Have you ever faced this issue that even after paying for a high-speed internet plan, your internet is still sluggish and is performing as it should be? Well, if you have faced this issue, then you are not alone; people all over the world face a similar issue, and it is because of WiFi routers. Most people use their WiFi routers straight out of the box on default settings without properly configuring the hidden settings which can significantly improve the performance.
These hidden settings, including prioritizing traffic and optimizing WiFi channels, can enhance the performance of your WiFi network. So let us explore some of the hidden settings in a WiFi router that can boost performance.
How to Access the WiFi Router’s Hidden Settings?
Before you can optimize the hidden settings of your WiFi router, you will need to access the admin panel of the router. Here is how you can access the admin panel of the router.
- Find the router’s default IP address. Common default IP addresses are http://192.168.1.1/ and http://192.168.0.1/. You can check the router’s manual or look for a label on the router itself to find the default IP address.
- Open a web browser and enter the router’s default IP address in the address bar. Now log into the router using the default user and password (Usually the default username and password is “admin” for both, but you can check the router’s manual to find out).
- Once you are logged in, you can access the different settings mentioned below to boost the performance of the WiFi router.
1. Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality of Service (QoS) is a feature that most modern-day routers have, and it allows you to prioritize certain types of traffic over others so that your favorite activities like gaming, video streaming, or video calling get priority and the bandwidth they need over other activities, applications, and devices on the network. You can access and configure QoS under the “Advanced Settings” or “Traffic Management” section and set priorities for specific devices or applications.
2. Channel Selection and Width
WiFi channels can become crowded easily, especially if you are in an area where there are multiple other networks nearby. In such cases, you can switch to a less congested channel or adjust the channel width to improve the performance of the network. You can optimize channel settings by navigating to the WiFi settings section in the router’s admin panel (i.e. 192.168.0.1).
- For 2.4 GHz, choose the channels 1, 6, and 11. For 5 GHz, choose the channels 36, 40, 44, and 48.
- Adjust the channel width (e.g., 20MHz, 40MHz, or 80MHz) based on your needs. Wider channels offer faster speeds but are more prone to interference.
3. Transmit Power Control
Another hidden setting that most people are not aware of is that your WiFi router transmit power determines how strong the WiFi signal will be. Adjusting this setting can help you maximize coverage and reduce interference. You can locate the transmit power settings in your router’s admin panel under “Wireless Settings” or “Advanced Settings”.
You can increase the transmit power to increase the range or decrease it to reduce interference in smaller spaces. The goal here is to use just enough power to ensure a good signal quality to provide maximal coverage while at the same time, conserving energy and minimizing interference with other devices.
4. DNS Settings
Your WiFi router’s default DNS servers may not be the fastest, and you can switch to faster DNS services like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS to improve the speed and reliability of your connection. You can locate the DNS settings in your router’s admin panel under “Internet Settings” or “Advanced Settings”. Replace the default DNS servers with:
- Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)
- Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1)
5. IPv6 Support
IPv6 is the latest version of the Internet Protocol that offers faster speeds and better security than IPv4. By enabling IPv6 on your router, you can future-proof your network. IPv6 can be enabled through the router’s admin panel under “Internet Settings” or “Advanced Settings” and you can configure it according to your ISP’s guidelines.
