Why is one device slower than the rest? How to find out

First make sure you're comparing like with like. Sky and Virgin Media both point out that your broadband speed is shared between all the devices using it, and so is Wi-Fi. So a console downloading while someone streams gets less than it would alone, a point YouTube's help pages also make.

thinkbroadband notes that slow speeds often have several causes at once: the device, the Wi-Fi, your home wiring, the line, the provider's network or the wider internet. So the first test should leave the device as the only thing that changes. Microsoft's Wi-Fi troubleshooting uses the same logic for connection problems: if another device can connect to the same network, the problem is likely the device that can't.

Sky says a wired connection is more reliable and usually faster than Wi-Fi (it makes an exception for some advanced Wi-Fi 7 devices), and Virgin Media recommends cabling consoles, laptops and desktops to the Hub for the highest speeds. But a wired device is only as fast as the slowest piece of the chain: the router socket, the cable and the device's own network port.

The device's own port sets a hard ceiling. thinkbroadband notes that a 100Mbps Ethernet connection won't let one device use a 300Mbps-plus service. Sky gives a top-end example: a 2.5Gbps package with a device that only supports a 1Gbps wired connection. It advises checking the device maker's details.

As a named example, Xbox lists both the Series X and Series S with Ethernet 802.3 10/100/1000, which means a wired connection of up to 1Gbps (checked on xbox.com in October 2026). For other devices, look for the network line on the maker's specification page.

Even a gigabit port won't show a full 1,000Mbps on a speed test, because sending data has overheads; our guide to broadband, Wi-Fi and the kit in between walks through where speed is lost along the chain from the line to your device. ISPreview (updated April 2025) also notes that not long ago almost every router still had 100Mbps ports, so an old router or switch somewhere in the chain can be the hidden limit.

The Wi-Fi standard. Wi-Fi comes in generations. The Wi-Fi Alliance, the industry body behind the names, dates them like this: Wi-Fi 4 in 2009, Wi-Fi 5 in 2014, Wi-Fi 6 in 2018 and Wi-Fi 7 in 2024. A device connects using the newest standard that both it and the router support. So a phone or TV from the Wi-Fi 4 or Wi-Fi 5 era stays on that older standard, even on a brand-new router. Our guide to Wi-Fi 6, 6E and 7 explains what each generation adds.

The antenna and chip. ISPreview notes that the Wi-Fi chips and antennas in many smartphones may be inferior to those in high-end laptops, and that Wi-Fi performance depends on the device having similar or better capability than the router. So a phone and laptop side by side can differ with nothing wrong with either.

Distance and walls. Virgin Media says distance, doors, walls and ceilings all weaken the signal, and ISPreview says the best Wi-Fi performance usually comes in the same room as the router. Our guide to improving your Wi-Fi signal covers router placement and other fixes.

Extenders. Sky says boosters and extenders can improve coverage but can reduce the speed to a device connected through them. If the slow device happens to be the one joined to an extender, that may be the whole story.

Windows 11. Microsoft gives two checks. Open Command Prompt and type netsh wlan show drivers: the line called Radio types supported lists what your Wi-Fi adapter can do. 802.11ax means Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, and 802.11be means Wi-Fi 7. Then go to Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi and open your network's properties: the Network band (channel) line there shows which band, or bands, you're connected on. Microsoft points to that line mainly for checking Wi-Fi 7 connections, but it's a handy way to spot a laptop sitting on 2.4GHz. Microsoft also says Wi-Fi 7 needs Windows 11 version 24H2 or later, plus an adapter and router that support it (checked October 2026).

Mac. Apple's Mac User Guide says that if you hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar, you'll see details of the current connection, including the channel, frequency band, security standard and the 802.11 protocol in use.

Consoles, smart TVs, phones and tablets. Menus vary by maker, so check the maker's specification page for your model, as Sky advises. The Xbox example above (802.11ac dual band, which is Wi-Fi 5, and 10/100/1000 Ethernet) shows the kind of line to look for.

If the hardware checks out, look at what's running on the slow device. These causes only affect the device they're on.

Streaming. Netflix says slow loading can mean the device has a weak or unstable connection or needs an update. Its suggested steps are to restart the device and your home network, move the router and device closer together, and update the device's software. YouTube says that power-cycling a TV, by unplugging it and waiting at least 30 seconds before plugging it back in, is often the most effective fix. If buffering is the main problem, our guide to why streaming keeps buffering goes further.

Try a cable. A TV or console usually stays put, and Virgin Media recommends connecting consoles to the Hub with an Ethernet cable for the highest speeds. If the router is too far away for a lead, our wired home network guide covers options such as powerline adapters and their limits.

Game and app downloads. A slow console download isn't always about your home at all. ISPreview notes that download servers for games and software manage their traffic for fair use, so large updates can be slow however fast your line is. If one game or one store is slow while everything else is fine, see our guide on why one website or game is slow.

Work down this list and stop when you find the cause:

1. Compare in the same spot with a device that works well, at a quiet time.
2. Restart properly: a full restart, not sleep. Unplug TVs for at least 30 seconds.
3. Try a cable to the router if the device has an Ethernet port.
4. Wired but slow? Check the device's port, the cable category, the router socket and any Ethernet power-saving setting.
5. Slow only on Wi-Fi? Check the standard and band, move closer, leave extenders out of the test, and look at the router's radio mode and security settings.
6. Check software: switch off the VPN and pause any traffic scanning for a quick test, and let updates finish. If you use iCloud Private Relay, you could pause it while you run a speed test, since Apple says it can make some results appear lower.
7. Update or reinstall drivers on a Windows PC, as Microsoft describes.
8. Still slow? The device may be too old or underpowered for your speed. Replacing it, or for a computer, its network adapter, may be the realistic fix.

thinkbroadband warns that some slow devices can slow the whole network, so it's worth sorting a problem device out. If you're not sure what's connected, our guide on seeing what's using your broadband shows how to check.

If every device is slow, even one plugged into the router with a good cable, the problem is more likely the connection than anything in your home. Start with our guides to broadband that keeps dropping out and Wi-Fi that's connected with no internet, or see how to report a broadband fault.

A faster package won't fix a device limited by its own port, cable, Wi-Fi chip or software. But if your devices are fine and the line itself is too slow for your household, faster broadband is the real answer. Our guide to what broadband speed you need helps you size it; then compare deals at your postcode, or look at fibre broadband deals and the broadband providers available. We compare deals through a partner widget and don't switch you ourselves, so you sign up directly with the provider you choose.