A good router can make a massive difference to your cyberspace connectedness speed. But if you lot don't have the coin to fork out on a top-of-the-range model, what other avenues are open to you?

Go on reading if you want to know how to optimize router settings for speed or found the best router configuration for faster internet.

1. Automate a Reboot Schedule

Nearly newer routers don't need to be rebooted regularly. But every bit well-nigh people know, if you've ever meet a dead net connection, rebooting your router is often all information technology takes to get you support and running.

However, if yous find yourself rebooting the router regularly, the DD-WRT and Tomato firmware options both have timed reboot options. Set it to reboot once a day while you lot're sleeping, and y'all'll never even notice the reanimation while the router powers off and starts back upwards.

2. Make Your Router Faster With a New Antenna

A simple way to make a router faster is to buy a new antenna.

The antenna on most consumer-class routers is awful. An amplified aftermarket antenna is a great fix and a simple way to improve signal quality (and thus better speed) without needing a new device. Powered and amplified aftermarket options get-go at effectually $15 and go all the way up into the depression $100s.

Plug-in range extenders are a bit more expensive, merely they human action as a powered antenna and wireless repeater in i. They can offer a significant comeback to homes with dead zones or signal degradation, but your mileage may vary.

However, be sure to bank check local wireless broadcast laws before picking up a bulky antenna. In some jurisdictions, amplifying your Wi-Fi signal is illegal (or may be illegal over a sure threshold).

three. Disable Older Wireless Protocols

How exercise you optimize router settings for speed? One of the starting time things you lot tin can consider is turning off old wireless protocols.

Newer routers on the 802.11ax protocol offer capabilities far exceeding many ISPs' service offerings. While the router might be fast, many of your devices are probably using older protocols—such as 802.11b—which slows the unabridged network down as before long every bit this device connects. Ideally, you should remove any device you see using b or g protocols.

The fastest protocols, in order of fastest to slowest, are ax > ac > north > k > b. Consult your router documentation to detect out how to do this.

four. Alter the Channel Width

What near the all-time router settings to improve speed on your local network? For case, how can you lot make a video stream betwixt your devices more apace?

The best router configuration for local speed frequently entails changing the aqueduct width. The wider the width, the more older devices on older protocols will suffer from interference.

You tin fifty-fifty take it one step further by reading our article on channel bonding for Wi-Fi routers.

5. Keep Your Router Updated

Ane of the virtually disregarded ways to maximize router speed is to ensure your router is e'er running the latest software and firmware from the manufacturer.

Sure, the updates are normally security fixes, merely they're not going to suddenly brand your router blazing fast. Nevertheless, every incremental proceeds can help. If you've not updated in a while, you might come across more of a boost than you'd expect.

vi. Experiment With Router Location

It's not only about finding the best router settings for fast cyberspace. You also need to consider where you're placing your router in your dwelling.

Because the router competes with every other ii.4GHz and/or 5GHz device in your area, subtle movements often brand a world of divergence. Additionally, the building material of your firm might interfere with the wireless betoken. For example, solid concrete walls are notoriously hard for a Wi-Fi connection to pass through.

seven. Optimize Your Router'due south Channel Settings

Permit'southward take another await at how to make a router faster by optimizing the settings.

Accept you considered changing the router's channel? At that place are plenty of gratis tools that'll scan your local airwaves for the channels with the least interference. They will so advise which channel y'all should switch to.

You need to change the channel from inside the router's settings. In one case again, you'll find out how to practise this using your device'southward documentation or online assist page.

If y'all want to know more, cheque out our commodity on how to pick the best Wi-Fi channel for your router.

8. Switch the Router to a Dissimilar Band

A typical home is full of wireless devices. Luckily, with a dual- or tri-band router, you'll have the capability of separating them to maximize speeds.

In simple terms, you're opening some other lane for network traffic. While a one-lane road volition become yous in that location, two (or three) lanes are ameliorate for everyone involved.

If y'all have a dual-ring router, you could assign some to the additional (and typically less crowded) 5GHz ring instead of all your devices competing for infinite in the 2.4GHz band.

We've written most the best dual-band routers yous tin can buy if you'd similar to know more.

9. Modify Your Network Name and Password

A lot of otherwise tech-savvy people still use the default username and countersign on their router. Even intermediate hackers are capable of hacking relatively secure networks with non-default passwords.

Using a strong Wi-Fi password is as important. While you might do a peachy job of splitting your devices up into separate bands, updating your firmware, and switching channels during loftier traffic periods, information technology's all an do in futility if your neighbors are piggybacking your Wi-Fi and using information technology to torrent movies all day.

10. Install New Firmware

tomato router firmware

Many routers go on the settings relatively dummy-proof so that you don't screw annihilation upwardly. While this is peachy for nigh users, sometimes you just want to dive in and hack the settings until you're running a router that far exceeds its price tag.

At that place are several open-source firmware options for some of the near popular routers. While not every router is supported, in that location is no shortage of bully options. They tin can help you lot speed upwardly a Netgear router, discover the best settings for a TP-Link router, and make just about whatever brand of router run faster.

DD-WRT, OpenWRT, and Tomato plant brand some of the virtually popular 3rd-political party firmware.

Keep in mind that installing new firmware is not an option if you stick with your Internet access provider's hardware. That's one of the reasons information technology's a skillful idea to supplant your ISP's router with a store-bought one.

Optimize Your Router Settings for Speed

Hopefully, this article has shown you how to maximize your router's speed and identify the best configuration for faster net.

Some of the steps might audio a little complicated, merely if yous have the time to larn and understand the tweaks that are available to you, you will increment your router speed in minutes.

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Dan Price (1604 Articles Published)

Dan joined MakeUseOf in 2014 and has been Partnerships Director since July 2020. Reach out to him for inquires well-nigh sponsored content, affiliate agreements, promotions, and any other forms of partnership. Yous can likewise find him roaming the evidence floor at CES in Las Vegas every year, say hi if you lot're going. Prior to his writing career, he was a Fiscal Consultant.

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