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Is your wireless web connection speed holding you back?
Believe it or not, upgrading to a super-fast internet plan might not be worth it.
While many think of Wi-Fi and internet as the same thing, theres a clear difference.
Your router takes this connection and shares it among your devices.
It does this wirelessly usingWi-Fi, or over wires known asEthernet cables.
you’re free to test this theory by running both wired and wireless tests and comparing the results.
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
It helps if you know whatinternet speed youshouldbe getting from your service provider, but its not strictly necessary.
First, run a wired test.
Now launch your web surfing app and navigate to a speed testing website likeSpeedtest by Ookla.
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
initiate the test and make a note of the result.
Youll likely get the best results late at night when few people are online.
Disconnect your Ethernet cable and enable Wi-Fi.
Once youre connected to your wireless data pipe, its time to initiate the same internet speed test again.
Now take a look at your results.
Do you notice a huge difference between the two?
We ran the test on an old router after upgrading to a faster connection.
Its Time for a New Router
Do you see a large difference between your wired and wireless performance?
The first solution to consider is a router upgrade.
Jason Montoya / How-To Geek
If coverage is your main concern, investing inone of the best mesh routersmight be worthwhile.
The more you pay, the faster your wireless experience will be.
you’re able to always buy anaftermarket Wi-Fi adapterto enable faster connection speeds.
Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek
The downside is that you have to lay cable to make this possible.
If you go this route, confirm you understandthe ins and outs of picking an Ethernet cable.
For short runs to a nearby router, we recommend cheap Ethernet cables.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Just likeHDMIcables, dont spend money on pricey cables whencheap ones will do the job.
Lastly, keep in mind that internet speed isnt the be-all and end-all.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
