Broadband expert shares five simple ways to improve your internet connection at home

With more households relying on their internet connections for everything from working remotely and video calls to streaming and gaming, slow broadband can quickly become a source of frustration.

Ofcom's latest Connected Nations report found that the average maximum download speed available to UK households increased by 28%, from 223Mbps in 2024 to 285Mbps in 2025, as high-speed broadband becomes increasingly widespread (Connected Nations UK Report-2025). 

However, the speed available to a home does not necessarily reflect the performance experienced by every device connected to it. Everything from where your router is positioned to the number of connected devices and the age of your equipment can affect the speeds you experience at home.

Peter Rampling, Chief Commercial Officer at Community Fibre, explains that understanding the difference between broadband speed and WiFi performance is an important first step towards improving connectivity.

“Wired connections tend to offer faster and more reliable speeds than wireless connections but both are measured in Mbps (megabits per second) or Gbps (gigabits per second). These indicate the amount of data that can be downloaded or uploaded per second. The most common speed you'll see is Mbps, where 1,000 Mbps equals 1 Gbps.”

Broadband speeds are generally measured in two ways:

• Download speed: How quickly data travels from the internet to your device, affecting activities such as streaming, browsing and downloading files.

• Upload speed: How quickly data travels from your device to the internet, which is particularly important for video calls, sharing files and uploading content.

While your broadband package determines the speed available to your home, the connection experienced by individual devices can vary depending on your WiFi signal, equipment and how your household uses the internet.

Ofcom's research also found that average household data usage increased by 10% between 2024 and 2025, from 531GB to 583GB per connection, compared with the 28% increase in average maximum download speeds (Connected Nations UK report 2025). This means understanding how your home network is performing can be just as important as the headline speed of your broadband package.

Five ways to improve your internet connection at home

1. Reposition your router

Where you place your router can make a significant difference to the strength and reliability of your WiFi connection.

If your router is positioned behind furniture, close to walls or in a corner of your home, the signal may struggle to reach devices in other rooms.

Placing your router in a central location, away from walls and other obstructions, can help improve coverage throughout your home.

The closer your device is to the router, the stronger the WiFi signal is generally likely to be.

2. Check how many devices are connected

From smartphones and laptops to smart TVs and gaming consoles, modern households often have several devices connected to the internet at the same time.

Each device uses some of the available bandwidth, and activities such as streaming, downloading large files or making video calls can place additional demands on your connection.

If several people are using the internet for bandwidth-heavy activities simultaneously, you may notice slower performance.

Reducing the number of active devices, closing unnecessary applications or scheduling large downloads for quieter periods can help improve connectivity.

If your household regularly experiences congestion, it may also be worth reviewing whether your current broadband package meets your needs.

3. Use a wired connection where possible

Although WiFi offers convenience, a wired Ethernet connection can provide faster and more stable performance.

This can be particularly useful for devices that need a consistent, high-speed connection, such as gaming consoles, desktop computers and workstations used for video conferencing.

Connecting directly to your router using an Ethernet cable can also help establish whether slower speeds are being caused by your WiFi connection rather than the broadband service itself.

4. Consider a WiFi booster or mesh system

If your internet works well in one room but struggles in another, the issue may be WiFi coverage rather than the speed of your broadband package.

Walls, distance and other physical obstructions can weaken the signal between your router and connected devices.

WiFi boosters and mesh systems can help extend wireless coverage into areas where the signal is weak, reducing dead zones and improving connectivity throughout the home.

These solutions can be particularly useful in larger properties or homes where the router cannot be positioned centrally.

5. Check whether your equipment needs upgrading

Older routers, laptops and smartphones may not support the latest WiFi technology, which can limit the speeds they can achieve.

For example, devices using older WiFi standards may struggle to take full advantage of faster broadband connections.

Modern routers supporting WiFi 6 or WiFi 7, alongside compatible devices, can offer improved wireless performance.

If your broadband package provides high speeds but your devices consistently struggle to achieve them, it may be worth checking whether your equipment is holding your connection back.

How to check whether you're getting the broadband speeds you're paying for

Before changing your broadband package or contacting your provider, it's worth checking the speeds you're actually receiving.

There are two important measurements to understand: router speed and device speed.

Router speed refers to the speed of the broadband connection reaching your router, while device speed is the speed experienced by an individual phone, laptop or other connected device.

These figures can differ, particularly when devices are connected over WiFi.

To check your connection:

1. Test your router speed: Where supported, use your router's management app or website to check the speed reaching your router.

2. Prepare your device: Connect your laptop or phone to the internet, either through WiFi or an Ethernet cable.

3. Close unnecessary applications: Pause downloads, streaming services and other applications that may be using bandwidth.

4. Run a speed test: Use a reliable speed-testing tool to measure your download and upload speeds.

5. Compare the results: Check how your device speed compares with your router speed and the speed associated with your broadband package.

If your router is receiving the expected speeds but your devices are not, the issue may relate to your WiFi signal, equipment or home network setup.

However, if the speed reaching your router is significantly below expectations, it may be worth contacting your broadband provider to investigate.

Consumers can check their connection using Community Fibre's free broadband speed test.

What else could be slowing down your internet?

Alongside your router position and connected devices, several other factors can affect broadband performance.

These include temporary network outages, maintenance work, network congestion and applications consuming large amounts of bandwidth.

If your connection suddenly becomes slower than usual, checking whether your provider has reported any issues in your area can help identify the cause.

Ofcom's research found that 55% of customers on full-fibre networks are subscribed to packages with advertised download speeds of 300Mbps or less, while 21% are on packages offering 900Mbps or more. connected-nations-uk-report-2025 This highlights that households are using a wide range of broadband packages, making it important to understand what is affecting your individual connection before assuming you need a faster package.