When you’re streaming, game, or working from home, having a slow internet connection can be a big headache. Home computer is also expensive, so you don’t want to get stuck paying for velocity you’re never getting. I was using my company’s second-fastest speed tier, which was 1 gigabit, which was the fastest available at my location, but I still had online issues.
Considering more than half the US community has access to gig online, it’s important to make sure that your house online is working efficiently. In other situations, there might be another small issues that can be easily fixed in a few quick fixes, such as a broken network or a broken internet provider. As someone who writes about wifi everyday, I’ve realized the value of a good net connection and that troubleshooting your velocity doesn’t have to be complicated. What I learned is as follows.
‘ Enough is enough’
Don’t ignore the red flags because they are there for a reason: the slow downloads, interrupted Zoom calls, and lag. I haven’t often had paid attention to these symptoms, since I had never had a problem with my online earlier. Since I started working from home in 2024, having a strong net connection has become a necessity.
My family and I even noticed that streaming our favourite shows, like the newest season of Squid Game, had become a pain according to our changing frequencies. I eventually decided that I should do it, and I called Verizon Fios, my internet service provider, to say that’s enough. The Fios adviser was shocked that I was experiencing digital issues since I was on the bank’s second-fastest level, the gig program.
The Verizon Fios realtor said over the telephone,” You shouldn’t even be experiencing fluctuating frequencies with your plan.” I was stumped.
I didn’t want to make quick decisions about switching out of my existing company or purchasing a new router. But I turned to CNET’s tips for help.
What is broadband online, exactly?
Your net speed is measured in megabits per second. In other words, how much data can be processed over a community in a subsequent determines your rate. Gigabit computer refers to 1, 000 kbps. Your relationship performs better the more data that your network processes.
Here are some of the major ISPs that offer broadband service:
Leading internet service providers that offer gigabit speeds
Show more ( 5 items )
As of June 2024, information from the Federal Communications Commission display that over half of the US population has access to gig speeds. Service typically costs anywhere between$ 50 and$ 90 per month. You can find broadband services from online companies like as Frontier Fiber, Google Fiber, Optimum,, AT&, T and more. Although giant ideas from cable companies like Spectrum and Astound Broadband are more commonly available nationwide than those from other ISPs, they may be more expensive in the future. You may end up paying twice your initial amount after a time, since most wire providers are famous for hiking up their prices after a season.
Most fiber Companies, including AT&, T, and Google Fiber, can provide symmetrical download and upload frequencies of 1, 000Mbps, while a cable connection may simply top out at 35 to 50Mbps, depending on the connection type available at your target. To learn more about where you can sign up for gig company, read our review on gig computer and the best fibers internet companies for July 2025.
4 proven strategies to improve your online presence
At the start of this voyage, I felt like a child riding their first bike. Because I didn’t know where to start, it felt daunting. Surprisingly, one of our webpages details how to improve your Wi-Fi link in four easy steps. How it turned out, here.
1. Get a rate check
Conduct an online speed check before anything else. I chose Ookla’s speed check because this is the style I am most comfortable with. When you create an account, CNET suggests Ookla for its uniformity and for showing you your acceleration test history. ( Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis. )
It was quite simple to do this. I conducted a few speed testing online. I took a exam close to my office, so the picture above is one. Speeds of 248 to 275Mbps aren’t bad, being on a gigabit plan supported by a fiber connection makes them surprising ( and disappointing ). I went one step further and visited a house where we had the most problems using the internet.
I avoid working in the cellar most times because the computer is contradictory. Our download and upload speeds dropped to 76Mbps after I ran a rate test. This place is the farthest from my network, so it only makes sense that the message is weaker. The minimum threshold for broadband speeds is 100 Mbps get and 20 Mbps send, according to the FCC. My velocity were missing that level.
Ookla is not the only frequency test you can take, though. Only recently, CNET broadband professional Cierra Noffke tested out the Orb net speed check. It doesn’t just evaluate your download and upload velocity, according to Noffke. Orb, which was developed by the same authors of Ookla, measures the overall healthiness of your home system using various indicators and constant speed tests. On the other hand, Fast.com is a good option if your family mostly uses streaming services because it evaluates your internet’s capacity to stream Netflix. M-Lab is also at the top of my list, as it has an easy-to-use program. You can always turn to resources from your provider to keep things simple. My provider ( and many other ISPs ) also offers its own Verizon Fios speed test.
2. Move your router or your workspace
You must experiment a little with the location or workspace of your router before proceeding to this step. It wasn’t easy to uproot my entire workspace, so I moved my router closer to my existing workspace area instead. Because the router was already set up across the room from my office, it wasn’t a significant change. You should ideally move your router to a central location. Particularly if the new location of your router is far from the modem, using an Ethernet cable might be helpful.
In any case, moving your router too far from the modem might prove troublesome. If possible, you could try to raise your router and mount it to the wall instead. That way, you don’t need to jump through all these hoops to install an Ethernet cable.
3. Add a Wi-Fi extender
If switching out your router is not possible, you can ask your internet service provider for more equipment. After contacting my ISP, I discovered that a Fios Wi-Fi extender came with my plan at no extra cost to my monthly service bill. The extender, which came with a small guide, appeared to be fairly straightforward at first glance.
Obtaining equipment from your ISP is not the only option — many Wi-Fi extenders currently on the market support Wi-Fi 6. Due to its affordable price and simple controls, CNET previously named the TP-Link RE605X as the best Wi-Fi extender. Note: TP-Link routers could be banned sometime this year due to a recent government investigation. The Linksys RE7310, which is currently priced at$ 90, was compared to the TP-Link RE605X in terms of performance when we tested them. Check out our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi Extenders.
Connect your router and extender.
The extender came with a coax cable, a coax splitter and a small set-up guide that outlined four steps: confirm the internet connection, plug it in, pair it and finally move the extender to a designated spot in your home. Seems straightforward enough, right? I went through the first three steps without running into any issues. I used the coax cable to connect my extender to my router.
Placing your extender
With the final step, things turned a turn. After pairing, I unplugged my extender and moved it to the basement, where the signal was weaker. The extender’s light wasn’t the solid white it should have been. Instead, it was a yellow color, meaning the extender was disconnected from the router. As I went back through the setup guide and covered my bases once more, it took some time to resolve this issue.
During this process, I also discovered Verizon Fios ‘ complete Wi-Fi extender set-up guide online. Some ISPs provide customers with the option of self-installation.
Here are some of the top internet providers nationwide that have how-to pages and guides dedicated to installing devices that boost your internet:
An Ethernet cable was mentioned in the complete setup manual, but I was unable to get one. I was wondering if that would have prevented my extender from connecting to the router. I contacted Verizon Fios to make sure I was not missing any parts. Verizon Fios confirmed in our conversation that an Ethernet cable is necessary but not recommended. The coax cable works just as well.
Ethernet offers a wired connection through cables that can be directly plugged into the router, and it should deliver faster speeds than Wi-Fi. CNET’s own Hallie Seltzer tested this at her home.
I made the decision to reorient my approach and close my workspace by putting the extender a little closer to the router. After a few minutes, I saw a solid white color– the sign of success.
4. Prioritize your traffic
My internet speeds increased after I installed the extender, making this step optional for me. If you cannot obtain a Wi-Fi extender, you can try managing how much bandwidth your household consumes through your router settings. For instance, Verizon Fios provides customers with the option to set up parental controls that prevent access to particular websites. Other routers can even schedule access to the network for certain devices. Depending on your internet provider and your equipment, this procedure will look different.
How much speed do you need for your home?
High-speed internet may be appealing, but you might not even need it. According to OpenVault’s first quarter 2024 report, over a third of Americans use the internet at gigabit speeds, a 20 % increase from 2023. Additionally, according to its report for the fourth quarter of 2024, the typical American household uses 569 Mbps in downstream speeds and 32 Mbps in upstream. In other words, if you can access gigabit speeds, it should be plenty fast for your household. Finding the right speed will also depend on the activities in your household. Check out our speed recommendations below.
Our recommendations for speed
- 1Mbps: Sending emails ,
- 5 to 10 Mbps: Web browsing  ,
- 10Mbps: Using social media
- 10 to 20 Mbps ( or 35 Mbps in 4K): HD streaming:
- 25 to 35Mbps: Online gaming
Read our detailed internet speed guide for more details.
Why you might not be seeing the speeds you’re paying for
There is no guarantee that you will experience the exact speeds that your provider has set out, even if you are on their fastest plan. What’s advertised by your ISP may not be the actual speeds you get. Your internet speed may be affected by a number of factors. According to AT&, T’s website, certain materials, dense walls and even furniture can obstruct your Wi-Fi signal. Older equipment, bad router settings, bad weather, and extreme cases like hacking or malware are among the other contributing factors that are frequently blamed for a weaker signal. In addition, finding the right Wi-Fi band for your router or investing in a network switch can also help optimize your internet connection at home. Read our guides on how to weatherproof your internet and protect your connection from hackers to make the most of it.
My main takeaways
After I had my extender installed, I ran a second speed test in my basement and found that my internet connection was up 598 Mbps in download and 187 Mbps in upload.
What I discovered about optimizing my speeds at home
- The placement of a router and Wi-Fi extender is crucial. The location of your router and extender is directly proportional to optimizing your speeds. Give it a few more tries and place your extender in various areas of your home. Ensure you don’t place the extender too far or close to the router.
- After each step, run a series of speed tests to see if your internet connection has changed.
- Seek out self-installation guides. Numerous ISPs, including AT&, T, Cox, Spectrum, and Xfinity, provide detailed self-installation instructions online for devices that boost your signal. Don’t hesitate to seek them out.
- Consider purchasing a Wi-Fi extension. While your ISP might recommend using its equipment, many Wi-Fi extenders support Wi-Fi 6 and should do the trick. Check out our top picks for the best Wi-Fi extenders.
- A coax cable works just as well as an ethernet cable. Your ISP might suggest using an Ethernet cable to connect your extender to the router, but a coaxial cable also works.
- When in doubt, contact your ISP for support and discuss your options. You can also try negotiating with your ISP, which might be the best option if you want to upgrade your plan.
What’s the big picture?
Since completing this experiment, I’ve seen a drastic change in my internet connection. My family and I can easily stream our shows, and my Zoom calls are going more smoothly than ever. I outlined four steps on this page, but you might need to do a few extra steps to ensure you cover all your bases. It doesn’t need to be difficult to fix your internet. This is my first time experimenting with this, and I’ve discovered a new comfort level with my internet connection and how it works.
It’s worth noting that many factors– such as certain materials, dense walls and even furniture– can affect your internet connection. To make your connection more effective, you can use an extender or mesh system. You may also try experimenting with different Wi-Fi bands or investing in a good-quality network switch. If all else fails, you can contact your provider to talk about your options.
Different household activities call for different internet speeds. For example, CNET recommends speeds of 25 to 35Mbps for online gaming and at least 35Mbps if you want to stream in 4K. Check out our internet speed guide for more details to learn more.
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