Improve your Wi-Fi speeds

Is your Wi-Fi going slower than it should be? Here’s how you can help it go faster.
You can manage and monitor your Wi-Fi network and devices through the GFiber App or the Google Home app (for Google Wifi and Nest Wifi Pro users). You’ll find the answers to your technical questions there — from running a speed test, to restarting your router, to connecting devices to your network — and so much more.
 
Most Network Box customers are eligible to upgrade to a Nest Wifi Pro Router. To learn more, please visit the Router upgrade for Network Box customers article.

Your Wi-Fi speed depends on several factors, including the age of your computer or device, the distance between your router and devices, and the number of devices connected at once.

Here are some important steps you can take to help make sure you're getting the best Wi-Fi speeds possible:

An illustration showing a Nest Wifi Pro router and a smartphone, with arrows in between the two to show a close proximity.

Put your router in a central location.

Position your router near the center of your home for maximum coverage. We recommend keeping your router off the floor and out of closets and cabinets. Staying within the line of sight of your router will also help increase your Wi-Fi speed.

An illustration showing a brick wall separating a Nest Wifi Pro router from a smartphone

Make sure that walls or other solid objects aren't blocking your Wi-Fi signal.

Wi-Fi networks use a radio signal that can be blocked or weakened by hard materials, including cinder blocks and concrete — and even wood and drywall. 

Keep the top, sides, and front of your router clear of walls and obstacles. The Wi-Fi signal is emitted from all directions of the router, so make sure the box is out in the open (and not inside a cabinet or drawer).

An illustration of a 90s-era beige computer, with a green terminal cursor on the screen. The computer has a mouse and keyboard.

Check the age of your device.

In most cases, newer wireless devices (computers, phones or tablets) use standards that enable faster Wi-Fi speeds. You'll get the fastest speeds if you have the GFiber Multi-Gig Wi-Fi 6E Router and Wi-Fi 6E compatible devices.

An illustration showing the coverage of a GFiber Wi-Fi 6E mesh network in a house

Add a Mesh Extender for more coverage (but make sure it’s placed correctly).

The Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Extender can help extend your Wi-Fi signal throughout your entire home. If you’re connecting a Mesh Extender wirelessly, first check to make sure that it has an excellent connection.

To get the fastest speeds, your Mesh Extender should be halfway between your router and the furthest location where Wi-Fi coverage is needed. If it’s placed farther away, any devices connected to the Mesh Extender may experience slower Wi-Fi speeds (even though your device may be showing a strong Wi-Fi connection).

Keep in mind that you’ll always get the very best internet connection when you’re hardwired via Ethernet. You can check out this article about Maximum internet speeds on GFiber to learn more about Wi-Fi and wired connection speeds. If you've already run an internet speed test and are still experiencing slow Wi-Fi speeds, please reference our Wi-Fi troubleshooter to help resolve the problem.

 

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