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If you notice that your Wi-Fi speed is extremely slow on your laptop relative to other devices connected wirelessly to the same wireless network (eg your smartphone or game console), learn in this guide how to fix the problem.
If you have a laptop, then you may notice that your internet browsing speed or the file download speed on it is much slower compared to the speed of your other wireless devices. This can be due to several reasons but the main ones are the following:
- Weak Wi-Fi Signal: Physical obstructions or distance from the router can weaken the signal.
- Outdated Network Drivers: Outdated or corrupted Wi-Fi drivers can limit Wi-Fi speed.Laptop Power Settings: Some laptops reduce Wi-Fi performance when running in Battery.
- Outdated Hardware: Older Wi-Fi cards may not support faster speeds.
In this step-by-step guide, you find detailed instructions on how to optimize your Wi-Fi speed on your Windows 10/11 laptop or desktop PC with a WiFi card.
How to Fix Slow WiFi Internet Speed in Windows 11/10.
Step 1. Test Internet Speed.
First of all make sure the problem is with your laptop and not your Internet connection.
1. Run a speed test (eg with Speedtest.net) on all devices in your premises that are connected to the same wireless network.
2. Compare the speed on your laptop with the other devices on the same network.
3. If the issue faced on all devices on your network restart your router or contact your ISP for assistance.
Step 2. Improve Wi-Fi Signal Strength.
- Move closer to your router to improve the Wireless connection.
- Avoid physical obstacles such as walls or large furniture between your router and laptop.
Step 3. Install all Windows & Optional Updates.
Sometimes Windows 10/11 can’t properly recognize a device on your PC because it hasn’t been fully updated or because it doesn’t have the right drivers for it. So go ahead and install all the available updates and when you’re done, go ahead and install all the optional updates. To do this:
1. Navigate to Start -> Settings -> Windows Update, click Check for updates and then click Download & install to install all the available updates.
2. After installing the standard Windows Updates, navigate again to Start -> Settings -> Windows Update, click Advanced Options and then click Optional Updates under “Additional Options”.
3. In Optional updates, check all the checkboxes to install all the available Windows and Driver updates and click Download & install.
4. When the installation is complete, restart your computer and check your Internet speed.
Step 4. Update Network drivers from Manufacturer’s support website.
1. Go to your laptop manufacturer’s website and download and install the latest drivers for your Wi-Fi adapter.
2. After installing the drivers, restart your computer and test the Wi-Fi speed.
Step 5. Close Background Apps.
Many times, a non-Microsoft program launched at Windows startup can cause performance issues on your network speed. So, proceed and disable any third-party startup programs as instructed below, and see if this fixes the issue.
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Task Manager.
2. Click on Startup apps* icon on the left and then select and Disable any third-party (non-Microsoft) programs that are running at Windows startup (e.g. iTunes, Dropbox, uTorrent, etc.)
* Note: On Windows 10, select the Startup tab.
3. When finished, restart your computer and then check your Internet speed. If the speed has improved, enable the disabled programs one by one and restart your computer again to find out which startup program is causing your Internet speed to slow down.
Step 6. Reset Network.
1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Network and Internet and click Network reset and then Reset now.
* Note: On Windows 11, go to Start -> Settings -> Network & Internet -> Advanced network settings -> Network reset and click Reset now.
2. Restart your PC and then check if the problem is solved.
Step 7. Reset IP Settings.
1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator. (To do that, type “cmd” in Search and then at “Command Prompt” result, select “Run as Administrator”)
2. At command prompt, give the following commands in order (press Enter after each command):
- netsh winsock reset
- netsh int ip reset
- ipconfig /release
- ipconfig /renew
- ipconfig /flushdns
3. Now close the command prompt window, reboot the computer and then test the Internet speed.
Step 8. Adjust Laptop Power Settings.
Some laptops reduce the performance of the Wi-Fi card when running on batteries to save power. To prevent this, do the following:
1. Type “control panel” in search and then open Control Panel from the results.
2. In Control Panel, change the “View by:” to “Small icons” and the open the Power Options.
3. Next to selected plan, click Change plan settings.
4. Click Change advanced power settings.
5a. Now, go to Wireless Adapter Settings > Power Saving Mode and set both On Battery and Plugged in to Maximum Performance.
5b. When done, click OK and then test the Wi-Fi speed again.
Step 9. Disable / Enable Network Adapter.
Over time, a network adapter can malfunction and cause connectivity problems. In such cases, disabling and re-enabling the adapter may fix the problem.
1. Press the Windows 
+ R keys to open the Run dialog box.
2. In the Run command box, type ncpa.cpl and hit Enter to open Network Connections.
3. Right-click on the Wi-Fi adapter you’re using to connect to the network (i-Fi or Ethernet), and select Disable.
4. Wait at least 10 seconds, then right-click again on Wi-Fi adapter and select Enable.
5. Re-test your Internet speed.
Step 10. Restart Your Router
Restarting the router can help clear up any router malfunctions that are causing the slow Wi-Fi speed.
Restarting the router can also refresh the built-in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, which assigns IP addresses to network devices. Generally restarting the router ensures that the DHCP server is working properly and can assign a valid IP address to your computer and network devices.
To reboot the router, simply turn it off and wait at least 10 seconds before turning it back on. Once the router restarts, restart your computer as well and check if you can access the Internet without problems.
Step 11. Other things to fix the low Wireless Speed on Laptops.
- Check Power Supply: Make sure you are using a power supply that has sufficient power (Watts) for your machine.
- Obtain a better Wi-Fi card: Buying a newer generation external USB Wi-Fi adapter can significantly improve speeds, especially if your laptop has an older Wi-Fi card.
- Connect to Network using an Ethernet (LAN) cable.
That’s it! Which method (step) worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
