If you’re anything like me—someone who’s spent way too many evenings troubleshooting a choppy Netflix stream or staring at a “slow internet” notification while trying to work from your couch—you’ve probably wondered: is my router actually as fast as it’s supposed to be? I’m not just a random blogger here; I run a small but busy routers supplier, and I can’t tell you how many times a customer comes to us saying their new router is garbage, turns out they just never tested the speed right. Today, I’m breaking down exactly how to measure your router’s speed (the right way) so you can stop guessing and start getting the performance you pay for. Routers
First, let’s get one thing straight: your router’s speed isn’t the same as your internet plan’s speed. Wait, hear me out—this is the #1 mistake I see. If you have a 1Gbps plan from your ISP, that’s the maximum your provider sends to your home. The router is the middleman that pushes that signal to your phones, laptops, smart TVs, etc. So even if your ISP is delivering 1Gbps, a cheap router might bottleneck that to 300Mbps on Wi-Fi, which means your actual speed is way lower. We sell routers that are built to handle up to 2.5Gbps, so I know how important separating these two is.
Now, let’s talk about the basics of a good speed test. Most people just Google “speed test” and click the first result, but those tests can be off if you don’t set them up right. Here’s how to do it properly. First, hardwire your laptop or desktop directly to the router with an Ethernet cable. No Wi-Fi—Wi-Fi introduces interference from walls, other devices, neighbors’ routers, even your microwave (yes, really, 2.4GHz band is basically public enemy number one for that). Once you’re wired, close every other app on your device. No Spotify, no Zoom calls, no background downloads. Even a 10MB upload in the background can skew results. Then, pick a speed test that’s trusted—like Ookla’s Speedtest.net, but use the server closest to your location, not a random one. If you’re in Chicago, testing on a server in Miami will show a lower speed because of distance, that’s not your router’s fault. Run the test three times, wait a minute between each, and take the average. That’ll give you your router’s maximum wired speed. If that’s way lower than what the router is advertised for (our routers say max 2.5Gbps wired, so if yours is only pulling 1Gbps wired, that might be a faulty port or a bad cable), that’s a red flag.
But wait, wired is easy—most of us use Wi-Fi, right? That’s where people get frustrated the most. Testing Wi-Fi speed is trickier because so many factors are at play. Let’s start with the bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. 2.4GHz goes farther, but it’s slower and crowded. 5GHz is faster, but it drops off faster through walls. If your router is dual-band, most devices default to 2.4GHz automatically, which is why you might think your router is slow when you just need to connect to the 5GHz band. First, make sure your device is on the 5GHz network (look for the network name in your Wi-Fi settings, usually labeled “5G” or just the same name with a 5 tag). Then, run the same speed test, but do it from the spot where you actually use Wi-Fi most—like your living room couch, not right next to the router. Again, three tests, average them. If your router advertises AX3000, that means it can do up to 3000Mbps on Wi-Fi, so if you’re only getting 100Mbps on 5GHz from the couch, that’s a problem. But before you blame the router, check for other devices: if your teen is streaming 4K on another TV while you test, that’ll take up bandwidth. Turn off all other devices that aren’t part of the test.
Another thing I see all the time: people testing speed with old devices. A router’s speed is only as good as the device connected to it. If you have a 5-year-old laptop that only supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and you plug it into a Wi-Fi 6 (AX) router, you’ll never get the full speed of the router. That’s not the router’s fault—old hardware can’t keep up. We mention this to every customer when they’re picking a router: make sure your devices are compatible with the router’s specs if you want to get the fastest speeds. If you have a mix of old and new devices, you’ll see varying speeds, which is normal.
Wait, there’s also something called “throughput” that’s different from speed. Wait, no—actually, people mix up throughput and latency. Latency is the delay, like how long it takes for a request to go from your device to a server. That’s why online games lag, not always because speed is low. But today we’re talking about speed, so throughput is the actual data transfer rate, which is what most speed tests measure. Let’s keep that simple: if your speed test says 500Mbps download, that’s throughput, that’s how fast files download.
Now, let’s talk about common myths that I hear from customers. Myth #1: More antennas = faster router. No, not really. Antennas help with range, but the speed comes from the router’s processor and the Wi-Fi standard it uses. Our entry-level routers have 4 antennas and hit AX1800, while some competitor models with 6 antennas are still AX1500. So don’t fall for the antenna count trick. Myth #2: Rebooting your router doesn’t change speed. Wrong! If your router has been running for months without a restart, it can get bogged down with cached data or too many connected devices, which slows it down. Rebooting it (unplug for 30 seconds, plug back in) can give you a speed boost, so always test after a reboot to get a baseline. Myth #3: A speed test on your phone is just as good as a laptop. Phones have smaller antennas and Wi-Fi chips, so they’ll always show slightly lower speeds than a laptop or desktop. Use a wired laptop or desktop for the most accurate router speed test.
Let’s walk through a real example, like something a customer would ask me. A few months back, a guy came to us saying his new router was terrible—he was getting 100Mbps on Wi-Fi from his basement, and he had a 500Mbps plan. I asked him to run a wired test first, and he got 480Mbps, which is exactly what his plan should be. Then I had him check his Wi-Fi band—he was on 2.4GHz, because his phone automatically connected to it. I told him to switch to 5GHz, and the speed went up to 350Mbps on the basement, which is actually really good because his basement is 30 feet away with two concrete walls. He was happy, because he thought the router was garbage, he just didn’t test it right. That’s exactly why this guide matters.
Now, what do you do if you test and your router is actually slow, even after setting everything up right? First, check for firmware updates. A lot of people forget this—router manufacturers release updates to fix bugs and improve performance. You can usually do this through the router’s admin page (type the router’s IP into a browser, usually 192.168.1.1, use the default username/password, then look for firmware updates). Second, check for interference: move the router away from microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors, and other electronics that use radio signals. Keep it up high, like on a shelf, not in a closet or under a desk. Third, if you have a lot of smart devices, consider a router that can handle more concurrent connections—our mid-range routers are built for up to 50 devices, so if you have that many smart plugs, lights, TVs, phones, etc., a cheap router will slow down under the load.
At the end of the day, measuring your router’s speed isn’t rocket science, but you have to do it right. Don’t rely on one speed test from your phone on the couch. Wired test first, test on the right band, close other devices, get a baseline. If you’re in the market for a new router and want something that performs as advertised, our team can help you pick the right one for your home or small business. We don’t do overpriced fancy models that don’t deliver—we build routers that are tested to hit their advertised speeds, and we stand behind them. If you’re tired of choppy streams, slow downloads, or laggy work calls, reach out to our team to chat about what you need. We’ll help you test what you have, or find a router that will actually give you the speed you pay for.
Switches REFERENCES
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (2022). Broadband Speed Test Best Practices. Retrieved from official FCC consumer resources
- Wi-Fi Alliance. (2023). Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Performance and Compatibility Guidelines. Retrieved from Wi-Fi Alliance technical documentation
- Ookla Speedtest. (2024). How to Run an Accurate Speed Test. Retrieved from Ookla’s public speed test guide
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