How to increase Wi-Fi speed on a laptop: from drivers to router settings

Slow Wi-Fi on a laptop is a problem faced by almost every user. Pages take forever to load, videos stutter, and online games lag, even though the internet works fine on a phone or other device. In 90% of cases, the fault lies not with the ISP, but with incorrect settings. laptop, obsolete drivers or suboptimal parameters router.

In this article - 10 Proven Ways to Boost Wi-Fi Speed ​​on a Windows 10/11 Laptop, from basic (restarting the router) to advanced (manually configuring channels and MTU). We'll cover how to diagnose the problem, which parameters affect speed, and what to do if none of the methods work. All instructions include screenshots and explanations for beginners.

Important: If you have MacBook or a laptop with LinuxSome methods (such as driver setup) will differ. At the end of the article, there's a separate section with details for these operating systems.

1. Check your actual Wi-Fi speed: tests and diagnostics

Before tweaking anything, make sure the problem is with your laptop, not your router or ISP. To do this:

• 📱 Connect to the same network another device (smartphone, tablet, second laptop) and check the speed. If everything is fine, the problem is with your laptop.
• 🔌 Connect your laptop to the router via cable (Ethernet). If the speed has increased, the Wi-Fi module or its settings are to blame.
• 🌐 Take the speed test on Speedtest.net or Fast.comCompare the figures with your provider's tariff.

Please note two key parameters:

• Ping (latency) — if it’s higher than 50 ms, there will be lags in games and delays when loading pages.
• Jitter (ping variation) — if it’s above 20 ms, the connection is unstable (sometimes fast, sometimes slow).

If your actual speed is 30% or more lower than your plan, it's time to take action. Start with the simplest steps.

2. Basic steps: reboot and physical checks

It sounds trivial, but in 30% of cases it helps:

• 🔄 Reboot your routerUnplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait until it boots up completely (the indicators will stop flashing).
• 💻 Restart your laptopSometimes the Wi-Fi adapter driver will freeze and not use 100% of the bandwidth.
• 📡 Check it out router location. It should stand:
• At a height of 1–1.5 meters from the floor;
• Away from metal objects, mirrors, microwaves;
• At least 1 meter away from other electrical appliances (especially 2.4 GHz cordless phones).

If the router is located at the other end of the apartment, try:

• 🔌 Use repeater (signal amplifier);
• 🔗 Connect to a 5 GHz network (if your router is dual-band) - it's less susceptible to interference, but has a harder time passing through walls.

3. Update or reinstall your Wi-Fi adapter driver

Outdated or corrupted drivers are one of the main causes of slow Wi-Fi. To update them:

1. Click Win + X and select device Manager.
2. Expand the tab Network adapters.
3. Find your Wi-Fi module (usually it has a name Wireless, Wi-Fi, 802.11 or brand: Intel, Qualcomm Atheros, Realtek, Broadcom).
4. Right click → Update driver → Automatic search.

If Windows does not find any updates, download the driver manually:

1. Find out the exact model of the adapter (in Device Manager → Properties → tab Intelligence → select Equipment ID).
2. Copy the first line from the block VEN_XXXX And DEV_XXXX (For example, PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24FD).
3. Search for the driver using this code on the laptop manufacturer's website (Lenovo, HP, Asus etc.) or on Intel Driver & Support Assistant (if the adapter is from Intel).

Make sure the adapter appears in Device Manager without an exclamation mark|

Download the driver from the official website (NOT from torrents!) |

Remove old driver before installing new one|

Restart your laptop after installation-->

If the speed has not increased after the update, try roll back the driver (in the same menu Properties → tab Driver → Roll back). Sometimes new versions work worse than old ones.

⚠️ Warning: Never install drivers from third-party websites (like driverpack.io). They often contain viruses or adware. Use only official sources.

4. Adjust the Wi-Fi adapter's power settings

By default, Windows saves power by limiting Wi-Fi performance. To fix this:

1. Open device Manager → Network adapters → Right-click on your Wi-Fi module → Properties.
2. Go to the tab Power management.
3. Uncheck the box Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
4. Click OK and restart your laptop.

Also check power plan:

1. Click Win + R, enter powercfg.cpl and press Enter.
2. Choose a plan High performance (if it doesn't exist, create it in Additional options).
3. Click Setting up a power plan → Change advanced settings.
4. Find the section Wireless Network Adapter Settings → Power saving mode → install Maximum performance.

5. Optimize your router settings

If the problem is not with the laptop, but with the router, try the following settings (go to the router's web interface at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, login/password usually admin/admin):

Also:

• 🔒 Change Wi-Fi password complex (at least 12 characters with numbers and letters). Neighbors could connect to your network.
• 📶 Turn off WPS (in security settings) is a vulnerable protocol.
• 🔄 Turn on Qos (Quality of Service) and set the priority for your laptop by MAC address.

⚠️ Attention: If you have a router from a provider (for example, Rostelecom or Beeline), some settings may be blocked. In this case, please contact support or request a router upgrade.

6. Advanced Windows settings to speed up Wi-Fi

If the basic methods don't help, try these tricks:

6.1. Change TCP/IP settings

Sometimes Windows limits speed due to incorrect network settings. To reset them:

1. Click Win + R, enter cmd, then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter (run as administrator).
2. Enter the commands one by one:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=restricted
netsh int tcp set global rss=enabled
netsh int tcp set global chimney=enabled
netsh winsock reset

3. Restart your laptop.

6.2. Disable TCP auto-tuning

This feature sometimes conflicts with Wi-Fi drivers:

1. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click on your connection → Properties → Tune.
3. Go to the tab Additionally and turn it off:
• Auto Disable Gigabit (if any);
• Green Ethernet;
• Energy Efficient Ethernet.

6.3. Set up static DNS

Your ISP's DNS servers may be slow. Try this. Google DNS or Cloudflare:

1. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center → Changing adapter settings.
2. Right-click on your Wi-Fi connection → Properties → Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.
3. Select Use the following DNS server addresses and enter:
• For Google: 8.8.8.8 And 8.8.4.4;
• For Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 And 1.0.0.1.

What should I do if some websites stop opening after changing my DNS?

If after changing the DNS some resources (for example, banking sites or government services) become unavailable, return the settings back or try DNS from Yandex: 77.88.8.8 And 77.88.8.1Some providers block third-party DNS services to "protect" users.

7. Hardware solutions: from antennas to USB adapters

If software methods do not help, the problem may be in iron:

• 📡 Replace your router antennas. Standard 2-3 dBi antennas can be replaced with 5-9 dBi ones (for example, TP-Link TL-ANT2409A). This will increase the signal by 20-50%.
• 🖥️ Buy an external Wi-Fi adapterBuilt-in modules in laptops are often weak. USB adapter (for example, TP-Link Archer T4U or Asus USB-AC68) connects to a USB 3.0 port and provides speeds of up to 1300 Mbps.
• 🔌 Use Powerline adaptersIf Wi-Fi passes through several walls, transmit the Internet through electrical wiring (for example, TP-Link AV1000). The speed will be like a cable, but without wires.

Also check:

• 🔋 Laptop battery statusIf it is worn out (capacity below 60%), Windows forcibly limits performance, including Wi-Fi.
• 🌡️ Laptop overheatingAt temperatures above 80°C, the chipset and network adapter may throttle (reduce speed). Use a cooling pad.

8. Alternative methods and extreme measures

If nothing helps, try:

• 🔄 Reset your router to factory settings (button Reset on the back panel). Set it up again from scratch.
• 📱 Use your laptop as a repeaterConnect it to the router via cable and distribute Wi-Fi via Mobile hotspot (in Windows settings).
• 📞 Call your providerIt's possible the problem is on their end (speed limit, line fault). Ask them to check. SNMP- statistics of your connection.
• 🔧 Reflash your router. Install alternative firmware (for example, DD-WRT or OpenWRT), if the standard one works unstably.

⚠️ Warning: Reflashing your router may brick it. Only do this if you are confident in your actions and have a backup copy of the original firmware.

If this doesn't help, it might be the fault provider. Please specify:

• Is it not introduced? traffic limit (even if the tariff is “unlimited”);
• Doesn't it work? shaping (artificial speed limit during peak hours);
• Is the cable on the line damaged (especially if the speed drops in the rain or wind).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about speeding up Wi-Fi on a laptop

❓ Why is Wi-Fi fast on my phone but slow on my laptop?

This may be due to:

• Outdated Wi-Fi drivers on the laptop;
• Different Wi-Fi standards (for example, the phone supports 802.11ac, and the laptop is only 802.11n);
• By limiting the speed in Windows power settings;
• Hardware limitations of the adapter (for example, cheap laptops have weak Wi-Fi modules).

Start by updating your drivers and checking your router settings (see section 5).

❓ How do I find out which Wi-Fi module is in my laptop?

There are three ways:

1. Through device Manager: Win + X → device Manager → Network adapters.
2. Through Command line:

   wmic nic get name, manufacturer, speed

3. Physically: Turn the laptop over and look for a sticker with the adapter model (usually next to the serial number).

You can also use programs like HWiNFO or AIDA64.

❓ Does replacing the Wi-Fi adapter in a laptop help?

Yes, but with some reservations:

• ✅ In 80% of laptops, the Wi-Fi module is removable (format M.2 2230 or NGFF). It can be replaced with a more powerful one (for example, Intel AX200 or Killer Wi-Fi 6).
• ❌ In ultrabooks (for example, MacBook Air or Dell XPS) the module is often soldered to the motherboard.
• ⚠️ Before purchasing, check the compatibility of the new adapter with your laptop model (look for information on forums or in the documentation).

After replacement, do not forget to install the drivers!

❓ Why does Wi-Fi speed drop in the evening?

This is a typical problem associated with:

• Overload of the provider's network (shaping during peak hours);
• Interference from neighbors (in the evening everyone is on the Internet, and Wi-Fi channels are overloaded);
• Router limitations (cheap models cannot handle a large number of connected devices).

Solutions:

• Switch to range 5 GHz (if the router supports it);
• Select manually less congested channel in the router settings;
• Please contact your provider to check line quality.

❓ How to speed up Wi-Fi on a MacBook?

For MacBook (macOS) the following methods are relevant:

1. Update macOS to the latest version (System Preferences → Software update).
2. Reset network settings:

   sudo ifconfig en0 down
   sudo ifconfig en0 up

   (replace en0 on your interface, you can find out through ifconfig).

3. Turn it off Private Wi-Fi Address (in network settings) - this may cause conflicts with some routers.
4. Delete network settings:

   sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist
   sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist

   Then restart your MacBook.

Also check if the mode is turned on Low Data Mode (System Preferences → Net → Wi-Fi → Additionally).