What affects your home broadband speed and WiFi

Slow broadband isn’t just caused by issues with the network. Your equipment, wireless performance, home wiring, and even the time of day can all make it slower. Here are some factors that can affect your home broadband and what you can do to improve it.

Before you read this article

Check for issues with the wider broadband network in your area if you’re having problems.

Check broadband service status

If there aren’t any problems in your area, you’ll have the option to test your home connection.

To test your speed:

  1. Open the EE app.
  2. Select Manage.
  3. Select Broadband.
  4. Select Test speed in your Smart Hub tile.

Being a new EE customer

It can take up to midnight on the day your service goes live for your broadband to start working. Log in to track your order to find your activation details.

When you first get broadband we test the line to make sure you get the best speed and connection, so it’s normal for speeds to go up and down. These tests can take up to 10 days, so keep your hub turned on during this time.

The difference between WiFi and broadband

Your broadband speed measures how quickly data flows into your home through your internet connection.

WiFi is the wireless network that distributes this internet connection around your home. The range of WiFi is how far the signal travels from your router.

Upgrading your broadband speed might not improve the WiFi range at home, although it can help with overall performance if your devices are within range.

Remember, a device on WiFi will never be as fast as one that’s physically connected to your hub with an ethernet cable.

Device speed and connection

If your WiFi feels sluggish, it could be the device you’re using. Typically the newer your equipment, the faster the wireless speed it will support.

Different things can slow a device down, giving the impression that your broadband is slow.

This includes:

  • running lots of programs at once
  • not enough memory
  • web browser add-ons
  • too many programs loading on startup

How to improve your connection

  1. Turn it off and on again
    Try restarting your devices or your hub to see if that improves your experience.
  2. Check the position of your hub
    Place your hub close to where you use the internet most. Check it's away from walls, metal or glass surfaces, fish tanks, and not blocked by heavy furniture or fridges. Obstacles like these can significantly impact WiFi speed.
  3. Avoid interference
    Keep your hub away from other signal-emitting devices like microwaves, digital home phones, and fairy lights.
  4. Know your devices
    If your WiFi is slow, it might be due to the age and power of your device, so think about upgrading your devices regularly for better wireless speeds.
  5. Explore our Smart WiFi packages
    If you’re still having issues in certain rooms, our Smart WiFi package may be for you.

How you use broadband

Broadband speed is shared with every device connected to your hub. So, if four devices are using the internet at the same time, they'll each get roughly a quarter of the available speed.

Streaming (for example watching live TV, YouTube or Netflix) and online gaming use more of your bandwidth, so if anyone in your household is doing this it could make your broadband slower for everyone else.

We recommend you disconnect any devices not in use.

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