Why Is My Internet So Slow at Home? 9 Ways to Fix It

Few things are as frustrating as a video call that keeps freezing or a movie that buffers on movie night. The good news: most slow-internet problems at home come down to a handful of fixable causes. Work through this list and you’ll usually find the culprit.

1. Your router is in the wrong spot

WiFi signal weakens as it passes through walls, floors and furniture. A router tucked inside a cabinet, on the floor, or in a corner of the house will give you weak coverage everywhere else.

• Place the router in a central, open location
• Raise it off the floor — on a shelf or table
• Keep it away from thick walls, metal and microwaves

2. You’re on the 2.4GHz band instead of 5GHz

Most modern routers broadcast two bands. 2.4GHz travels further but is slower and more congested; 5GHz is much faster over shorter distances. If your device supports it, connect to the 5GHz network when you’re near the router.

3. Too many devices are online at once

Every phone, TV, laptop, CCTV and smart-home gadget shares your bandwidth. When several are streaming, gaming or backing up at the same time, everything slows down.

4. WiFi interference from neighbours

In apartments and terrace homes, dozens of nearby routers can crowd the same WiFi channels. Switching your router to a less-crowded channel (or letting a modern WiFi 6 router auto-select one) can clear things up.

5. An old or basic router

A years-old router can’t keep up with today’s devices no matter how fast your line is. A modern WiFi 6 router handles more devices at once and delivers stronger, more stable speeds.

6. WiFi dead zones in a big home

If some rooms are always weak, one router simply can’t cover the whole house. A mesh WiFi system uses multiple units to blanket every corner with a strong signal.

7. Background apps and updates

Automatic phone backups, game downloads and system updates quietly eat bandwidth. Schedule big downloads for overnight, and pause cloud backups during video calls.

8. Your plan is too slow for your usage

Sometimes the problem isn’t your setup — it’s the speed you’re paying for. Streaming 4K, working from home and gaming all at once needs headroom. If you’re on an old 30–100Mbps plan, upgrading to 300Mbps or more is often the simplest fix.

9. You’re on wireless instead of fibre

Fixed fibre delivers far more consistent speeds than shared wireless connections, especially at peak hours and in bad weather. If reliability matters, a Home Fibre line is the upgrade that fixes slow internet for good.

Still slow after all that?

If you’ve tried the fixes above and your internet still can’t keep up, it may be time for faster, more reliable fibre. Maxis Home Fibre comes with a free WiFi 6 router, unlimited internet and a free Home WiFi analysis to make sure every room is covered. WhatsApp us and we’ll check what’s available at your address.