Tech pro tip: How to prioritize devices on your Wi-Fi

We’ve all blamed our internet speed for YouTube buffering. But guess what? The main culprit is often the army of gadgets hogging your Wi-Fi. 

It might be your spouse streaming three sports games at the same time, your kid downloading a new video game or your roommate binge-watching their favorite show.

The good news is there’s a simple fix that doesn’t involve disconnecting anything. Enter “Quality of Service,” the unsung hero that can help you beat the traffic jams on your wireless network.

Understanding Quality of Service 

So, what is Quality of Service (QoS) and how does it work? In a nutshell, it’s a router technology that controls the bandwidth given to internet-enabled devices on a network. When used with your home Wi-Fi, specific gadgets will be marked “more important” than others.

For instance, if you’d like to prioritize your smart TV for all your favorite shows, it’ll claim internet speed dibs before a Windows update takes over. That’s not to say the Windows update will freeze entirely. It’ll still chug along, but at a much slower rate, along with all the other devices that didn’t get the VIP treatment. Yay for no more buffering!

Setting up Quality of Service 

The better your router is, the more QoS “options.” I’ve gathered some big-name brands to show you how they work.

The Quality of Service feature won’t miraculously make all devices on your network lightning fast. It still depends on your internet package’s initial speed. Think of QoS as an extra layer of optimization. Consider these additional steps if you want to enhance your Wi-Fi connection further.

QoS on Google Nest routers

  • Open the Google Home app on your phone.

To set device priority: 

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Plug in your address to see if you’re overpaying for internet

Your router is years old, but you don’t think about it because it just sits there, pumping connection to your devices. Before you upgrade, know this: You need one that’s Wi-Fi 6 ready.

Maybe your router and modem are fine until your internet gives out. Here’s the right way to reset things. Don’t just unplug, plug it back in immediately and call it good!

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Are you getting the speeds you pay for? Use fast.com and speedtest.net to run internet speed tests. (Be careful not to go to the .com version of Speedtest.) Both report your current speeds a little differently, so I like to check ‘em both. If you’re way, way below what you pay for, call your ISP and ask them to fix it.

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Nothing is more frustrating than trying to browse the internet and having to wait (and wait and wait) for pages to load. Sometimes, it’s a momentary glitch, but more often than not, a sluggish browsing experience can be attributed to something amiss behind the scenes.  

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Where does your ISP fall among the fastest and slowest in the country?

Do you work from home? Is someone in your house a hardcore gamer? Do you stream high-definition content from multiple devices simultaneously? All these factors will help determine if you’re paying too much for internet speed. Here’s what you need to know.

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Are you overpaying for the internet? Find out now

Reliable internet may be something you take for granted, but even the most basic plans represent a financial hardship for low-income households.

Free internet service is available in some cases. Here’s the criteria to qualify for free internet.

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Quiz: Fix your bad Wi-Fi with the right router

Pop quiz: What’s the most important piece of tech in your house that helps you get online? If you guessed router, you’re right on the money — and if your router isn’t fast or powerful enough, you might not get the coverage you need in every room.

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Fix your Wi-Fi: 10 ways to get faster speeds

You’re relaxing on your sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a remote. You start to stream a popular show, but the dreaded buffering circle rears its ugly head. Nothing is playing, so you whip out the nearest internet-connected device and type, “How to get faster speeds for streaming” or “Tips to speed up a slow streaming service” into the search bar.

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Cable companies offering free internet service - See if you qualify

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Check your router! Models from 200+ companies at risk

Are you happy with your internet service? Does it seem to be running slower than expected despite shelling out for faster service?

Many factors could affect your internet speed, including the number of devices on the network, your equipment, your browser choice, and more. The simplest one to diagnose and fix is router placement. Finding a good spot for it can increase your speed and signal strength. Tap or click here for tips on the best locations for your router.

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Pro tip: How to speed up your Windows network connection

When you shell out mountains of cash for your network connection, you hope it will be fast enough for your needs. Unfortunately, high costs don’t always mean high quality. To make matters worse, searching the web for ways to speed up your Windows network connection churns out an endless mountain of potential fixes.

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Is your ISP throttling your internet speeds? Here's a fast test to find out

Does it ever feel like your internet is running slower than usual? Of course, it does. It’s happened to all of us at some point.

Web pages seem sluggish, while downloads and uploads seem to take forever. It’s very frustrating — especially when you’re paying for high-speed internet. Many potential issues are causing the slowdown, including problems with your device, browser or even a website you’re trying to visit.

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Pro tip: Check the internet reliability before you move

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Most people forget that your internet reliability can differ significantly depending on where you live, who your provider is, and what equipment you’re using. If you have good internet now, what happens if you move?

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6 checkups to give your tech now to avoid a shocking repair bill later

Your tech works only as well as your level of care for it. Whether it’s a phone, tablet, computer or laptop, you can keep any device running smoother and longer with some basic maintenance and checkups. Not only will you get more use out of them, but you can fend off bigger problems that cause headaches down the road.

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Try this handy calculator that shows how much internet you really need

The pandemic has shown us how reliant we could become on the internet. People have been working and educating themselves remotely. Online retailers saw an increase in sales as essential and non-essential items were in high demand.

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We all know the pain of “slow” internet: videos buffer, downloads take ages, and a single page can take forever to load. We wonder whether it’s our browser, our device, or the website we’re visiting.

It could be your Wi-Fi signal. Wireless networks are notorious for connection problems. Tap or click for ways to boost your Wi-Fi coverage for good, including changing the router’s channel, which hardly anyone does.

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Faster internet, wiping data, password hack: 5 tricks tech pros use all the time

The personal computer has been around for over 40 years. In that time, we’ve adapted to all kinds of platforms and devices.

We’ve learned Microsoft Office, mastered the iPhone, and conquered Zoom. If you’re thinking, “Well, not quite,” tap or click for my favorite Zoom tricks you’ll wish you knew sooner.

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5 ways to speed up your internet connection now

Feel like your internet is lagging? If more people are home than normal and using it constantly, that might be the problem. The good news is, you can probably fix it.

First, check your internet speed. Click or tap here for ways to check your internet speed. Does it match the service you pay for each month? If not, try resetting your modem or router, and see if that improves things.

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How much speed do you need to stream? Requirements for each service

You have your popcorn and you’ve got your movie picked out on your favorite streaming service. You’re cuddled up on the couch ready to go, but five minutes in, the video starts buffering.

Frustrated, you check your router, and it’s definitely working. What’s wrong? The answer might be your internet speed. Tap or click here to learn how to check your internet speed.

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Connection lagging? Here's how to test your Wi-Fi speed

Ever feel like your internet is running slow? Webpages seem sluggish while uploads and downloads take forever? It’s very frustrating, especially when you pay for high-speed internet.

Many things can cause websites and emails to load slowly. It could be your browser, your computer or a website problem. Tap or click here to see which browser is best for your needs.

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