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How to Fix Speed Test Good on Wired but Bad on Wi-Fi
Router & WiFiIntermediate20-35 minutes

How to Fix Speed Test Good on Wired but Bad on Wi-Fi

Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
20-35 minutes
Category
Router & WiFi

Your Ethernet connection is fast, but Wi-Fi is slow - here's how to diagnose and fix your wireless performance issues.

💡What's Happening

When you connect a computer directly to your router with an Ethernet cable, you get the full speed of your internet plan. But switch to Wi-Fi and suddenly you're getting a fraction of that speed. This tells you something important: your internet service is fine, but your Wi-Fi setup needs work. This is actually good news because it means the problem is something you can fix without calling your ISP.

✓Quick Checks (Do These First)

  • Test Wi-Fi speed right next to the router. If it's still slow, the problem is router settings or hardware, not distance.
  • Check which Wi-Fi band you're using. Are you on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz? (Check in your device's Wi-Fi settings)
  • Look at your router's age and specs. If it's more than 5 years old, it may not support modern Wi-Fi speeds.
  • Count connected devices. Too many devices can slow down Wi-Fi even if wired is fine.
  • Restart your router. Unplug it for 30 seconds, reconnect, wait 2 minutes, then test again.

🔧Step-by-Step Fixes

Fix 1: Switch to the 5 GHz Wi-Fi Band

The 2.4 GHz band is slower and more congested. If your router supports 5 GHz, use it for devices that need speed.

  1. On your device, open Wi-Fi settings
  2. Look for your network name with "-5G", "5GHz", or "_5G" at the end
  3. Connect to that network
  4. Run a speed test immediately - you should see significant improvement
  5. Note: 5 GHz has shorter range, so this works best near the router

If you don't see a separate 5 GHz network, you may need to enable it in router settings (see Fix 3).

Fix 2: Update Your Wi-Fi Adapter Drivers (Windows)

Outdated Wi-Fi drivers can severely limit your wireless speeds, even if your router is fine.

  1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager
  2. Expand Network adapters
  3. Find your Wi-Fi adapter (usually has "Wireless", "Wi-Fi", or "802.11" in the name)
  4. Right-click it and select Update driver
  5. Choose Search automatically for updated driver software
  6. If Windows finds an update, install it and restart your computer
  7. For better results, visit your computer manufacturer's website and download the latest Wi-Fi driver directly

Fix 3: Change Wi-Fi Channel to Reduce Interference

Neighboring routers on the same channel cause interference, slowing your Wi-Fi even though wired connections are unaffected.

  1. Download a Wi-Fi analyzer app (WiFi Analyzer for Android, WiFi Explorer Lite for Mac)
  2. Run the app to see which channels are congested in your area
  3. Access your router admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)
  4. Log in with your router credentials
  5. Find Wireless Settings > Channel
  6. For 2.4 GHz: Choose channel 1, 6, or 11 (whichever is least crowded)
  7. For 5 GHz: Try channels 36, 40, 44, or 48
  8. Save settings, wait for router to restart, then test speeds

Fix 4: Adjust Router Channel Width

Channel width affects both speed and compatibility. The wrong setting can cap your speeds.

  1. Access your router admin page
  2. Go to Wireless Settings > Advanced
  3. Find Channel Width or Bandwidth
  4. For 5 GHz: Set to 80 MHz or 160 MHz for maximum speed (if supported)
  5. For 2.4 GHz: Set to 20 MHz if you have many neighbors, or 40 MHz if you live in a rural area
  6. Save and test your Wi-Fi speeds

Note: Wider channels = faster speeds but more interference. Experiment to find the sweet spot.

Fix 5: Enable Wi-Fi 6 or AC Mode

If your router supports modern Wi-Fi standards but is set to legacy mode, it will be artificially slow.

  1. Access your router admin page
  2. Go to Wireless Settings
  3. Find Wireless Mode or Network Mode
  4. If you see options like "Mixed", "Legacy", "AC only", or "AX only":
  5. For 5 GHz: Choose "AC/AX Mixed" or "AX only" (if all your devices support it)
  6. For 2.4 GHz: Choose "N/AX Mixed" or the fastest mode your devices support
  7. Save settings and test speeds

Warning: Setting to "AC only" or "AX only" will prevent older devices from connecting.

Fix 6: Check for Router Hardware Limitations

Your router might simply be too old or underpowered to deliver your internet plan's full speed over Wi-Fi.

  1. Look up your router model number online
  2. Check its maximum Wi-Fi speed specifications
  3. Compare to your internet plan's speed
  4. If your internet plan is 300 Mbps but your router only supports 150 Mbps Wi-Fi, that's your bottleneck
  5. Consider upgrading to a router that supports Wi-Fi 5 (AC) for 500+ Mbps, or Wi-Fi 6 (AX) for 1+ Gbps

⚠️If Nothing Worked

If you've tried all these fixes and Wi-Fi is still significantly slower than wired, check for physical obstructions between your router and device, ensure your device's Wi-Fi adapter supports modern standards (some laptops have outdated Wi-Fi cards), or test with a different device to rule out device-specific issues. You can also try a factory reset of your router as a last resort.

📞When to Call a Pro

If the technical steps above feel overwhelming, or if you've tried everything and can't identify the bottleneck, a tech can quickly diagnose whether the problem is your router, your devices, or your network configuration. They can also recommend the right router upgrade for your specific needs and internet plan.

Need Professional Help?

If you're in the Tampa Bay area, Geeks in Sneaks provides friendly, on-site tech support in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, and Dunedin. We can diagnose Wi-Fi performance issues and optimize your network for maximum speed.

Schedule a Visit

Related Topics

wifi slowethernet fastwireless performancewifi driverrouter settings

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