Neither new hardware nor a new provider: boost your internet with these 3 settings
Let’s be honest—your internet connection is as crucial as your morning coffee. Whether you’re toiling away on work projects, binge-watching the latest series, or chatting with your loved ones, a sluggish connection can really ruin the mood (and your productivity). It’s all the more irritating when your provider promises speeds that could launch satellites, yet you’re stuck with pictures loading pixel by pixel.
Thankfully, before you go out and splurge on fancy hardware or sign up with an entirely new provider, there are a few simple and accessible tweaks that just about anyone can make to try to give their connection a gentle (or not-so-gentle) nudge in the right direction.
1. Get Physical: Use an Ethernet Cable When Possible
If your computer sits close to your internet box (or modem, for those fancy types), the quickest win is to connect directly using an Ethernet cable. Why? Because a wired connection is typically more stable and faster than relying on Wi-Fi, which can suffer from all sorts of interference. With one simple move—plugging in a cable between your computer and your box—you bypass signal loss over distance or through walls. If you have an Ethernet port built into your home near a standard electric socket, you can use that for even more flexibility.
2. Bridge the Gap: CPL Kits and Wi-Fi Repeaters
But what if your PC is tucked away at the other end of your living space, miles (okay, meters) from your box? Enter the CPL kit: a pair of small devices that transmit your internet signal through the power lines in your home. Simply plug one box into a wall outlet near the internet box and another next to your computer, connect them both with Ethernet cables, and voilà—a stable connection without snaking wires across your hallway. Alternatively, a Wi-Fi repeater (usually just one device rather than CPL’s two) helps broadcast your network further, ensuring every corner gets some Wi-Fi love. Some providers even include repeaters in their most premium plans—lucky you if that’s your case!
3. Tweak Your Wi-Fi Band and Channel
Still prefer the wireless lifestyle? Know that modern routers typically broadcast over two frequency bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The 2.4 GHz band is an old workhorse and much more crowded—especially in bustling cities like Paris, where neighbors are stacked high and Wi-Fi signals can collide like bumper cars. This frequently leads to interference and connection drops.
The 5 GHz band is more recent and, for now, less crowded. It often delivers faster speeds and can sometimes provide better range. But—and here’s a hot topic among readers—some comment that 5 GHz actually covers a shorter distance with higher speeds, not the other way around. To take advantage of 5 GHz, both your box and your gadgets must support Wi-Fi ac. You can also try changing your box’s Wi-Fi channel to dodge traffic from the neighbors, which might just clear the airwaves enough for a smoother connection.
4. DNS: The Underappreciated Setting You Can Change
Your devices rely on DNS servers (Domain Name System) to translate friendly web addresses (like www.bing.com) into numerical IP addresses (like 204.79.197.200). By default, you use your provider’s DNS, but you can swap to an alternative like Google’s or Cloudflare’s. These alternatives may be more reliable, secure, or marginally faster.
- On Windows: Go to your network settings, select the properties for Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and enter the chosen DNS IPs (for example, 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Google).
- On macOS X: Go to system preferences, then network, then advanced. Click the DNS tab and add the IPs you want (such as 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 for Cloudflare).
Keep in mind, changing your DNS doesn’t actually speed up your internet connection itself—it might just reduce the time it takes to look up website addresses. Still, this can make browsing feel snappier in some cases.
Of course, some of these tips might just shift where your bottleneck is—ethernet cables and powerline kits make the local connection more reliable, but they don’t actually increase the bandwidth from your provider. Likewise, changing DNS is a subtle improvement, mostly noticed in how fast websites start to load rather than download speeds.
To wrap up, before you splash out on new gear or jump ship to another provider, give these three internet tweaks a try. They’re straightforward enough for even the tech novices in your life—no advanced degree or “hacker hat” needed. Sometimes, a little cable or a few settings can make all the difference between online serenity and digital despair.
