Your home network behaves poorly because of flawed design choices, not bad hardware or slow internet. Don’t blame the router; instead, focus on common mistakes that affect your network’s performance.
**Don’t treat the router as “the network”**
Think twice before assuming everything behind your router is fine just because it’s powered on and connected to the internet. Consumer routers do many tasks, but they often struggle under heavy use, causing latency spikes and packet queues.
**ISP defaults control your network behavior**
ISP-provided gateways prioritize compatibility over optimal performance. By adding a router behind the gateway, you can reclaim control, eliminate double NAT, and prevent unpredictable port behavior. Bridge mode can help, but it requires correct setup.
**Raw download speed isn’t everything**
Gigabit plans don’t guarantee faster speeds for all devices. Latency, packet loss, and upload capacity are more important factors. Upstream bandwidth is often saturated, causing downloads to stutter.
**Wi-Fi coverage isn’t just about signal strength**
Look beyond signal bars; a strong signal can actually make your network worse due to interference and protocol overhead. Use a wired access point instead of an expensive mesh setup for better performance.
**A flat network may not be the best solution**
While a flat network seems simple, it’s often chaotic in reality. IoT devices generate background traffic that affects the entire network, making it prone to misbehavior when one device is compromised or misconfigured.
**Rebooting isn’t troubleshooting**
R rebooting is an easy fix for some issues, but it doesn’t help you learn from problems. Enable logging and monitoring to diagnose problems and make informed fixes.
**Your home network works, so why does it fail you?**
Most home networking issues come from flawed design choices, not bad hardware or slow internet. Take a closer look at your assumptions and revisit your setup to optimize performance.
Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/home-networking-mistakes-almost-everyone-makes-as-a-beginner