How to Increase Internet Speed: 11 Fixes, Biggest Impact First

Record your current speed before changing anything

You can only tell whether a fix worked by comparing numbers from before and after. Start by measuring your current speed with this site's speed test and writing it down.

• Test with the same device, in the same spot, at the same time of day
• Run the test 3 times in a row, not just once, and record the middle value
• Pause other traffic first, such as video streaming or large downloads on other devices
• After each fix, test 3 more times under the same conditions

If you try several fixes at once, you will not know which one helped. Trying them one at a time is the quickest route. To judge whether your numbers are fast or slow, use the rating table in what is a good internet speed. For example, a download speed of 30 Mbps or more is already enough for 4K video and several devices at once, so improvements beyond that can be hard to notice in daily use.

Checklist: ways to increase internet speed (biggest impact first)

These fixes are listed in the order they tend to help most in a typical home. Cost is shown in four levels: free, low (about the price of a cable), medium (buying equipment) and monthly fee changes.

The least wasteful approach is to work from the top and stop once your speed meets the guideline.

Free fixes you can do right now (restart, placement, 5GHz)

1. Restart the ONU and router

An ONU (optical network unit) is the box that converts the fiber-optic signal into one your home network can use. Equipment that has been running for a long time can become unstable. Turn off the ONU and then the router, wait a few minutes, then turn on the ONU first and the router second.

4. Move the router

Wi-Fi signals get weaker with distance and with every wall or floor they pass through. Placing the router near the center of your home, up high and away from the floor, helps the signal reach each room. Avoid the back of shelves, spots near metal, and spots near fish tanks.

5. Connect to the 5GHz band

Wi-Fi mainly uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. 2.4GHz reaches farther, but it is easily crowded by microwave ovens and neighbors' Wi-Fi. If you are in the same room as the router or the next room, connecting to 5GHz (or 6GHz if your devices support it) can make things faster. Network names ending in "-A" or "-5G" are often the 5GHz band, but naming differs by model, so check your router's manual. The differences between the bands are explained in why is my Wi-Fi slow.

Fixes involving cables and equipment (wired, LAN cable, router)

2. Use a wired (LAN cable) connection

Connecting a PC or game console directly to the router with a LAN cable removes the effects of distance, walls and Wi-Fi congestion all at once. It works well for devices that stay in one place.

3. Replace the LAN cable

Check the category printed on the cable jacket. According to Sanwa Supply, the maximum speed is 100 Mbps for CAT5, 1 Gbps for CAT5e and CAT6, and 10 Gbps for CAT6A and above. If you are using a CAT5 cable, simply switching to CAT5e or better can remove the cap. A router or PC LAN port limited to 100 Mbps causes the same cap, so check the equipment specs too. A table of cable categories is in why your internet is slow.

6. Replace the router (Wi-Fi 6 or later)

An older router can hold you back through the limits of its Wi-Fi standard or its processing power. If your phones and PCs support Wi-Fi 6 or later, a router that also supports Wi-Fi 6 or later is more likely to make a difference. Keep in mind that speed also depends on the standard your device supports, so if only an old device is slow, a new router may not help. If your home is large and some rooms get no signal, mesh Wi-Fi, which covers the whole home with several units, is another option.

8. Check the PC itself

When only one PC is slow, look at the device.

• Background updates: Check whether OS updates or cloud sync are using the connection in the background, and test after they finish.
• VPN: A VPN encrypts your traffic and routes it through another server. That extra hop can lower speed and raise ping. Turn it off once and compare when testing.
• Security software: Features that inspect traffic can affect speed. Pause them briefly to see the difference, and review the settings if the gap is large.

9. Review DNS settings

DNS is the system that translates a site's name into an IP address. Changing DNS barely changes the download and upload numbers in a speed test. If it helps at all, it shortens the wait before a page starts to appear. If you change it, note your original settings first.

Deal with evening congestion on the provider's side

If your connection is fast during the day but becomes extremely slow only in the evening, congestion on your provider's side is a possible cause. Fixes inside your home are unlikely to solve that. Ask your provider whether a different connection method, newer equipment or a less congested route is available on your plan. In Japan, for example, one option is to switch from the older PPPoE method to IPv6 IPoE; it needs a router that supports it, and it is worth confirming afterwards that the new method is actually in use.

If your provider cannot offer anything, the section below on changing plans or providers applies. Measure again in the evening after any change, because a daytime test will not show whether the evening slowdown is gone.

Changing your plan or switching providers

A faster plan may help only when your wired test results are already close to your current plan's maximum. Every part of the path, including the router, the PC's LAN port and the cable, must support the higher speed, or that part becomes the new cap. Advertised maximum speeds are theoretical figures, and real-world speeds are usually lower. If you only get modest speeds over Wi-Fi, work through the Wi-Fi fixes above before paying for a faster plan.

If nothing inside your home helps, consider switching to a different line. In apartment buildings, the wiring inside the building can limit speed no matter which provider you choose, so ask the building manager how the building is wired first. Prices and coverage areas change, so check each provider's official pages before signing up.

Confirm the effect after each fix

After finishing one fix, run 3 tests on the same device, in the same spot, at the same time of day as before, and compare the middle values. If the problem was only at night, test again at night. If download, upload and ping reach "sufficient" or "very good" in the rating table, there is no rush to do more. If something still has not improved, go back to the steps for finding the cause and narrow down where the slowdown is.

FAQ

Can I increase internet speed without spending money?

Yes. Restarting the ONU and router, moving the router, connecting to the 5GHz band and stopping background traffic on your PC are all free. If you have a LAN cable at hand, you can also try a wired connection.

Where should I start to make my Wi-Fi faster?

First connect to the 5GHz band near the router and run a test. If it is fast up close, placement or distance is the cause. If it is slow even up close, suspect the router or device standard, or the line itself.

Will a 10G plan always make my internet faster?

Not always. Using 10G speeds requires compatible equipment and wiring, such as a 10GBASE-T LAN port and a Category 6a or better cable. If you mostly use devices over Wi-Fi, the Wi-Fi side will become the limit first.

Can I fix internet that is slow only at night?

If provider congestion is the cause, a different connection method can help; in Japan, switching to IPv6 IPoE is one example. Check whether your provider and router support it. If the congestion is in the building's own line, it may not improve.

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