver
Another common cause of low Wi-Fi speed is the "crooked" driver of the wireless network adapter. Most often, when installing, the user uses either the driver that comes in the kit on the disk, or is automatically installed by the Windows operating system. As life shows, this is often not the most successful version.
Download the latest driver from the manufacturer's website. Then go to the device manager, in the "Network adapters" section, find your card, right-click on it, select "Update drivers", then specify the path to the downloaded file.
Internet speed via wifi is another question that you will probably have if you carefully read the previous articles on my blog and have already made your home wireless Internet. Surely many have already noticed that you have low speed wifi connections - often much lower than they were when connected via cable and than indicated in the tariff plan. Also, probably at least half of those reading this article have come across such a riddle that the box of the router, access point or adapter indicates support for 100 or even 300 Megabits per second, and the real speed of the Internet via WiFi and a local network is much lower. Let's figure out why router cuts internet speed and how to increase it!
The speed of a wifi connection, like the Internet in general, is measured in kiloBITs or megaBITs per second. They are denoted by the following abbreviations: Kb / s, Kb / s, Kb / s, Kbps, Mbps, Mb / s, Mb / s, Mbps. Do not confuse them with another measure of speed - kilobytes and megabytes per second - this is not the speed of the Internet, but the data transfer rate of the program. It is most often displayed in utilities such as ftp or torrent clients. They are designated very similarly, but the letter "B" ("B") is large here: KB / s, KB / s, KB / s, KBp, MBytes / s, MB / s, MB / s or MBps. Their ratio is as follows:
1 byte \u003d 8 bits
Accordingly, if the ftp client displays a data transfer rate of 5 megabytes per second, then we multiply this number by 8 and get the Internet speed of 40 megabytes per second.
Now let's define what we mean by "router speed". There are actually two characteristics:
- The speed of working with the Internet, that is, from the WAN port to the LAN port.
- The speed of work between two devices within one local network, i.e. WLAN-WLAN
How to measure the speed of a wifi router when working with the Internet?
To measure the speed of the Internet via wifi, it is not necessary to launch programs and perform mathematical operations. There are online services that can help you do this automatically. We will use the most popular site SpeedTest.net.
Click on the "Begin Test" button and wait for the system to test. Here's the result:
It turns out that my incoming speed is 33.56 Mbps, and the incoming speed is 49.49 Mbps. It was the speed of the wifi connection to the Internet that was measured, and not the speed of the wifi router connection via cable. Now we disconnect from wifi, connect the PC to the router via cable and make the same measurements. If it turns out that the cable speed is higher than the speed of the wifi connection, then read the article further.
Scientific experiment - measuring the speed of a wifi connection
Theory-theory, but let's in practice evaluate how different the speed readings for reception and output are given for different types of connection.
As we can see, the highest speed is obtained when the cable is connected directly to the computer - 41 Mbps for reception.
Slightly less - when the Internet goes by cable, but through a router - 33 Mbps for reception
And even less - via wifi: 26 Mbps
From this we can conclude that the router cuts the speed for objective reasons, which we will now figure out.
Router cuts wifi speed
So, if you have a low wifi speed, then the router cuts the speed. Scientifically, this is called the bandwidth or the speed of the WAN-LAN routing. The filling of the device is responsible for this parameter, the parameters of which are usually indicated on a sticker on the bottom and denoted as H.W. - HardWare. If they do not correspond to your tariff plan, then you need to change the device to a more powerful one with a higher bandwidth.
Also, the speed of the Internet via wifi depends on the type of connection to the provider. In decreasing order, they look like this: DHCP and Static IP - VPN - PPTP.
It turns out that if the data transfer rate via Wi-Fi up to 300 Mbps is indicated on the box of the device, and the WAN-LAN parameter for this model in combination with the type and protocol of connection to the provider is 24 Mbps, then the speed of the Internet connection cannot exceed 24, but in real life it will most likely be less.
But the reason may be not only in the router - the hardware and software of the wifi adapter on the receiving computer must also have the appropriate parameters.
You also need to take into account that the technical characteristics indicated in the instructions and on the stickers are calculated for ideal working conditions - with a minimum distance from the router to the device, in the absence of third-party interference, materials that absorb the signal and with minimal network load. That is, if you have a naval communication point near your house, the router is in the next room behind a reinforced concrete wall and at the same time your sister is downloading all the series of "Internet" by torrent, then it is quite logical to assume that your wifi internet speed will be much lower than indicated on the box and in the tariff plan and you will not be able to enjoy playing Counter Strike. In practice, the real speed of a wifi connection is two to three times less than indicated in the specification.
WiFi speed via router
In "nature" there are several standards for wireless data transmission over wifi. I will give below a table in which theoretical and practical speeds are correlated:
| Standard | Speed \u200b\u200bin theory in Mbps | Speed \u200b\u200bin practice in Mbps |
|---|---|---|
| IEEE 802.11a | Up to 54 | Up to 24 |
| IEEE 802.11g | Up to 54 | Up to 24 |
| IEEE 802.11n | Up to 150 * | Up to 50 |
| IEEE 802.11n | Up to 300 ** | Up to 100 |
* - for devices operating at 40 MHz in 1 stream
** - for devices operating at 40 MHz in 2 streams
LAN speed (WLAN-WLAN)
Many users can also note the fact that the router cuts the speed not only when accessing the Internet, but also exclusively when exchanging data within the local network.
The whole joke is that in the real work of several devices at the same time, in fact, the router works with each of them in turn. It turns out a kind of queue, which is why the speed is cut - it becomes several times less than when the router works with only one client. And when exchanging data between two devices, for example, when you transfer files from one computer to another via LAN, it will be 2-3 times less than the total real speed over the network.
Let's look at an example - we transfer data between 2 computers - one with an 802.11g adapter (up to 54 Mbps), the other - 802.11n (up to 300 Mbps). The router also has 802.11n (up to 300 Mbps)
Regardless of what kind of fancy router you have, in theory, the maximum speed within the network, even in theory, will not be more than 54 Mbit / s - according to the maximum data of the slowest adapter. In practice, based on our table, this will be no more than 24 Mbps. As we found out, when working with several clients at the same time, the router will interact with them one by one, that is, the actual speed will be 12 Mbit per second. When you move away from the access point at some distance, it will fall even more.
At the same time, on the computer with the adapter of the "N" standard, as a mockery, the utilities for measuring the speed can show theoretical data of 150 Mbit / s, which is actually the maximum possible for our router.
Many PC users are guided by the indicators displayed in the connection information when determining the speed
This is fundamentally wrong, since here the "Speed" column displays the theoretical one supported by the adapter. For real measurements, we will use the AIDA32 program, which has a benchmark for testing the speed between two devices on the network.
We get the following:
- via cables - 11217 Kilobytes per second.
- cable + WiFi - 9166 KB / s
- pure WiFi - 4303 KB / s
Here, the units of measurement are slightly different - in the first part they were calculated in megabytes per second, and in the second in kilobytes per second. To convert the data from the second part to Mbps, we will use an online converter. We get 10.9, 8.9 and 4.2, respectively.
As you can see, with the connection of one, and even more so two adapters, the speed is significantly reduced, and the amplitude between the highest and lowest speed in the test also increases, that is, the stability of data transmission decreases.
Which of you is the most observant, for certain, was able to make one observation - despite the fact that in several measurements we used devices whose maximum speed should be up to 300 megabits per second, in all tests the speed never exceeded 100 mb / s.
This is due to the fact that the real speed of Internet connections depends on the technical characteristics:
- Provider equipment
- Cable to your computer or router
- WAN port of the router
- WiFi adapter or computer network card
- Internet tariff plan
It turns out that in order to achieve the maximum performance of the entire system, it is necessary that each of its components maintain the declared speed. In the event that you connect to a tariff with a maximum speed of more than 100 Mbps, then both the network card or wireless adapter, and the router, and the cables with which you connect your PC to the router must support this speed, otherwise it will rest against the ceiling. indicated by the slowest link.
For example, if a PC's network card and a router support 1Gbps, and the connection goes through a simple patchcord, which is on the shelf of any store, then up to 1000 Mbps. you will be very, very far away.
In most cases, we use Fast Ethernet cables (category 5), the speed of which is limited to 100 Megabits per second - when connected to a tariff from a provider that supports operation at this speed. It is such a cable that they will stretch from me - that is why a high-quality 150 Mbps adapter performed just as well as a more advanced 300 Mbps adapter.
That is, the maximum task for any wireless equipment is to get closer to the reference speed provided by a cable connection. Which, in turn, is limited by the capabilities of the tariff and ports of the WAN router and computer.
In fact, the purchase of equipment in which the operating speed is above 150 makes sense if your provider provides you with tariff plans for gigabit Internet (cables of categories 5e and 6). But do you know how much it costs? Let's take a look at my provider's tariff schedule:
For a theoretical speed above 100 - 1200 rubles per month - not sickly, is it? Are you ready to give this amount? Me not.
So in practical realities, the question of choosing a router and adapter is to ensure that the equipment meets the characteristics declared by the manufacturer as much as possible and brings us closer to the maximum speed for which the tariff plan of your Internet provider is designed.
In this case, one should pay attention not only to the bright and enticing speed characteristics indicated on the equipment packaging, but also to the specifications written in small print in the instructions. For example, with the declared high speed, it is very often indicated in the instructions that the WAN port of the router only supports operation at speeds up to 100 Mbps. This means that no matter how steep the tariff we pay, we cannot achieve anything above this value.
To the credit of the devices we reviewed today, they showed their excellent quality and, in conditions close to ideal, were in no way inferior in their work to connecting to the Internet via cables in accordance with their declared parameters.
More factors influencing the low speed of WiFi through a router
As you know, wi-fi is a technology for transmitting data over radio channels. Therefore, the operation of other devices may be highly influenced and cause interference.
First of all, household appliances, as well as other wi-fi networks around you and operating in the same frequency range. Now in nature there are two ranges - 2.4 and 5 GHz (gigahertz). 802.11b / g wireless networks operate in the 2.4 GHz band, 802.11a networks operate in 5 GHz, and 802.11n networks can operate in both.
5GHz (GHz) is a relatively new standard, so if you use it, there is a better chance that it will not be loaded by other devices.
You need to plan the speed of your future WiFi network even before buying the devices that will work on it!
If you purchase a router that supports 5GHz and the latest standard with data transfer up to 300 mb / s, but at the same time an adapter is installed on the computer that supports only 2.4 GHz and a speed of up to 54 mb / s, then this bundle will work exactly at the maximum adapter specifications. As they say, the speed of the squadron is equal to the speed of the slowest ship. Plus, keep in mind that these values \u200b\u200bare maximum in ideal conditions - in reality, everything will be slower.
Finally, there are several other sources of interference - Bluetooth, microwave ovens and baby monitors. They also operate at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, so it is not recommended to use a blue-toothed headset, warm soup and connect to wifi at the same time.
conclusion - how to increase wifi speed?
If you look closely at the technical characteristics of the router, you will notice that for many models the speed of the LAN port also does not exceed 100 Mbit / s, so even if they claim 300 via WiFi, then when one of the devices is connected via cable, the speed will not exceed 100 ...
If we talk about a purely wireless connection, then in addition to the declared parameters of devices for the supported wifi speed, such a concept as a "duplex" mode of operation of a router comes into play. That is, speaking in Russian, it processes a request via WiFi from each of the clients in turn, which is why a kind of queue of requests is formed, and the speed drops at least 2-3 times in relation to what it could be during work with only 1 computer. And this is under ideal conditions - in the case of interference, distance from the access point and the influence of other external factors, it will be even lower.
From all that has been said, we can conclude: no matter how hard we try, in ideal reception conditions and in the presence of a router and adapter that support the same communication standards, in most cases we will not be able to achieve a speed of more than 100 Mbps - which our tests clearly showed ... It makes sense to buy high-speed equipment only in a complex (router + cable + adapter + network card) for ALL devices in the network and when connected to a gigabit tariff.
In order to increase the speed of a wifi connection, you need:
- Select a provider with a DHCP connection ()
- Use a router and adapter with the highest bandwidth that supports the IEEE 802.11 N or AC standard ()
- Use a router and adapter from the same company
- in a place in the apartment so that it is not covered with thick ceilings and is located far from sources of radio emission, but as close as possible to the location of your devices. If initially the signal source was set incorrectly, then an article about.
- Keep in mind that with a heavy load on the home network, the time it takes to open pages in the browser will increase. To improve performance, you can expand the channel from 20 to 40 MHz.
Following these rules, you will always have a high speed wifi internet in your house. I wish you good luck, and for a snack an interesting video on increasing wifi speed and radius with a can of beer!
Poor internet speed through a router is one of the most "popular" problems for all wireless lovers. In previous articles, we told, and also - we recommend that you familiarize yourself with this material.
Here we will tell you a few more "professional secrets" on how to increase the speed of the Internet through a router, and why the router does not provide full speed even with the optimal location of the router.
Does the internet speed depend on the router?
The data transfer rate in a wireless wi-fi network (Wireless Fidelity [Wi-Fi]) depends on the selected standard. Also, this indicator should take into account the presence of interference appearing in the same range, and the conditions of the location of the access point.
Standard speed N
To achieve the maximum speed parameters, the N standard developed by the IEEE 802.11 group should be used. This group has created several standards.
- - 802.11A
- - 802.11B
- - 802.11G
- - 802.11N
- - 802.11R
The b-standard has the lowest of the speeds, therefore, to increase it, you should switch to the g-standard. However, the maximum speed of the g-standard is significantly lower than that of the n-standard. Therefore, in order to achieve the maximum speed of distributing the Internet over a wireless network, you will need to install the n-standard in the router. This indicator here is within 150 Mb / s, if the transmission is carried out on one antenna. Theoretically, the speed of a Wi-Fi router can be increased to 600 Mb / s from four antennas.
Closer to reality
But it's not that simple. The real speed of the Internet via a wifi router differs from that declared by the developers in half - downward. Moreover, transmission is influenced by various other factors.
- Interference factor. Very few customers are capable of supporting the 5 GHz band. Most operate in the congested 2.4 GHz band, which is also used by microwaves, cordless phones and nearby access points.
- we usually share it between clients, which also greatly affects its bandwidth (accordingly, the speed of the Internet through the router drops).
Thus, essentially through a wifi router is quite difficult. Moreover, if the router does not operate in pure N-mode, but in compatibility mode with previous standards, then you need to understand that a device that supports the previous generation standard will not be able to operate at IEEE 802.11n speeds. In this case, the data transfer speed through the Wi-Fi router will correspond to the supported standard.
The maximum results can be achieved only on the "pure" n-standard with a configuration of several transmit and receive antennas - 4x4, for example.
The router slows down the internet speed: how to fix it
We set the bandwidth according to the n-standard
Wireless routers generally support various data transfer standards, including N and mixed modes based on that standard. Take Netis Wi-fi router or TP-Link Wi-Fi router as an example. In a special utility (settings) of these routers, you can find the "Wireless mode" section. This tab contains the basic settings of the wireless network created by the access point.
Provides the Radio Frequency Range option. It is in this drop-down list that you can find the desired 802.11n setting.
The same setting is available for TP-Link router.
As you can see, it is common for many routing devices.
Choosing this option will allow you to transfer the device to a higher level of data transfer speed and significantly increase the speed of the Internet via wifi. However, gadgets working with the N-standard will have to be connected to it.
How to increase the speed of the Internet through a wifi router: channel selection
Your neighbor is also using a wireless router but is using n-standard b-mode compatible. The channel of the neighbor's router is the 1st, and your 3rd - then the bandwidth of your router will be interfered with by the neighbor, as their channels will intersect. Accordingly, you will get a weaker internet speed through your router. To solve this problem, you will have to choose a different data transmission channel.
The channel is configured in the Wi-fi configuration tab of the wireless mode of the Netis router.
A drop-down list of channels is located here. It is better, of course, to leave the choice of the channel on the conscience of the device itself by setting the Auto option. If necessary, you can select the desired channel.
Why is the speed through a router lower than through a cable?
Wi-fi Multimedia
The WMM parameter is closely related to the QoS parameter (quality of service), which is used to ensure the best data transmission quality when working with VoIP applications, streaming video. Network packets of such applications are prioritized for processing due to the need to provide more robust operation of multimedia applications - they should work with fewer errors.
Netis or TP-Link routers also have this feature. It must be enabled and located in the Wi-fi settings.
In these routers, it is displayed as a separate radio button. Checking its box enables the WMM option. Also, it must be supported by the computer's wireless adapter.
Reducing the channel width
In some cases, the rate at which packets are transmitted over the network can be increased by decreasing the bandwidth. To increase the network bandwidth, the developers of the IEEE 802.11n standard decided to expand the channel from 20 MHz to 40 MHz. However, the use of broadband channels is not always justified in the urban environment. The extended range often leads to the opposite - the speed of the Internet over wifi is cut.
And routers with wireless mode are configured to use broadband channels by default.
