8 Ways How to Improve Internet Speed in 2026 Guide

Slow internet is more than just an inconvenience; it’s a major roadblock to productivity, entertainment, and staying connected. The first and most direct way to improve your internet speed is often the simplest: reboot your modem and router. This clears out temporary glitches and can provide an immediate performance boost. However, if slow speeds persist, from endless buffering during your favourite show to dropped video calls in the middle of an important meeting, a sluggish connection can be incredibly frustrating. The good news is you don’t have to settle for subpar speeds. This guide provides a comprehensive roundup of eight powerful, actionable strategies to diagnose and fix the root causes of slow internet.

This article delivers practical, step-by-step advice on how to improve internet speed so you can stop troubleshooting and start enjoying a faster connection. Whether you’re a a professional working from home, or a small business needing reliable performance, these steps will help you unlock the full potential of your internet connection. We will cover the specific, practical steps you can take today to get the speed you pay for and ensure your network runs smoothly and efficiently. If you find these tasks daunting, Tbourke Solutions offers expert Local IT support in Melbourne, providing professional analysis and optimisation to guarantee your network operates at peak performance.

1. Optimise Your Router Placement and Settings

Before you consider upgrading your plan or buying new equipment, the most effective and cost-free way to improve internet speed is to optimise your router’s physical location and its internal settings. A router tucked away in a cupboard or at the far end of the house is like a lighthouse in a valley; its signal simply can’t reach where it’s needed. Strategic placement ensures the Wi-Fi signal is distributed evenly across your space, while fine-tuning its settings can prioritise important online activities, dramatically improving performance without spending a cent.

This foundational step is crucial for maximising the effectiveness of your existing hardware and is often the main culprit behind slow connections. For instance, moving a router from the basement to a central spot on the main floor can increase speeds from 25 Mbps to over 75 Mbps for an upstairs office. Similarly, switching a smart TV from the crowded 2.4GHz band to the clearer 5GHz band can eliminate 4K streaming buffer entirely.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To get the most out of your current setup, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Elevate and Centralise: Place your router in a central, elevated location. Avoid placing it on the floor, inside cabinets, or behind large metal objects like refrigerators, which block signals.
• Avoid Interference: Keep the router away from other electronics, especially microwaves and cordless phones, which operate on the same 2.4GHz frequency and can cause signal interference.
• Analyse Your Airspace: Use a free Wi-Fi analyser app on your smartphone to see which wireless channels are most congested by your neighbours. Log in to your router’s settings and manually switch to a less crowded channel to stabilise performance.
• Update Firmware: Regularly check your router manufacturer’s website for firmware updates. These updates often include performance enhancements, security patches, and new features that improve internet speed and reliability.

If you’ve tried these adjustments and still face connectivity issues, it might point to a deeper issue with your office or home’s layout. For a professional evaluation of your workspace, you can explore more about our network infrastructure services. Tbourke Solutions can perform a comprehensive site survey to identify signal dead zones and design a robust network that guarantees seamless connectivity for your home or business.

2. Upgrade Your Internet Plan or Provider

While optimising your existing setup is a powerful first step, sometimes the issue isn’t your equipment but the service itself. If you’ve tried everything else, the most direct way to improve internet speed is to upgrade your plan or switch to a provider that offers better technology in your area. This approach addresses the fundamental bandwidth limitations that no amount of tweaking can overcome, providing a higher ceiling for your entire network’s performance.

This is the logical next step when your internet demands have outgrown your current plan. For example, a business upgrading from a 100 Mbps cable plan to a 1 Gbps fibre connection can virtually eliminate slowdowns during peak hours, even with multiple staff video conferencing.

Actionable Tips for a Better Plan

To ensure you get the best value and performance, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Assess Local Providers: Use online speed comparison tools to see what services, such as NBN fibre or 5G home internet, are available at your address. This will give you a clear picture of your options.
• Negotiate First: Before switching, contact your current provider. Let them know you’re considering leaving for a competitor’s offer; they may match it or provide a better deal to keep you as a customer.
• Analyse Long-Term Costs: Be wary of introductory offers with significant price hikes after the initial term. Calculate the total cost over 12 or 24 months to find the true value of a plan.
• Test Your New Speeds: Once your new service is active, run multiple speed tests at different times of the day. This ensures you are receiving the advertised performance you’re paying for.

If you’re unsure which provider or plan best suits your business needs, navigating the options can be complex. Tbourke Solutions offers expert IT consultancy to help you evaluate providers, analyse your bandwidth requirements, and select the most cost-effective plan. We ensure your internet service aligns perfectly with your operational demands for maximum productivity.

3. Use Ethernet Connections for Critical Devices

While Wi-Fi offers unparalleled convenience, a wired Ethernet connection is the undisputed champion for speed, stability, and reliability. This direct physical link between your device and router bypasses the signal interference, distance degradation, and channel congestion that plagues wireless networks. Prioritising a wired connection for your most critical, high-bandwidth devices is a guaranteed way to improve internet speed where it matters most, ensuring a flawless online experience.

This method delivers consistently lower latency and faster speeds, making it essential for activities where every millisecond counts. For example, a gaming PC connected via Ethernet can experience up to 60% lower ping times, giving a crucial competitive edge. Similarly, a home office setup with a wired connection maintains crystal-clear video quality during important calls, and a smart TV can stream 4K content without the frustration of buffering.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To leverage the power of a wired connection, follow these specific steps:

• Prioritise Key Devices: Identify stationary devices that consume the most bandwidth, such as gaming consoles, desktop computers, smart TVs, and network-attached storage (NAS) drives. Reserve Ethernet ports for these first.
• Choose the Right Cable: Use at least a Cat6 or Cat6a Ethernet cable. These cables support gigabit speeds and are better shielded against interference, future-proofing your setup for faster internet plans.
• Expand Your Ports: If your router doesn’t have enough Ethernet ports, an inexpensive network switch is the perfect solution. It acts like a power board for your internet, allowing you to connect multiple devices with a single cable running back to the router.
• Manage Your Cables: Use cable clips, sleeves, or raceways to keep your Ethernet installation tidy and prevent tripping hazards. A clean setup is easier to manage and troubleshoot.

If running cables through your home or office seems daunting, or if you need to set up a larger, more complex wired network, professional installation is the best path forward. For a robust and professionally organised cabled solution, you can explore more about our network infrastructure services. Tbourke Solutions can design and install a structured cabling system that provides reliable, high-speed connectivity to every critical device in your space.

4. Update Network Hardware and Firmware

Even the fastest internet plan can be crippled by outdated hardware. Your modem and router act as the digital gateways to your home or office, and if they can’t keep up with modern speeds and standards, they create a significant bottleneck. Upgrading to current-generation equipment and keeping its software (firmware) updated is a powerful way to improve internet speed, security, and reliability across all your devices.

This step is critical because technology evolves rapidly. For example, a household upgrading from a five-year-old Wi-Fi 4 router to a modern Wi-Fi 6 model can see real-world speed increases of over 300%, especially with multiple devices streaming and gaming simultaneously. Similarly, router manufacturers like Netgear and ASUS regularly release firmware updates that can improve stability by up to 40% and patch critical security vulnerabilities, making your network both faster and safer.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To ensure your hardware isn’t holding you back, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Check Your Hardware’s Age: Network technology improves every few years. If your router or modem is more than 3-4 years old, it’s likely time for an upgrade to support newer standards like Wi-Fi 6 or 6E.
• Match Hardware to Your Plan: Ensure your modem and router are rated for speeds that match or exceed your internet plan. A 100 Mbps-capable router will never deliver the full potential of a 500 Mbps NBN connection.
• Enable Automatic Firmware Updates: Log in to your router’s administrative settings and enable automatic firmware updates if the feature is available. This ensures you always have the latest performance enhancements and security patches without manual intervention.
• Consider a Mesh System: For larger homes or offices with persistent dead zones, a single powerful router may not be enough. A mesh Wi-Fi system uses multiple interconnected nodes to provide seamless, high-speed coverage throughout the entire space.

If you’re unsure which hardware is right for your needs or how to manage firmware, professional guidance can make all the difference. Tbourke Solutions provides expert IT managed services that include network hardware procurement, setup, and ongoing maintenance. We ensure your business is equipped with the right technology to maximise productivity and eliminate connectivity frustrations.

5. Manage Connected Devices and Bandwidth Usage

The modern home or office is crowded with dozens of internet-connected devices, from laptops and smartphones to smart TVs and security cameras, all competing for bandwidth. Actively managing which devices are connected and how they use your network can free up significant speed for priority activities. This approach treats your Wi-Fi network like a traffic system, where directing and controlling the flow of data prevents gridlock and ensures essential traffic moves quickly and efficiently.

This step is critical because every connected device consumes a piece of your available bandwidth, even when idle. For example, a business that scheduled all their cloud backups and software updates to run overnight reduced daytime network congestion by over 60%, dramatically improving the speed of their customer relationship management (CRM) software. Similarly, a household that used their router’s guest network for IoT devices saw their main network’s performance for gaming and streaming improve significantly.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To take control of your network traffic and improve internet speed, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Audit Your Devices: Regularly conduct a network audit using an app like Fing to see every device connected to your Wi-Fi. Disconnect any old or unused devices that are unnecessarily consuming bandwidth.
• Leverage QoS Settings: Log in to your router’s administrative settings and look for the Quality of Service (QoS) feature. Use it to prioritise traffic for specific applications or devices, such as your work laptop or a video conferencing app like Zoom.
• Schedule Heavy Data Usage: Configure large downloads, cloud backups, and system updates to run during off-peak hours, typically overnight. This prevents them from slowing down the network during critical work or leisure time.
• Create a Guest Network: Isolate non-essential or less secure devices, like smart home gadgets or visitors’ phones, on a separate guest network. This not only improves security but also reserves the main network’s bandwidth for your primary devices.

If managing numerous devices across a business network feels overwhelming, it may be time to seek professional help. For expert assistance in optimising your network for peak performance, explore our IT support for small business in Melbourne. Tbourke Solutions can help implement advanced network management strategies, ensuring your critical business operations always have the bandwidth they need.

6. Implement Mesh Network Systems

If you live or work in a larger space, a single router often struggles to provide consistent coverage, resulting in frustrating dead zones and weak signals in distant rooms. A mesh network system is the modern solution to this problem, creating a seamless, unified Wi-Fi network using multiple access points (or nodes) placed throughout your property. Unlike traditional extenders that create separate networks and halve bandwidth, a mesh system intelligently routes traffic to ensure every device has the strongest possible connection, effectively eliminating dead zones.

This technology is a game-changer for improving internet speed across multi-storey homes and sprawling office layouts. For instance, a 3,000 sq ft home using an Amazon Eero system can maintain over 200 Mbps in every room, while a Google Nest WiFi setup can handle 50+ smart home devices simultaneously without any noticeable slowdown. Mesh systems are designed for simplicity and powerful, consistent performance where a single router simply can’t reach.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To deploy a mesh network effectively and maximise your internet speed, follow these specific steps:

• Strategic Node Placement: Position your first node connected to your modem, then place subsequent nodes halfway between the main router and known dead zones. Avoid placing them in the dead zones themselves; they need a strong signal to extend.
• Start Small and Scale: Begin with a 2 or 3-node kit. This is usually sufficient for most homes. You can always add more nodes later if you still find areas with weak coverage.
• Match Your Plan: Ensure the mesh system you choose can handle the speeds of your internet plan. Buying a system rated for 500 Mbps when you have a gigabit plan will create a bottleneck.
• Utilise Ethernet Backhaul: For the absolute best performance, connect your mesh nodes to each other using Ethernet cables if your home is wired. This frees up the wireless bandwidth exclusively for your devices, dramatically improving speed and stability.

Implementing and managing a robust mesh network, especially in a business environment, can be complex. For a professionally designed and optimised network solution, Tbourke Solutions can help. Explore how our managed IT services can ensure your business gets flawless, high-speed connectivity across your entire premises, tailored to your specific operational needs.

7. Optimise DNS Settings and Use Content Delivery Networks

Changing your DNS (Domain Name System) settings is a powerful, yet often overlooked, method to improve internet speed. DNS acts as the internet’s phonebook, translating human-readable website names (like tbourke-solutions.com.au/ into machine-readable IP addresses. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns a default DNS server, but it’s often not the fastest or most reliable option. Switching to a high-performance public DNS server can significantly reduce the time it takes for websites to start loading, making your browsing feel much snappier.

This simple configuration change can deliver noticeable improvements. For instance, businesses switching to Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 DNS have reported up to a 25% reduction in page load times, a critical factor for productivity. Similarly, households using Google’s 8.8.8.8 have experienced more stable connections, especially when their ISP’s DNS servers were overloaded. This tweak optimises the very first step of your internet journey for every website you visit.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To leverage faster DNS for a better online experience, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Test and Select the Best DNS: Use a free tool like DNS Jumper or Namebench to test various public DNS services from your location. This helps you identify which provider, such as Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Google (8.8.8.8), or OpenDNS (208.67.222.222), offers the lowest latency for your specific connection.
• Configure at the Router Level: For the most significant impact, change the DNS settings directly in your router’s administration panel. This ensures every device connected to your network, from laptops to smart TVs, benefits from the speed increase without needing individual configuration.
• Prioritise Security and Privacy: Many third-party DNS providers offer enhanced security features. Services like Cloudflare and OpenDNS can block malicious websites, phishing attempts, and even adult content, adding a layer of protection for your entire network.
• Recognise CDN-Powered Services: Understand that Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) are used by major websites and streaming platforms to store content closer to you. When you choose services that use robust CDNs, you naturally experience faster load times, as the data has a shorter distance to travel.

If configuring network settings like DNS feels too technical or you want to ensure your business network is fully optimised for speed and security, Tbourke Solutions can help. We provide expert network infrastructure services to configure your systems for peak performance, ensuring every component, from DNS to hardware, is perfectly aligned with your needs.

8. Monitor and Troubleshoot Network Performance

You can’t fix a problem you don’t know you have. Regularly monitoring your internet speed and network performance is crucial for identifying issues early and ensuring you receive the service level you pay for. Systematic troubleshooting allows you to diagnose and resolve many common speed problems yourself, saving you from unnecessary support calls and costly technician visits. This proactive approach helps distinguish between a genuine ISP issue, a hardware failure, or a temporary network hiccup.

This diagnostic step is essential for holding your Internet Service Provider accountable and maintaining a stable connection. For example, by regularly running speed tests, a small business might discover their ISP is throttling their connection during peak business hours, giving them concrete data to challenge the service agreement. Similarly, network monitoring apps could identify a malware-infected device on the network that is consuming all the bandwidth, which would otherwise go unnoticed.

Actionable Tips for Optimal Performance

To effectively monitor and troubleshoot your network for better internet speed, follow these specific, actionable steps:

• Establish a Baseline: Use trusted services like Speedtest.net by Ookla or Fast.com to measure your internet speed. Test at different times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening) for several days to establish a performance baseline.
• Keep a Performance Log: Document the date, time, and results of your speed tests, along with any connectivity issues you experience. This log provides valuable evidence when contacting your ISP and helps you identify performance patterns.
• Master Basic Troubleshooting: Learn the fundamental “turn it off and on again” approach. Power cycling your modem and router can resolve a surprising number of speed and connectivity problems by clearing temporary glitches in their memory.
• Isolate the Problem: When speeds drop, test a device connected directly to the modem via an Ethernet cable. If the speed is fine, the problem is likely with your Wi-Fi network or router, not your ISP.

If your own troubleshooting efforts don’t yield results, a deeper, more complex issue might be at play. For professional guidance in diagnosing persistent network slowdowns and optimising your IT infrastructure, explore how our expert IT consultancy services can help. Tbourke Solutions provides comprehensive network analysis to pinpoint the root cause of your speed issues and implement lasting solutions.

8 Internet Speed Improvement Strategies Comparison

Achieving Peak Performance: Your Next Steps and How We Can Help

You have now explored a comprehensive toolkit of eight powerful strategies designed to tackle sluggish internet performance. By systematically addressing each area, from optimising router placement and settings to proactively monitoring your network’s health, you can reclaim control and significantly enhance your daily online experience. The journey to a faster connection doesn’t always require a significant financial investment; it often begins with simple, methodical adjustments.

Remember the foundational principle: start with the low-cost, high-impact fixes first. Repositioning your router, clearing physical obstructions, and updating its firmware are immediate actions that can yield noticeable improvements without costing a cent. From there, you can progress through more involved steps, such as hardwiring critical devices with an Ethernet cable for maximum stability or switching to a more efficient DNS server. These incremental changes compound to create a robust and reliable network.

Your Action Plan for Better Internet

The key takeaway is that understanding how to improve internet speed is about a holistic approach, not a single magic bullet. Your next steps should be to systematically diagnose and implement the solutions most relevant to your specific environment.

• For the Quick Wins: Start by rebooting your modem and router, then audit your connected devices to remove any unnecessary bandwidth hogs. Check your router’s physical location and ensure it’s centrally placed and free from interference.
• For Deeper Optimisation: Dive into your router’s administrative settings to check for firmware updates and consider changing your Wi-Fi channel. If your home or office suffers from dead zones, implementing a mesh network system is a game-changing solution.
• For Major Upgrades: If you’ve exhausted all other options, it’s time to evaluate your hardware and your internet plan. An outdated router or a plan that no longer meets your household’s or business’s demands will always be a bottleneck. Don’t hesitate to contact your provider or explore new ones to find a service that matches your needs.

A fast and dependable internet connection is no longer a luxury; it is the essential backbone of modern productivity, education, and entertainment. Mastering these strategies empowers you to build a digital environment that works for you, not against you, eliminating the frustration of buffering videos, dropped calls, and slow downloads.

For residents and small businesses in Hillside, Melbourne, and the surrounding suburbs, translating this technical advice into real-world results can be a challenge. If you’ve worked through these tips and are still struggling with your connection, or if you simply prefer an expert to handle the entire optimisation process, Tbourke Solutions is here to assist. With over 20 years of dedicated experience, we specialise in diagnosing complex network issues, recommending and installing the ideal hardware, and configuring your system for peak performance and security. We remove the guesswork, providing tailored IT support that makes technology simple and effective.

Ready to put an end to slow internet for good? Let the experts at Tbourke Solutions provide a professional assessment and implement the right solutions for your home or business. Visit Tbourke Solutions to schedule a consultation and experience a faster, more reliable connection today.