A good router can make a massive difference to your internet connection speed. But if your router performance has slowed down, how can you keep up in a world of online meetings and streaming platforms? Keep reading if you want to know how to optimize router settings for speed or establish the best router configuration for faster internet.

1. Automate a Reboot Schedule

Most newer routers don't need to be rebooted regularly. But as most people know, if you've ever run into a dead internet connection, rebooting your router is often all it takes to get you back up and running.

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

2. Make Your Router Faster With a New Antenna

wifi router on yellow surface

A simple way to increase the router speed is to buy a new antenna.

The antenna on most consumer-grade routers is awful. An amplified aftermarket antenna is a great fix and a simple way to improve signal quality (and thus improve speed) without needing a new device. Powered and amplified aftermarket options start at around $15 and go up into the low hundreds.

Plug-in range extenders are a bit more expensive, but they act as a powered antenna and wireless repeater in one. They can significantly improve homes with dead zones or signal degradation, but your mileage may vary.

However, check local wireless broadcast laws before picking up a beefy antenna. In some jurisdictions, amplifying your Wi-Fi signal is illegal (or could be unlawful over a certain threshold).

3. Disable Older Wireless Protocols

How do you optimize router settings for speed? One of the first things you can consider is turning off old wireless protocols.

New routers will use the latest 802.11ax Wi-Fi protocol to deliver the fastest Wi-Fi speeds. Its capabilities exceed the offerings of most ISPs. Yet while your router may be fast, if you have certain devices connected, your whole network will slow down. The much older 802.11b Wi-Fi protocol slows down your whole network. Ideally, you should remove or upgrade any devices using older Wi-Fi protocols like b or g.

The fastest Wi-Fi protocols, in order of fastest to slowest, are ax > ac > n > g > b. Consult your router documentation to find out how to do this.

4. Change the Channel Width

What about the best router settings to improve speed on your local network? For example, how can you make a video stream between your devices more quickly?

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

You can even take it one step further by checking out how channel bonding for Wi-Fi routers works.

5. Update Your Router

One of the most overlooked ways for increasing the Wi-Fi speed is to ensure your router is always running the latest software and firmware from the manufacturer.

Sure, the updates are normally security fixes, but they won't make your router blazing fast in an instant. However, every incremental gain can help. If you've not updated in a while, you might see more of a boost than you'd expect.

6. Change Your Router's Location

It's not only about finding the best router settings for fast internet. You also need to consider where your router is placed in your home.

Because the router competes with every other 2.4GHz and 5GHz device in your area, subtle movements often make a world of difference. Additionally, the building material of your house might interfere with the wireless signal. For example, solid concrete walls are notoriously hard for a Wi-Fi connection to pass through.

7. Optimize Your Router's Channel Settings

There are a few router settings for faster internet that are worth a try.

Have you considered changing the router's channel? Plenty of free tools will scan your local airwaves for the channels with the least interference. They will then suggest which channel you should switch to.

You need to change the channel from within the router's settings. Once again, you'll find out how to do this using your device's documentation or online help page.

If you want to know more, check out our guide on how Wi-Fi router channels work.

8. Switch the Router to a Different Band

A typical home is full of wireless devices. Luckily, with a dual- or tri-band router, you'll be able to separate them to maximize speeds.

In simple terms, you're opening another lane for network traffic. While a one-lane road will get you there, two (or three) lanes are better for everyone involved.

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

9. Change Your Network Name and Password

Many otherwise tech-savvy people still use the default router username and password. Even intermediate hackers are capable of hacking relatively secure networks with non-default passwords. However, there are a few ways to stop them from stealing your Wi-Fi password.

Using a strong Wi-Fi password is equally essential. While you might do a great job of splitting your devices up into separate bands, updating your firmware, and switching channels during high-traffic periods, it's all an exercise in futility if your neighbors are piggybacking your Wi-Fi and using it to torrent movies all day.

10. Remove Unnecessary Connections

Stopping your neighbors from accessing your network is not enough. You might have some old and unnecessary devices that are still connected to the Wi-Fi network and hogging the bandwidth.

An easy way to improve your Wi-Fi speed is to check the list of devices connected to your Wi-Fi network and remove those you no longer need.

11. Install New Firmware

Mercusys S3 Halo Firmware Upgrade page

Many routers keep the settings relatively dummy-proof to keep us from screwing anything up. While this is great for most users, sometimes you just want to dive in and hack the settings until you're running a router that far exceeds its price tag.

There are several open-source firmware options for some of the most popular routers. While not every router is supported, there is no shortage of great alternatives. They can help you speed up a Netgear router, find the best settings for a TP-Link router, and make just about any brand of router run faster.

DD-WRT, OpenWRT, and Tomato make some of the most popular third-party firmware.

Remember that installing new firmware is not an option if you stick with your ISP's hardware. That's one of the reasons it's a good idea to replace your ISP's router with a store-bought one.

12. Upgrade Your Hardware

If you went through the above instructions and you're still dealing with a slow Wi-Fi connection, it might be time to upgrade your router. A new router may provide better Wi-Fi speed and improved coverage and ensure compatibility with the latest gadgets. For example, if you live in a big house, a new router will allow you to use Wi-Fi repeaters to extend its range.

If you plan on changing your router, check our list of the best Wi-Fi routers for long-range and reliability.

Optimize Your Router Settings for Faster Internet

Hopefully, this article has shown you how to maximize your router's speed and identify the best configuration for faster internet. Some steps might sound a little complicated, but if you take the time to learn and understand the tweaks available, you will increase your router speed in minutes.

Besides improving your Wi-Fi router speed, you should take time to improve your router security.