This is the only trick on our list that isn't specifically about Wi-Fi as a wireless function, but it's a surprisingly good trick if your issue is that loading webpages and other content feels sluggish.
Everytime you click on anything while browsing the web, cast a stream from your phone to your Chromecast, or do anything at all using the internet, your router makes a Domain Name System (DNS) request.
By default, your router uses the DNS server your ISP assigned (which is most likely the ISP's own DNS server). Switching to a third-party DNS server can make requests resolve quicker and give you a feeling that your connection is much snappier, despite making no changes to the Wi-Fi or upgrading to faster internet. It won't make an aging DSL connection feel like a new fiber installation, but every bit helps.
Although some ISPs are good about upgrading customer equipment, most aren't. Once your equipment is installed, there is a good chance you'll have it for as long as you have that ISP or until a major update to the ISP's infrastructure forces them to update everyone's hardware.
Rather than slog along with an old modem and Wi-Fi router, call up your ISP and request an upgrade to their newest model. Be sure to emphasize that the old equipment just isn't meeting the needs of your household as asking for a new model for the sake of a new model likely won't get you very far.
If your ISP has a local office you can just walk into, it might be worth taking a trip there with your equipment in hand. Many times the customer service people you talk to in person are much more sympathetic to your blight, especially when you have the equipment right there to turn in for the upgrade they have sitting behind the counter.
You can get a lot of mileage out of the Wi-Fi tips and tricks we've outlined in this article. Truly, you'll be amazed how much moving your Wi-Fi router from a side room to the center of your home can improve your experience. Or what a difference it makes to plug your smart TV or computer directly into the router instead of leaning on Wi-Fi.
But there's only so much tips and tricks can do to make an old router feel new again. At some point your router will be old enough that it doesn't receive updates, can't keep up with your needs, and should be retired.
If you're at that point, it's worth looking at upgrading to a better stand-alone Wi-Fi router or addressing Wi-Fi coverage issues in your home by opting to ugprade your old router to a nice new mesh Wi-Fi system. Mesh platforms are so user-friendly we even recommend getting mesh Wi-Fi even if you just need the base station to cover your home.
The jump from a budget router using last generation Wi-Fi tech to new router with all the latest and greatest optimizations offers so many benefits you'll wish you'd done it sooner.
