In the last decade, I’ve lived in a handful of sites across Los Angeles, each with its own unique issues with , internet access. Working with varying speeds and support stability helped me discover ways to enhance my connectivity, regardless of my ZIP code.  ,
I’ve lived in anything, including a Faraday box concrete apartment in downtown , and a beachfront apartment in with an exclusive agreement with a slow . I’m very happy, or at least I feel that way, at my current residence in Hollywood– there are no opaque building materials, and I get to choose my . And it’s very good, I don’t have many complaints.
However, most of my LA friends and family suffer from poor online, which is crazy because you’d think a district like LA would have readily available high-quality online city-wide, not just in some neighborhoods. And I can’t help but imagine how smaller US areas cope with ISPs.
Through all my techniques, I’ve built up a toolbox of free methods to boost my internet link, no matter how stubby it is. While you can fix the issue by installing a Wi-Fi extension, the majority of these solutions don’t require you to invest any, which is always a good place to start.
Here are some of my computer speed-improving advice that can be used either for free or for a very low cost before moving, straight away, or where you live right now.
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Before moving, improve your online company.
If you’re moving into a new area, first, gratitude. Next, guilty. Even if you have good planning, moving is a pain in the butt ( ask me about my main shift in 2023 ). There will still be things that don’t turn out the way you planned, even if you start packing your containers weeks in advance, make a list for , and employ movers.
When looking at potential locations, considering internet service providers is a frequently overlooked aspect of moving. Unlike square footage, the number of rooms or local schools, many of us don’t give much thought to Networks until we’ve actually signed the lease/mortgage and moved.
Do your online research and speak with the salesperson or landlord before visiting a new location. Better still, ask your potential relatives about online options in the area and whether they’re affordable, quick and reliable. Check to see if they have any solutions or tactics in place to make their computer better.
You can also check out any site with your state’s broadband map site, if it has one, to see all of your online options. In , we have the Interactive Broadband Map. Once you enter an solve, you can screen to display only fixed bandwidth, as well as mobile alternatives, for ISPs. Some websites offer posted upload and download speeds, but beware that charts may not be accurate. Sites like this give you a good idea of what you’ll be able to choose from, despite never listing ISP testimonials for the area.
If you want more of our assistance, CNET has a comprehensive catalog of all the best web services providers , across the country. Each story is broken down by state, city, or village, with analogies and helpful evaluations to help you choose the best ISP in your area.
Check out: My Week With AT&, T Internet Air: How Did It Fare?
A second thing to check before you move is the building materials of your potential home. transmit over-the-air radio waves to connect your various devices to your home’s internet network. However, the materials in your home can change these signals ( as I did in my previous concrete-and-brick loft apartment ).  ,
Even though your internet connection is fast and reliable, your physical home may interfere with your signal and impede your connectivity in your home. This is because , concrete, and brick. Common building materials like plywood, drywall and glass don’t affect your Wi-Fi signal as much as those denser materials.  ,
After moving, you can expect better internet service.
You’ve just moved into your new place, and now it’s time to pick an ISP. Use websites like ours or the   to find out which ISPs are available if you don’t already have an idea of options in your area. You can also type in your new address into AT&, T’s, Spectrum’s or Xfinity’s websites to see similar information.
When deciding on an ISP, start with your estimated requirements. That’ll give you a quick rundown of what fast internet is, how much internet you use, upload versus download speeds, data caps, and more.
Don’t Miss: 5 Things I Love About My Experience With T-Mobile Home Internet ( and a Few Bummers, Too )
Unfortunately, after installation and once you start using the new service, you might still encounter issues with connection strength and speed.
Most ISPs offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, including , ,  , ,  ,  , and others. This typically means you can end your internet service within 30 days and receive a full refund ( assume no installation or restocking costs ). Other ISPs, like , AT&, T , ( 2 weeks ), have different refund guarantee policies or none at all ( Frontier ).
Before choosing an internet service provider, read the 30-day money-back guarantee closely to see if you apply.
I used this opportunity to try out three ISP services in my new home. The three providers ‘ promised speeds differed after the service was connected.
Use the modem they give, instead of using your ISP’s equipment, to get faster internet speeds. It’s convenient to rent a router from your ISP, but it can add up to being more expensive over time. Additionally, there are only so many options for routers, so renting one may not be the best one for your home.  ,
It can be frustrating to realize that your ISP-provided router can’t even provide you with higher speeds. Make sure you connect your modem to your router and devices using the appropriate cables, as Cat5 and older cables may not support your faster speeds. ( Cat6e and newer generally support consumer internet speeds. )
Read More: Should You Buy or Rent Your Router? I made the wrong choice, which resulted in nearly$ 1K in lost income.
Improve your home’s internet access right away.
Perhaps you’re not moving and have had a bad experience with your current home’s internet connection for some time. You can still increase your internet speed, no matter how long you’ve lived there.
I want to keep the idea of not spending money on faster internet, but you might have to pay more if your long-term residence has slow internet access.
The one relatively inexpensive thing you can do is check your internet service agreement to see if you can cancel it sooner without paying early termination fees. Then you can compare and test various ISPs that might work better.
One of the simplest ways to increase your speeds is to upgrade your router, but if you’re tied to a contract or want to make your current ISP work. Yes, that costs money, but it can be the answer to your internet woes– and unlike spending more for your monthly plan, is a one-time purchase.  ,
For a long time, I had Netgear’s Nighthawk R66700 router, which is considered a generally good brand. However, despite a high-speed plan, I wasn’t getting great speeds at my home.  ,
After consulting with a few CNET colleagues, I decided to upgrade my home setup to a system ( more specifically, the ). In comparison to your typical single-unit router, this system offers more reliable Wi-Fi coverage in larger homes or homes with dead zones ( which is a problem in my current apartment ).
Depending on the mesh router system, you can have several routers set up around your home that all function as one big, single-piece devices that keep you connected wherever you are. A mesh network is an investment, but there are affordable options out there, like , or Netgear’s Orbi AC1200.
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Because they’re relatively inexpensive, Wi-Fi extenders may seem like the solution to improving home speeds, but they don’t typically function as a single unit throughout your home.
Unfortunately, a mesh network won’t be the miracle fix for everyone because, as I mentioned before, each home has its own unique problems. The fix might be a broken Ethernet cable or updating the firmware on your modem. It might even be as straightforward as We all are aware that occasionally works.
The best way to test your setup’s weak point is to run a speed test, connect to various devices, use Wi-Fi close to your router, and reboot your various internet devices, all for free.
Of course, it’s possible to go through all of these suggestions only to discover that none of them will solve your specific problem. Though unfortunate, there’s always the last resort: bumping up your service tier and paying more to get faster internet.  ,
Which is, for better or worse, a modern necessity.