I Gave My Internet a Stress Test: Here's What Broke
The speeds your internet service provider sends to your home are rarely those you'll experience inside the house. Using Wi-Fi, connecting numerous devices to your network and performing bandwidth-heavy tasks, such as streaming and online gaming, will slow your speeds and you'll likely notice a difference between your ISP's advertised and actual speeds.
If there's your internet connection is straining, there may not be enough bandwidth to go around for everyone. Maybe you've noticed intermittent drops in video quality on the TV while browsing TikTok videos on your phone. Or your online game lags when someone in the other room jumps on a video call.
I've noticed the same, so I ran a few informal tests to see how my home internet would hold up to everyday activities. Streaming slowed my network as expected, but downloading a large file took a significant bite out of my connection, more than I thought it would. Here's what I found out .
As I suspected, streaming brought my speeds down, but downloading a video game cut into my connection the most.
Screenshot by David Anders/CNET
I put my internet connection to the test
When I disconnected all devices (around 30) from my network (except the one I used to run a speed test), Wi-Fi download speeds averaged around 590Mbps over three consecutive tests. For context, I have a fiber-to-the-home service with speeds up to 1Gbps.
Once I reconnected everything, average speeds dipped by around 8% to 545Mbps. Nothing was actively streaming, but a few Wi-Fi cameras, a smart doorbell and a smart speaker or two were standing by for action.
Locating local internet providers
Next, I kept all devices online while Netflix ran on one TV and YouTube on another, each at 4K resolution. My speeds averaged 509Mbps, roughly a 15% drop.
Unimpressed, I set up various kinds of streaming (4K videos, music on a computer and smart speaker, live camera feed on a tablet) on 10 devices at once. The drop was more extreme this time, down to 468Mbps, cutting my Wi-Fi speed by nearly a quarter.
I then stopped the streams and tested speeds while gaming online and downloading a video game. The gameplay itself had little effect on my speeds, but downloading a game approximately 18.5GB in size battered my connection, dropping my Wi-Fi speed by roughly 42% to 339Mbps -- the most of any activity I tested.
My home experiment wasn't in a controlled environment and there are a number of factors that could have affected the results. Still, there was no doubt my Wi-Fi speeds took a hit with each increase in device activity.
What's hogging my bandwidth?
Idle activity, even across 30 devices, had little impact on my Wi-Fi speeds, less than a 10% dropoff. On the other hand, streaming -- which is a form of downloading, even though you aren't saving a file -- begged for a bit more bandwidth. The higher the resolution, the more the stream will tax your internet connection.
Streaming applies to more than what you're watching on TV. Swiping from video to video on social media is also demanding of your network, especially considering that many content creators are using 1440p resolution. In my home, an Instagram and Snapchat-frequenting iPhone is the second most data-consuming device.
Straight downloading, particularly if it's a large file like a movie or video game, can also knock your network down a notch until the download is complete. It certainly did mine.
How can you improve your connections?
Bandwidth hogs will likely slow your Wi-Fi speeds similar to how they slowed mine. There are a few ways you can prevent your devices from sucking so much speed out of your connection. Most of them involve your router and its settings.
Your router is the Wi-Fi headquarters
When bracing your internet connection for bandwidth-hogging activities like streaming and downloading, start with the source of your Wi-Fi, the router. Depending on the type of router you have, there may be ways to improve connectivity to individual devices and your overall Wi-Fi performance. Some of these include:
Activating QoS settings
Changing the band and channel
Keeping your network secure
Upgrading your equipment
Newer routers may offer a QoS, or quality of service, setting that prioritizes bandwidth to certain devices when needed. Some, like the routers designed for gaming, allow you to select the individual devices, such as a computer or console, to receive bandwidth priority.
Additionally, most routers are dual-band, meaning they have separate frequencies used for Wi-Fi, 2.4GHz and 5 GHz, which will help reduce signal interference. You'll get a bit more range from 2.4GHz, but more speed from 5GHz.
Make sure your low-demand devices, such as Wi-Fi cameras, video doorbells, smart light bulbs, etc. are riding on that 2.4GHz band, preferably on channels 1, 6 or 11. Save the 5GHz for more demanding devices and activities.
If you have a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router and compatible devices, you can take advantage of the ultra-wide 6GHz band for more throughput, lower latency and a more reliable connection overall.
Asus/CNET
The best routers will perform QoS and band designation automatically, but you may need to coordinate the Wi-Fi traffic manually. Most will allow you to adjust the settings via an app, but you can also access your router's settings by entering the router's IP address in your web browser.
While you're in your router's settings, take some time to ensure your network is secure. It's possible that someone else's devices are leeching off your network and slowing your speeds.
If you still aren't getting the speeds you need or expect, it may be time to upgrade your router. For those renting equipment from their provider, a quick call to customer service may be all it takes to get a newer, more capable router. Otherwise, consider purchasing a new router or adding Wi-Fi extenders to your network to improve whole-home coverage.
Other ways to improve your Wi-Fi speeds
If your router is optimized for peak performance but your speeds still fall short of your devices' demand, you may be able to boost your Wi-Fi speeds by:
Using an Ethernet connection
Moving closer to your router
Limiting connected devices
Upgrading your internet service
We've seen firsthand the impact that using Ethernet versus Wi-Fi can have on speeds and connection quality. Using a wired Ethernet connection will improve performance on the plugged-in device and free up some space on your Wi-Fi network, allowing for more bandwidth to other devices.
If you can't plug in, try moving closer to the router, if possible. Routers have a limited range, so you'll want to place it strategically and stay well within the range for the best results. Wi-Fi extenders or a mesh Wi-Fi system can boost your router's range.
Every connected device in your router's range will tug at the Wi-Fi, so you may also want to consider limiting the number of connected devices. I'm not suggesting that you disconnect your tablet for the sake of your streaming stick, but your robot vacuum and smart pet camera probably don't need to stay online 24/7.
Pausing the Wi-Fi connection on individual devices or scheduling time offline can help free up bandwidth for other devices.
David Anders
You should be able to toggle devices on and off your Wi-Fi network from your router's app. Most will also allow you to create a schedule for individual devices. You could schedule your pet cam to stay connected while you're away and automatically turn off when you're set to return, for example.
On a similar note, many devices perform automatic updates, which could randomly strain your network. Turning off automatic updates will help prevent this issue, but if you do this, consistently check for updates and perform them manually; they often contain necessary security patches.
Finally, switching your internet plan or provider will help ensure there's enough speed for all your devices. If available, consider upgrading not only to a faster plan but also to a more capable connection type. Cable is often faster than fixed wireless, and fiber is typically faster and more reliable than cable.
My final thoughts
Given the many ways you can improve your Wi-Fi connection, there's no need to settle for poor performance that can't keep up with all your devices. If one attempt doesn't solve the issue, try another until you're satisfied with the connection quality, capability and range.
For more tips on how to improve your home internet connection, be sure to check out the CNET Home Internet page.
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