Why Wi-Fi Speed Is Lower Than Your Advertised Plan

🔧Step-by-Step Fixes

Understanding the Speed Gap

Here's the uncomfortable truth: your ISP advertises the speed that comes into your modem. Wi-Fi adds multiple layers of overhead that reduce the actual speeds you experience.

Reason 1: Wi-Fi Overhead (20-50% Speed Loss)

Wi-Fi isn't just about sending data - it has to:

• Encrypt and decrypt everything for security (WPA2 or WPA3)
• Send acknowledgment packets back and forth to confirm data arrived
• Deal with interference from other Wi-Fi networks and devices
• Handle retransmissions when packets get lost

All of this creates overhead. Even in perfect conditions, you'll typically get 60-70% of your router's theoretical max speed. So a router rated for 1200 Mbps might deliver 700-800 Mbps in the real world.

Reason 2: Your Router's Wi-Fi Generation

Not all routers can deliver modern internet speeds over Wi-Fi:

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n): Maxes out around 150-300 Mbps in real use
• Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): Can deliver 400-800 Mbps depending on the model
• Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): Can handle 900+ Mbps and works better with many devices
• Wi-Fi 6E: Even faster, especially in crowded areas

If you have 500+ Mbps internet but a Wi-Fi 4 router from 2015, you'll never see those speeds over Wi-Fi. The router is the bottleneck.

Reason 3: Distance and Obstacles

Wi-Fi speed drops fast as you move away from the router:

• Same room as router: 80-90% of max Wi-Fi speed
• One room away: 50-70% of max Wi-Fi speed
• Two rooms or different floor: 30-50% of max Wi-Fi speed
• Opposite end of house: 10-30% of max Wi-Fi speed (if it works at all)

Walls, floors, and especially metal or concrete block Wi-Fi signals significantly.

What Speeds Should You Actually Expect?

Here's a realistic expectation guide for Wi-Fi speeds:

• Gigabit internet (1000 Mbps): Expect 400-700 Mbps on Wi-Fi depending on router and location
• 500 Mbps internet: Expect 200-400 Mbps on Wi-Fi
• 200-300 Mbps internet: Expect 100-250 Mbps on Wi-Fi
• 100 Mbps internet: Expect 50-90 Mbps on Wi-Fi

If you're getting speeds in these ranges, your setup is working normally.

How to Get Better Wi-Fi Speeds

1. Upgrade your router if it's more than 4-5 years old. Wi-Fi 6 routers make a huge difference.
2. Position your router centrally in your home, elevated (on a shelf, not the floor), away from walls and metal objects.
3. Use 5 GHz instead of 2.4 GHz when you're close to the router. Check your device's Wi-Fi settings.
4. Add a mesh system or access points if you have a large home. This is way better than repeaters.
5. Use wired connections for stationary devices like gaming consoles, smart TVs, and desktop computers.

When It's Actually a Problem

You should investigate further if:

• Wired speeds are also much lower than your plan (test directly from modem)
• You're getting less than 30% of expected Wi-Fi speeds right next to the router
• Speeds suddenly dropped compared to what they used to be
• Your router is modern (Wi-Fi 5 or 6) but still getting terrible speeds