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Why is my Home Wi-Fi still so slow? (2026 Edition)

I note a lot of press on this topic so I thought and update to my 2023 post Why is my Home Wi-Fi so slow? was in order.

If you feel like your internet is dragging its feet despite paying for a high-speed NBN plan, you aren’t alone. Even as we move further into 2026, the laws of physics haven’t changed: Wi-Fi is still just a low-powered radio signal. While the tech inside our devices has leapt forward, our homes are still designed to block those signals.

Here is the updated state of play for your home network.

New Tech, New Hurdles: Wi-Fi 7 and the 6 GHz Band

Since my last update, we’ve seen the rollout of Wi-Fi 7. It’s incredibly fast, but there’s a catch. These newer standards utilize the 6 GHz band. Think of it like a brand-new, 10-lane highway with zero traffic. It’s brilliant for raw speed, but that high frequency is “fragile.” It struggles even more than the old 5 GHz signal to penetrate a single brick wall or a thick wooden door. If you aren’t in the same room as your router, that Wi-Fi 7 speed advantage disappears quickly.

The Modern Interference List

We still have the classic offenders like microwave ovens and mirrors (which reflect signals like a shield), but 2026 has brought some new guests to the party:

  • The “Smart” Home Overload: If you have 50 different smart bulbs, plugs, and sensors running on the old 2.4 GHz band, they are screaming over each other. This “noise” can drown out your actual computer or TV signal.
  • Solar Inverters & Batteries: As more Aussie homes go green, we’re finding that poorly shielded solar inverters or large battery setups in garages can kick out electrical noise that plays havoc with nearby routers.

⚠️ The Security Warning: Your Router is a Soldier

This is the most critical update for 2026. A slow connection is annoying, but an insecure one is dangerous. In March 2026, law enforcement dismantled the infrastructure of four massive botnets—Aisuru, Kimwolf, JackSkid, and Mossad—which had hijacked over 3 million devices globally.

  • The “Zombie” Effect: If your router is part of a botnet, it’s being used to launch massive DDoS attacks that peak at over 30 Tbps. You might blame your NBN provider for “lag,” but your router might actually be using 90% of its power to attack a bank halfway across the world.
  • The May 23, 2026 VentraIP Takedown: A perfect example of this happened just days ago. VentraIP, a major Australian web host, was taken offline
    for several hours by a massive DDoS attack that likely exceeded 1 Tbps. What makes this scary for you? The attack didn’t come from a secret hacker base; it was powered by compromised devices sitting in Australian living rooms—including smart
  • Unsupported Devices: If you are using a “vintage” router or a tablet from 2016, you are the prime target. Hackers are actively exploiting End-of-Life (EoL) devices that no longer Vs, networked printers, and legacy home routers that were easy to hijack.
  • receive security patches. If your router doesn’t support WPA3 encryption, it is time to retire it.

Positioning and Placement in 2026

The “Middle and High” rule still stands, but with a few modern tweaks:

  • Avoid the “Entertainment Unit” Trap: Don’t tuck your router inside a cabinet behind your massive 75-inch 8K TV. The TV is a giant sheet of metal and electronics—it’s essentially a shield blocking your Wi-Fi from the rest of the house.
  • NBN FTTP Users: Most Australians are finally on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). If your NBN box is in the garage, do not leave your router there. Use the internal Ethernet wiring in your home to bring that router into the living room where people actually use the internet.

The 2026 Solution: Smart Mesh

If you’ve tried moving the router and it’s still not reaching the back bedroom, don’t bother with those cheap “plug-in” extenders. They belong in the bin.

Invest in a Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System. These systems use a “dedicated backhaul”—think of it as a private invisible wire between the units—to ensure that the speed you get in the kitchen is just as fast as the speed next to the NBN box.

A Final Word: Check your router’s model number today. If the manufacturer’s website says “End of Life,” replace it immediately. You aren’t just buying speed; you’re buying a shield for your digital life.

If your router was supplied by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and has hit End of Life (EOL), you shouldn’t just accept the risk or rush out to spend your own money right away. Contact your provider, you may find they will ship you their latest supported hardware at no or low cost.

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Why is my Home Wi-Fi so slow?

Snail drawing, vintage animal illustration

Before we start our discussion on this topic, lets first remember that Wi-Fi is a low powered radio. This point will inform most of what I will cover below.

Your home has not been designed with transmitting Wi-Fi signals in mind. In fact it tends to do its best to stop or slow Wi-Fi signals. Add to that, the low power these signals are transmitted at and their limited range then you start to see the issues.

So what’s the problem

Most homes have Wi-Fi and Internet as an afterthought. Of course the World Wide Web ( the Public Internet) only came into existence in 1993 and Wi-Fi in 1997, so that’s obvious.

When we add, that here in Australia the NBN has been run to households in the easiest methods we find that our houses are not optimal for a Wireless Signal. Let me explain.

Typical Home Internet connection

The Internet reaches most Australian households via the NBN. This connection will either be via a new NBN connection or through existing Phone or Cables1. In the most part these cables will enter the House

  • at the front, close to the street and the cable terminated at a wall connection there.
  • use previous phone connections and often terminating in a kitchen or bedroom (often at the front of a house also)

When we want to use the cable we have to attach NBN connection box then our Wi-Fi Router. Most people will agree, having these in a Bedroom or Kitchen is not ideal. So point one to note is that most of us have the equipment providing the Wi-Fi in a less than optimal location.

So where should the Wi-Fi Router be located?

To reduce signal loss optimally we should have our Wi-Fi router high (as high as practical) , not on the floor where I see so many. It should close to the main users and therefor preferably in the middle of the house. It should not be placed where its signals can be blocked or where interference can occur.

What Blocks or reduces the Wi-Fi Signal

Outdoors with no obstructions a Wi-Fi signal may work for about 200-300 meters, but indoors is a different matter. The Wi-Fi Signal will be blocked, absorbed, redirected or dampened by an number of things. For example:

  • Metal – Being a radio signal Metal will severely affect the Wi-Fi. So a refrigerator or metal filing cabinet will block, or reflect signals. Modern homes have metalized foil sarking in the external walls, this also can affect the signal moving through those walls. Placeing it in a metal box will stop the signal – see Faraday cage.
  • Concrete – like Metal thick concrete walls or will block the signal it is one of the worst building materials for wireless signals to pass through.
  • Bricks and Masonry – coming third on the list, these will reduce the signal significantly but not completely. However if insulation is include in such walls this will add to the signal loss.
  • Mirrors – Glass is mostly transparent to the radio signal BUT the reflective layer will reflect the signal much like metal objects.
  • Soft Furnishings, Carpet, People & Pets, Furniture, aquariums all absorb, reflect or dampen the signals.

What interferes with the Wi-Fi signal

Being a low powered radio signal Wi-Fi is easily effected by interference, some offenders will be:

  • Microwave Ovens – In operation the Microwave is probably THE worst offender. see – https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2012/09/25/3595484.htm
  • Other Electrical Equipment, Cordless Phones, Baby Monitors, Radio transmitters, Fluorescent lights, – (the list is endless)
  • Other nearby Wi-Fi Networks. – Its possible for your Neighbors Wi-Fi to be operating on the same or similar frequencies, these can easily slow your network. make certain your router is operating on a different set of frequencies or channels.

1 I’ve excluded some special types of NBN for simplicity.

So where should it be placed?

Place your Wi-Fi Router on a hard, flat surface as high in the room as is reasonable. The Wi-Fi signal is radiated mostly on the horizontal so avoid the floor or low. Aim for height at least halfway between the floor and the ceiling. I have my main router on top of a cupboard.

  • Keep the WiFi Router out in the open – avoid placing inside cabinets or consoles as they will reduce the signal.
  • The fewer walls between the WiFi Router and your devices the better. Remember Wi-Fi is a low power radio signal, so thick walls and metal will reduce the signal.

I’ve done all that, but still I’ve bad Wi-Fi now what?

If you have done what you can then you may be left with contacting a professional to fix the problem.

What may be done?

Relocate the main wi-fi router

If the existing location is the issue the best option may be to relocate it within the property to a more central location. This may require additional cabling.

Include additional Wi-Fi access points in the premises

This can be implemented using Wireless repeater (or extender) of a Wi-Fi Mesh system. Repeaters are cheap and rebroadcast a wireless signal, strengthening the signal from your router to other floors or the opposite side of a building. You place one in a location that are halfway between your router and your device. (However be aware that the repeater must have a good signal to start with.) Research these products before investing in one. Some wireless repeaters can be difficult to configure and can actually reduce performance.

A Wi-Fi Mesh system usually is a better solution.

Mesh Wi-Fi systems offer better speeds than Wi-Fi repeaters because the mesh router and nodes are specially designed to create a unified Wi-Fi network. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are also very reliable.

replace older Wi-Fi routers

Occasionally the existing Wi-Fi router is the problem, and a simple replacement is all that’s is needed. However this can be an expensive and replacing it with a Wi-Fi Mesh is usually a better solution .

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Find the Fake USB Drive with ValiDrive

Steve Gibson (GRC.com) has just released a new utility called VALIDRIVE to ID Fake drives. he says it will Quickly spot-check any USB mass storage drive for fraudulent deliberately missing storage. https://www.grc.com/validrive.htm

We all need this utility so many fakes out there.

As always with Steve’s utilities its well thought out and does what it says. As a plus not only doers it validate a USB drive but it tests the drives speed and reliability.

Add this one to your tools.

My first test of a 12 year old imation atom USB drive provided this useful report.

Report #1

  test date and time 12/10/2023  at  11:17 AM
  declared drive size 4,008,706,048 (4.01GB)
  validated drive size 4,008,706,048 (4.01GB)
  highest valid region 4,008,706,048 (4.01GB)
  hub or drive vendor imation
  hub or drive product atom
  serial number 079a0803380b2a96

Performance details

              read            write
  samples         1,152         1,152
  minimum       230,053       598,995
  maximum       873,225     1,061,347
  average       247,890       774,064
  median       241,402       766,097
  std dev        28,021        61,680
  variance         0.113         0.080
  total time   285,569,623   891,721,956
  percent        24.26%        75.74%

time measurements in microseconds

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Wi-Fi – What

What is Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a wireless radio technology used to connect computers, including tablets, smartphones, and other devices to the internet.  It is the radio signal sent from a wireless router to a nearby device, which translates the signal into data you can see and use. The device transmits a radio signal back to the router, which connects to the internet by wire or cable.

What is a Wi-Fi network?

A Wi-Fi network is simply an internet connection that’s shared with multiple devices in a home or business via a wireless router. The router is connected directly to your internet modem and acts as a hub to broadcast the internet signal to all your Wi-Fi enabled devices. This gives you flexibility to stay connected to the internet as long as you’re within your network coverage area.

What does Wi-Fi stand for?

Wi-Fi is a marketing term and is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.  It does not actually stand for anything, though “Wi-Fi” could have been a play on “hi-fi”.

Some simple points.

  • Wi-Fi and the Internet are two different things.  Wi-Fi is one method of connection to the internet.
  • Wi-Fi and your phones 3g, 4g or 5g mobile signals are also different.  These mobile signals connect you to a Mobile Phone Cell tower and it provides the internet to you. Yes, these mobile signals are Wireless Radio signals, but they are not Wi-Fi.
  • Wi-Fi is method of establishing a computer network and can be used without access to the internet. It is possible to have computers, printers etc at home connect to each other via Wi-Fi, without any Internet connection.
  • Wi-Fi is a Radio signal; therefore, it will be affected by interference and can be blocked (
  • Wi-Fi uses only a very low power and is easily disrupted or blocked
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Hide a account from the Windows sign-in screen

Occassionally you may want a user account to not display on the Windows 10 logon page.

One main use case for me has been when setting up scanners to send direct to a PC share. In these cases I create a limited account with only the rights to that share. But the user account will display on the logon screen. So annoying!

So there are a few ways to do this.

  • Remove the account from the Group – Users (and Administrators) or any other interactive group
  • Make them a User of a Group that just gives access to the share you need – if available the HomeUsers Group works well
  • Editing the registry

If you have a User account that you dont want to display – say they only connect via a remote connection then editing the Registry is the answer.

Editing registry to hide an account

  1. Open registry editor
    • Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command,
    • Type regedit, and click OK to open the Windows Registry.
  2. Browse to:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
  3. Right-click the Winlogon, select New, and click Key.
  4. Name the new key SpecialAccounts.
  5. Right-click the SpecialAccounts key, select new, and click Key.
  6. Name the new key UserList.
  7. Inside of UserList, right-click, select New, and click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  8. Name this DWORD key with the name of the account you’re intending to hide.
  9. Make sure the DWORD key has its data value is set to 0. (Zero Hide or change to 1 to show)

Important:
A hidden account can only access the PC via an interactive logon process. Such as a remote connection.
If you want to log onto the PC with a hidden account you will need to turn on Interactive Logon in windows 10. This turns off the simple logon process.

See Interactive Logon for details.